ME/CFS
Outcome unclear
ME/CFS with pain and poor sleep, trying Cymbalta, Elavil and meditation
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill for
- Not stated
- Last post
- Aug 2019
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I've had to do a lot of tinkering with my diet too, and I strongly recommend that everyone here re-assess their own. Dairy was the big culprit for me, but I also have MS.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I suppose I spend most of my time either cleaning and doing chores, recovering (usually lying down), and just trying to quietly make the most of life.
In context ↗
Read from 7 of their posts and comments; links to the 6 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user in r/cfs who took Cymbalta for about seven years and a small dose of Elavil; they said both slightly improved their mental health and overall well-being, and Elavil helped them sleep and reduced pain. They spent most of their time on chores with lying-down recovery and strolls, and said meditation helped them cope. They also have MS. An AIP elimination diet was a rough ride that set their health back substantially, but they reported dramatically improved digestion since.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Cymbalta · Helped
I find that both of these medications do slightly improve both my mental health and my overall well-being.
In context ↗ - Elavil · Helped
I take a very small dose of Elavil, but it seems to help me sleep better and to reduce my overall pain.
In context ↗ - meditation and mindfulness exercises · Helped
It's helped me cope with having to overhaul my life to accommodate being ill
In context ↗ - AIP · Helped
It was a long, rough ride ... but ultimately I don't regret doing it and I've had dramatically improved digestive health since then
In context ↗ - hydrochloric acid · Not said
I did AIP and took hydrochloric acid to help with my feeble digestion
In context ↗ - diet tinkering (dairy elimination) · Helped
I've had to do a lot of tinkering with my diet too, and I strongly recommend that everyone here re-assess their own. Dairy was the big culprit for me
In context ↗
Their path
What they say at each step doesn’t fit the worst point or outcome above on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened | After |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-11-17 | Mostly at home, chores with lying-down recovery, short strolls and gardeningI suppose I spend most of my time either cleaning and doing chores, recovering (usually lying down)In context ↗ | |
| 2019-08-27 | Digestive health dramatically better after AIP elimination dietI've had dramatically improved digestive health since thenIn context ↗ | Elimination diets (other) |
| 2019-08-27 | Still on Cymbalta and Elavil, diet adjusted, has MSI've had to do a lot of tinkering with my diet tooIn context ↗ |
Adverse events
- Amitriptyline (Elavil)“Were your cravings super intense too? Mine are driving me nuts! I've resigned myself to living in perpetual starvation in order to not be chubby, basically.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Elimination diets (other)“some of the AIP-compliant foods I relied heavily on were high in FODMAPs which set my health back substantially” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Pain & fibromyalgia
it seems to help me sleep better and to reduce my overall pain
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
it seems to help me sleep better
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I experienced a lot of bloating and diarrhea and often passed undigested food
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
both of these medications do slightly improve both my mental health and my overall well-being
In context ↗