Mostly housebound and off work with ME/CFS, now much better with venlafaxine and cannabis
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 6 years
- Last post
- May 2026
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
My CFS is not as bad as it once was
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
My CFS is not as bad as it once was, I'm in the "mild" category now but used to be moderate.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I've gone from moderate to mild and I've got some quality of life back.
In context ↗ - Began after: stress or burnout
But looking back, I think it actually was the stress in work.
Read from 37 of their posts and comments; links to the 17 this page draws on
Summary
An Irish teacher fell ill around 2020, becoming mostly housebound and off work for two years. Venlafaxine, mirtazapine and cannabis helped sleep, pain and energy, and she improved slowly to mild, returning to part-time teaching in 2023. Pregnancy in late 2024 undid that progress, leaving her in bed and sleeping badly. By May 2026 she was back to mild with some quality of life.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- venlafaxine · Helped a lot
Yes, it significantly helped me quickly when I was at my worst.
In context ↗ - mirtazapine · Helped
Mirtazapine which usually works so well for me (100% success for sleep) is now not working very well
In context ↗ - weed (cannabis, edibles) · Helped
Weed. It calms any pain, and disguises the fatigue. Also helps me sleep.
In context ↗ - solpadeine · Not said
But I can't continue to have weed and solpadeine like they're tic-tacs forever.
In context ↗ - massager · Not said
I have a massager, I have weed, and I have solpadeine.
In context ↗ - Lexapro · Not said
I came off it and then I got sick.
In context ↗ - MDMA (molly) · Worse
I've had MDMA twice since getting this...still have it. Sorry to burst your bubble :( it won't help.
In context ↗ - CBD · No change
Ive had CBD and it didn't do too much.
In context ↗ - amitriptyline · Not said
I have to take amitriptyline to get to sleep.
In context ↗ - diphenhydramine (nytol) · Helped
I've been taking diphenhydramine (nytol, antihistamine) but it isn't working at the moment. It did help for a while, but not pregnant.
In context ↗ - melatonin · Not said
I've tried weed and melatonin.
In context ↗
Approaches: SNRIs · Other antidepressants
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | fell ill with exhaustion and twitching while still workingWhen I got this almost 3 years ago, the fatigue made me want to jump out of my skin.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2020 | crashed after a 45-minute bike ride, with months of burning armsWhen I got on my bike and cycled 45 mins before (2020), I got a really bad reaction 20 mins after I got off the bike.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2021 | mostly housebound and out of work, could hardly standCould hardly stand. Felt like passing out all the time. Even lying down didn't feel like rest.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2022 | could lie in bed and play games or watch TV; condition stabilizedTwo years in I was fatigued, but I could lay in bed and at least play games or watch TV.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| August 2022 | in the mild category, no longer moderateMy CFS is not as bad as it once was, I'm in the "mild" category now but used to be moderate.In context ↗ | Mild |
| January 2023 | returned to part-time teaching after two years unemployedI just got back to work part time 2 months ago after 2 years of being unemployed and that's BIG for me.In context ↗ | Mild |
| December 2024 | pregnancy undid her progress; signed off work and in bed all dayBeing pregnant has taken away any progress I had made.In context ↗ | Severe |
| May 2026 | back to mild with some quality of lifeI've gone from moderate to mild and I've got some quality of life back.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Mirtazapine (Remeron)“But the Mirtazapine makes me gain weight like crazy so isn't great longterm” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
if I do something like cut the grass (which I've done 2-3 times in the last year) I feel a sudden increase in fatigue and hour or two later.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Some brain fog sometimes.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I also have POTS so my heart goes skrrrt.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
My insomnia is quite bad - I could go two nights without sleep unless I'm on heavy meds.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
TMJ pain (2020-2023)
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
head pain - squeezing feeling and strained eye muscles
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I get digestive issues
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
I am sensitive to noise and it tends to make me tireder.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
mild-moderate chest pain
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
Could hardly stand.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
Burning arms (2020)
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Now I'm in a mind frame where I want to just end it all, but can't.
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
I get a sore throat sometimes after work or in the evening.
In context ↗
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