Really ill for 2-3 years with ME/CFS, now somewhat better; leg pain eased by duloxetine
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 17 years
- Last post
- Oct 2022
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
he had me tested for CFS/ME, which obviously confirmed everything and finally gave me my diagnosis
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
my body just crashed out and I was really ill for 2-3 years (2006-8), it took me a long time to recover
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
it took me a long time to recover, but I never got back to 100% of what I was before
In context ↗ - Began after: stress or burnout
mine was caused by very severe, prolonged stress
Summary
Orchid 24662 fell ill in 2005 amid severe stress; after leaving that situation their body crashed and they were really ill for 2-3 years, never back to 100%. Diagnosed with CFS/ME in 2016, they were given no specific treatment and learned to manage activity and rest. Duloxetine, started around March 2022 for constant leg muscle pain, eased it somewhat but not fatigue. They quit their job in 2021 and managed at home without PEM crashes.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- activity/rest · Helped
I've since learned to 'manage' my symptoms and know what works for me, re: activity/rest.
In context ↗ - Duloxetine · Helped
I take Duloxetine too (since approx March), haven't noticed any effect on fatigue levels, but it is helping somewhat with the constant muscle pain in my legs
In context ↗
Approaches: Pacing
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, with time counted from when the illness began. Hover or tap a point. The chart starts 16 years after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 3 steps say too little to place on the scale and are only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | became ill during prolonged severe stressmine was caused by very severe, prolonged stress (during 2005-6 when I broke up with my younger kids dad)In context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2006 | body crashed out once away from the stressful situation; really ill for 2-3 yearsmy body just crashed out and I was really ill for 2-3 years (2006-8)In context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2008 | recovered from the crash over a long time but never back to 100%it took me a long time to recover, but I never got back to 100% of what I was beforeIn context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2021 | could no longer manage the physical demands of work and quit their jobI eventually quit my job in 2021, as I could no longer manage my tasks (too physically demanding for me)In context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2022-10-20 | pottering about at home within their energy limitsNowadays, I just potter about at home as much as I'm able without causing a PEM crashIn context ↗ | Moderate |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
without causing a PEM crash
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
the constant muscle pain in my legs
In context ↗
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