Unable to walk for exercise with ME/CFS, much better after cutting nightshades and pacing
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 4 years
- Last post
- Feb 2025
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I’ve had ME/CFS since 2021, when I was 19.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I continued to deteriorate until I cut my hours down at work and changed my role to a less physical job.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I’ve improved enough to go back to working full time in my fourth year of being unwell if that helps!
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
It started with shin pain after I had an infection, probably covid but I didn’t test.
Read from 26 of their posts and comments; links to the 13 this page draws on
Summary
A UK woman who fell ill in February 2021, aged 19 or 20, after a probable covid infection, deteriorated over her first years while pushing through work and exercise. She stabilised at a milder level, unable to walk for exercise, and at one point had no hope left. In 2024 she improved after cutting out nightshade vegetables, her biggest gain, alongside pacing, daily yoga nidra, electrolytes and CBD. By December 2024 she was back in full-time work, though still experiencing fatigue.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Diphenhydramine · Helped
Sleeping pills really helped (I took diphenhydramine), and then I managed to come off them and now regularly get 8 hours per night!
In context ↗ - Yoga nidra · Helped
I’ve done a lot of work on calming my nervous system during the day, and I think practising yoga nidra has been the most beneficial tool!
In context ↗ - Eating regular meals · Helped
yoga nidra has really helped me, along with eating regular meals, electrolye drinks in the mornings, and CBD gummies!
In context ↗ - Electrolytes · Helped
Definitely give electrolytes a go, they aren’t a magic cure, but they improve my condition
In context ↗ - CBD gummies · Helped
Electrolytes and CBD!
In context ↗ - Therapy · No change
I've done a fair bit of therapy since I've had CFS and while it hasn't directly helped my CFS, becoming better at regulating my emotions and noticing when I'm in fight or flight has helped
In context ↗ - Cutting work hours and switching to remote part-time work · Helped
I continued to deteriorate until I cut my hours down at work and changed my role to a less physical job.
In context ↗ - Pacing · Helped a lot
I definitely recommend reading up on pacing, it’s been by far the most helpful thing for me
In context ↗ - Cutting out nightshade vegetables · Helped a lot
I've had a significant improvement in my CFS since cutting out nightshade vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, white potatoes and aubergines).
In context ↗ - Perrin technique · Not said
I started doing the Perrin technique recently
In context ↗ - Sodium butyrate · Not said
I also did a gut health test with health path who recommended taking sodium burtyrate and milk thistle supplements
In context ↗
Approaches: POTS medication · Diet · Mind-body practices · Other drugs and medicines · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| February/March 2021 | CFS began with shin pain after a probable covid infection; kept living life until symptoms forced her to stopIt started with shin pain after I had an infection, probably covid but I didn’t test. ... I kept living life though, until I was forced to stopIn context ↗ | |
| — | deteriorated while working too much and pushing exercise, until she cut her hours and moved to remote part-time workI continued to deteriorate until I cut my hours down at work and changed my role to a less physical job.In context ↗ | |
| mid-2024 | low point with no hope left, unable to walk for exerciseI was ready to end it all a few months ago, I really had no hope left.In context ↗ | |
| August 2024 | cut out nightshade vegetables; fatigue and flu-like symptoms eased and no PEM after a 14-hour weddingI've had a significant improvement in my CFS since cutting out nightshade vegetablesIn context ↗ | Elimination diets (other) |
| December 2024 | returned to full-time work in her fourth year of illnessI’ve improved enough to go back to working full time in my fourth year of being unwell if that helps!In context ↗ | Elimination diets (other) |
| February 2025 | working full time, still pacing, resting without screens and doing yoga nidra at lunchElectrolytes, doing yoga nirdra meditation when I’m on my lunch break at work, pacing, lots of rest without a screenIn context ↗ |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
my symptoms consist of fatigue, PEM, migraine, tinnitus, leg pain, flu like symptoms like sore throats, brain fog and digestive issues
In context ↗ - Brain fog
brain fog and digestive issues
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
Whenever I’ve overdone it, the leg pain comes back until I’ve rested enough for a week or so
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
my symptoms consist of fatigue, PEM, migraine, tinnitus
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
migraine, tinnitus, leg pain
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
especially the flu like symptoms, such as a sore throat
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I’ve been suffering with insomnia for 2.5 years now with my CFS.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I was ready to end it all a few months ago, I really had no hope left.
In context ↗
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