Unable to sit up with ME/CFS, now much better after trazodone and Abilify
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 2 years
- Last post
- Jun 2017
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I've had CFS for 2 years
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
I would have extreme vertigo and dizziness and couldn't sit up in a chair.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I am close to recovered as well.
In context ↗
Read from 5 of their posts and comments; links to the 4 this page draws on
Summary
Fjord 59310 had CFS for about two years, with severe first-year crashes of vertigo and dizziness that left them unable to sit up in a chair. After a January crash they took trazodone and Abilify, paced carefully and regained near-normal energy, with a ten-month remission from May 2016. Overdoing it in February 2017 brought crashes back on and off; by June 2017 they felt close to recovered, still having PEM.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- trazodone · Helped
so, i went to a psychiatrist for the first time and was prescribed the sleep aid trazodone and also abilify
In context ↗ - abilify · Helped
abilfy is classified as an antipsychotic, but it's also used for anxiety
In context ↗ - pacing · Helped a lot
with my anxiety under control and my sleeping improved, i was able to pace much better
In context ↗ - sitting in the sun · Helped
even if it's just to sit in the sun for a few minutes; it makes me feel great!
In context ↗
Approaches: Other antidepressants · Other drugs and medicines · 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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | CFS began; first year of severe crashesI've had CFS for 2 years, and the first year, the crashes were muuuch more severe.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| January 2016 | worst crash yet, barely able to walk, extreme anxietyduring the worst crash i ever had last january (barely able to walk)In context ↗ | Severe | |
| May 2016 | ten-month remission; stopped crashing, still mildly fatiguedI was still mildly fatigued, but was able to have fun, and i stopped crashing.In context ↗ | Mild | Pacing and the energy envelope |
| February 2017 | crashed after staying out late and overdoing things; crashes on and offIt's been like this since February 2017 on and off.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| June 2017 | out of the house daily, part-time work planned, close to recoveredI have every symptom including PEM which is basically the dealbreaker, and I am close to recovered as well.In context ↗ | Mild |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I have every symptom including PEM which is basically the dealbreaker
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I would have extreme vertigo and dizziness and couldn't sit up in a chair.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
i had an extreme amount of anxiety which made everything 10x worse
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
with my anxiety under control and my sleeping improved
In context ↗
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