Moderate ME/CFS back to mild with whole-food diet, then housebound after reinfection
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- Oct 2026
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
Then I got covid last year and went into moderate. A diet overhaul and hiring a cleaner and getting some accommodations at work is slowly moving me back into mild though. But yeah, my ME was not triggered by a viral infection.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I went from mildish to properly moderate, housebound, unable to cook, clean, do laundry or much at all 3 months ago
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I went from mildish to properly moderate, housebound, unable to cook, clean, do laundry or much at all 3 months ago when I caught the latest covid strain. I've been off work for this time.
In context ↗ - Began after: stress or burnout
I was suffering autism burnout after university, started a part time physical job (field archaeology) and suddenly developed exhaustion, pots symptoms and brain fog
- Says they never had: Flu-like symptoms
I didn't initially get flu-like symptoms
Read from 23 of their posts and comments; links to the 10 this page draws on
Summary
Beech 74647, in the UK, developed very mild ME after autism burnout and a physical job, later reaching mild. COVID in 2022 pushed them to moderate; a whole-food diet, a cleaner, work adjustments and later duloxetine with reduced hours brought them back to mild, walking 40+ minutes daily on a 2025 holiday. A COVID reinfection in 2026 left them housebound and off work again.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Orlistat · Much worse
Orlistat gave me pancreatitis and I constantly had the shits... never again
In context ↗ - sertraline, fluoxetine and citalopram · No change
I've tried 3 SSRIs (sertraline, fluoxetine and citalopram) and all 3 we're dogshit
In context ↗ - diet overhaul (whole foods, low GI carbs, more protein, veg and fats) · Helped
I genuinely feel a lot better? I haven't needed an afternoon nap in 10 days
In context ↗ - reducing work hours, resting more, more naps · Helped
Duloxetine and reducing work hours and resting more.
In context ↗ - duloxetine (SNRI) · Helped a lot
I doubled my duloxetine dose after 6 weeks. Since then my insomnia has gone and I can sleep at least 8h a night
In context ↗ - fresh air and sunlight for vitamin D · Helped
getting outside for vitamin D and fresh air (even just sitting outside)
In context ↗ - vitamin supplements · Helped
more naps, more vitamin supplements, starting and being on duloxetine 60mg for 4 months now
In context ↗ - propranolol · Not said
Medicines I'm currently on are 120mg duloxetine and 80mg propranolol.
In context ↗ - intermittent fasting · No change
Intermittent fasting has never worked for me.
In context ↗ - mini pills to stop periods · Helped
This was me before I took mini pills to stop my periods. ... It's been amazing for me not to bleed
In context ↗
Approaches: SNRIs · Diet · Pacing · Supplements
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, in the order they describe; they don’t give enough times to place each step. 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 university | autism burnout, then exhaustion, POTS symptoms and brain fog; diagnosed very mild MEstarted a part time physical job (field archaeology) and suddenly developed exhaustion, pots symptoms and brain fog ... they settled on (very mild) MEIn context ↗ | Mild |
| before covid | weight gain, full-time desk work, another autism burnout; now met all the mild criteriathe ME got more noticeable and met all the mild criteriaIn context ↗ | Mild |
| 2022 | caught covid, went into moderateThen I got covid last year and went into moderateIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| September 2023 | diet overhaul, hired a cleaner, work accommodations; 15 minute slow walks on some daysI've even been able to go on 15 minute slow walks on some days!! ... A diet overhaul and hiring a cleaner and getting some accommodations at work is slowly moving me back into mild | Mild |
| end of 2024 | 4-6 week long crash into moderatemy last 4-6 week long crash ... another crash into moderate where I was the end of last yearIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| May 2025 | duloxetine, fewer working hours and more rest; holiday in Crete walking 40+ minutes a day, 10k steps and a 2 hour walkI even did over 10k steps yesterday and walked for 2 hours! ... I've had no crashes in 2025 as a result and been mild | Mild |
| October 2026 | caught the latest covid strain, properly moderate and housebound, off workI went from mildish to properly moderate, housebound, unable to cook, clean, do laundry or much at all 3 months ago when I caught the latest covid strain. I've been off work for this timeIn context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- “Orlistat gave me pancreatitis and I constantly had the shits... never again” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- “Orlistat gave me pancreatitis and I constantly had the shits... never again” In context ↗ Other
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Went from housebound in rolling PEM to mild
In context ↗ - Brain fog
brain fog and inability to concentrate. Forgetting words, names, can't problem solve
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
suddenly developed exhaustion, pots symptoms and brain fog
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I have to sleep twice a day, not once, because I can't be awake for many hours
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
joint pain, primarily elbows, wrists, fingers, knees and ankles ... Also muscle pain (back)
In context ↗
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