Brain fog and fatigue; keto helped then a 2024 crash left them mostly bedbound with ME/CFS
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 8 years
- Last post
- Jan 2025
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I have now been diagnosed with chronic fatigue and MCAS.
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
in June 2024 I couldn’t stand up and have been mostly bedbound and housebound since
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I struggled for 7 years, then crashed big time in June 2024. I haven’t been able to work since.
In context ↗ - Began after: nothing they could name
In January 2017 I suddenly developed debilitating fatigue and brain fog.
In context ↗
Read from 12 of their posts and comments; links to the 7 this page draws on
Summary
Debilitating fatigue and brain fog began in January 2017; a ketogenic diet helped them keep working, with nothing found. A 2021 COVID vaccine left them very ill for weeks; food-triggered flu-like symptoms led to an MCAS diagnosis and failed antihistamines. They crashed in June 2024 and have been mostly bedbound since, diagnosed with CFS that November and calling themselves severe with glimmers of moderate between big crashes. Pacing, low-carb meals and beta blockers help.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Atkins/keto type diet · Helped
But I discovered significant improvement following a mostly Atkins/keto type diet.
In context ↗ - OMAD · Helped
OMAD helps, but whenever I try OMAD it triggers palpitations that last for days.
In context ↗ - anti histamines · No change
prescribed various anti histamines. Nothing helped.
In context ↗ - beta blockers · Helped a lot
Helps me enormously. Reduces my heart rate and allows me to feel less laboured.
In context ↗ - Pacing · Helped
Pacing (rest as soon as you feel tired)
In context ↗ - Stay gently activity · Helped
Stay gently activity
In context ↗ - high quality electrolytes · Not said
I have tried high quality electrolytes.
In context ↗ - NuroSym · No change
I used the device numerous times at different strengths and different lengths of time. It made no difference to any of my vitals
In context ↗ - alcohol · Helped a lot
Alcohol is a huge help for me.
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Worse
After having the Covid vaccine in March 2021, I was very ill for a week. ... I have since become more unwell
In context ↗
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. 1 step has no time and sits in story order between the steps around it. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2017 | sudden debilitating fatigue and brain fog, worse after eatingIn January 2017 I suddenly developed debilitating fatigue and brain fog.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2017 | significant improvement on a mostly Atkins/keto diet; able to work againI discovered significant improvement following a mostly Atkins/keto type diet. It was by no means fixed, but at least I could work and have a personal life.In context ↗ | Mild | Keto and low-carb diets |
| March 2021 | very unwell for weeks after COVID vaccine, then could eat carbs againIn 2021 I had the COVID jab and became very unwell for weeks. But bizarrely, I was able to eat carbs again without crashing.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| late 2021 | cold/flu symptoms after eating carbs, then after anythingI began experiencing cold/flu symptoms whenever I ate carbs. Then whenever I ate anything.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| June 2024 | crashed big time; mostly bedbound and houseboundThen in June 2024 I couldn’t stand up and have been mostly bedbound and housebound since.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| 2024-12-19 | diagnosed with CFS; severe with glimmers of moderateI currently meet the “severe” definition. There are glimmers of “moderate” interspersed with big crashes.In context ↗ | Severe |
Adverse events
- COVID vaccination as treatment“After having the Covid vaccine in March 2021, I was very ill for a week. ... I have since become more unwell” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Intermittent fasting“whenever I try OMAD it triggers palpitations that last for days” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
In January 2017 I suddenly developed debilitating fatigue and brain fog.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
whenever I try OMAD it triggers palpitations that last for days
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
I began experiencing cold/flu symptoms whenever I ate carbs. Then whenever I ate anything.
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
I have just been diagnosed with CFS and MCAS.
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
As soon as my fever broke
In context ↗
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