Too tired to cook or shower with ME/CFS, much better on a high-sodium diet and exercise
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 1 year
- Last post
- Sep 2023
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I was recently given a formal diagnosis (following a lifetime of low energy and recent months of debilitating fatigue
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
Still exhausted most days, to the point of being unable to cook or shower.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
Increasing my electrolyte intake (especially sodium) + doing lower-body strengthening/stretching exercises regularly helped me massively
In context ↗ - Began after: nothing they could name
following a lifetime of low energy and recent months of debilitating fatigue
In context ↗
Read from 9 of their posts and comments; links to the 8 this page draws on
Summary
He was diagnosed with CFS at 23 after months of debilitating fatigue and lifelong low energy, often too tired to cook or shower, though he later thought it was actually POTS. Salt tablets and water were prescribed, and a later high-sodium diet plus lower-body exercises largely stopped his light-headedness on standing. By 2023 his low blood pressure was gone and he put his fatigue down to poor circulation and low testosterone, though he felt bad after a week without enough sodium.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- salt tablets / high-sodium diet · Helped a lot
Nothing helped... until I switched to a high-sodium diet. Over time, that pretty much did the trick
In context ↗ - lower-body strengthening/stretching exercises · Helped
Increasing my electrolyte intake (especially sodium) + doing lower-body strengthening/stretching exercises regularly helped me massively
In context ↗ - Wim Hof Method · Helped
for the past couple of days I've been gifted about 5-6 hours of workable energy, followed by a hard crash mid-afternoon
In context ↗ - B-vitamin complex · Not said
I take a B-vitamin complex, as well as vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and monolaurin supplements.
In context ↗ - avoiding sugar · Not said
I don't eat anything with sugar more days than not
In context ↗ - Vyvanse · Not said
I take 50mg Vyvanse for ADHD
In context ↗ - Desvenlafaxine · Worse
Desvenlafaxine made me fatigued
In context ↗ - Lexapro · Worse
Lexapro made me, my girlfriend, and my mom all experience different levels of exhaustion.
In context ↗ - Bupropion · Not said
now I just take Bupropion for seasonal depression for a couple weeks as needed
In context ↗ - Prozac · Helped
I'm on 40mg Prozac now with much better results.
In context ↗
Approaches: POTS medication · Exercise and activity
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | lifelong low energy, then months of debilitating fatiguefollowing a lifetime of low energy and recent months of debilitating fatigueIn context ↗ | |
| March 2020 | exhausted most days, unable to cook or showerStill exhausted most days, to the point of being unable to cook or shower.In context ↗ | |
| November 2021 | high-sodium diet and lower-body exercise largely stopped the passing-out feelingNothing helped... until I switched to a high-sodium diet. Over time, that pretty much did the trickIn context ↗ | Salt, electrolytes and fluids |
| September 2023 | low blood pressure gone, fatigue put down to poor circulationMy low BP is no longer, I think exercise did the trick.In context ↗ |
Adverse events
- Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse, Elvanse)“I already sleep 8-10 hours most nights, unless I take my Vyvanse too late in the day.” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“for the past couple of days I've been gifted about 5-6 hours of workable energy, followed by a hard crash mid-afternoon.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“Lexapro made me, my girlfriend, and my mom all experience different levels of exhaustion.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)“Desvenlafaxine made me fatigued, don't remember any withdrawals.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- POTS & dysautonomia
would practically pass out every time I stood up
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
whenever I do cardio of any kind, I crash immediately, and much harder
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
now I just take Bupropion for seasonal depression for a couple weeks as needed
In context ↗
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