Crashing through most of 2018 with ME/CFS, now somewhat better with pacing
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3 years
- Last post
- Jul 2019
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I have dealt with various degrees of this over the past six months and have recently started seeing a ME/CFS specialist located in Charlotte, NC.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I was on a pretty bad cycle of crashing most of 2018 because I pushed myself too hard
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I was on a pretty bad cycle of crashing most of 2018 because I pushed myself too hard ... It wasn’t until I saw a specialist that I was finally able to let myself start healing.
In context ↗
Read from 5 of their posts and comments; links to the 5 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user with ME/CFS spent most of 2018 crashing from pushing too hard. Cymbalta eased their pain for three years until complications forced them off; low-dose naltrexone worked after three to four weeks but cost more via a compounding pharmacy. A specialist's pacing advice, keeping heart rate under 110 bpm and steps around 4,000-5,000, helped them start healing.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Cymbalta · Helped
I took Cymbalta for about three years and it was effective at cutting down my pain level.
In context ↗ - LDN · Helped
It took longer (3 to 4 weeks) to kick in than Cymbalta did, but it is working well.
In context ↗ - tracking heart rate and staying under anaerobic threshold · Helped
It’s been very helpful for me to have data that I can track and actually see a correlation with the way I feel.
In context ↗ - step tracker · Helped
I also track my steps and have been able to trace poor management of my step activity to crashes.
In context ↗
Approaches: Pacing
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 |
|---|---|---|
| onset | onset of ME/CFS; on Cymbalta for painI took Cymbalta for about three years and it was effective at cutting down my pain level.In context ↗ | |
| 2018 to early 2019 | cycle of crashes from pushing too hard; myoclonus and sensory overload, stopped drivingI was on a pretty bad cycle of crashing most of 2018 because I pushed myself too hard mostly due to the psychological effects of this disorder.In context ↗ | |
| April 2019 | LDN working; body stabilized and felt more normalIt took longer (3 to 4 weeks) to kick in than Cymbalta did, but it is working well.In context ↗ | Low-dose naltrexone |
| July 2019 | pacing with heart-rate and step tracking, good around 4k to 5k stepsI’m good somewhere around 4k to 5k.In context ↗ | Pacing and the energy envelope |
Adverse events
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)“I also have had some conditions disappear that I now realize were side effects of Cymbalta.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)“However, due to complications I was recently taken off it. Weaning off Cymbalta is terrible.” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)“I had a heck of a time though on Cymbalta so LDN was a big relief.” In context ↗ Other
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Pain & fibromyalgia
it was managing some of my pain quite well
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
If I do go over it for only several minutes, crash symptoms will set in.
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
There was a period of time that I didn’t drive because I felt such a sensory overload.
In context ↗
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