Debilitating ME/CFS fatigue, barely awake a few hours; Vyvanse and Ritalin, no benefit
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill for
- 10 years
- Last post
- Sep 2025
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I have been fighting debilitating fatigue for about a decade now
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
I can barely stay awake for a few hours a day ... If I don't take it though, I will sleep over 20 hours if I'm home and still be exhausted.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
it's gotten so much worse. It's ruining my life.
In context ↗ - Began after: nothing they could name
I have been fighting debilitating fatigue for about a decade now, but it's gotten so much worse.
Summary
They had fought debilitating fatigue for about a decade, worsening until they could barely stay awake a few hours a day; without Vyvanse they slept over 20 hours and still felt exhausted. Vyvanse 50 mg plus a 5 mg Ritalin booster gave about seven hours awake; antibiotics helped only a few days. They were between jobs, needed sinus surgery for a chronic infection they could not afford, and had depression and diabetes.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Vyvanse · Helped
my psychiatrist gave me Vyvanse and I'm up to 50mg. ... With it, I get like 7 hours awake.
In context ↗ - Ritalin · Not said
She also gave me a small 5mg of Ritalin to help smooth out the crash in the afternoon.
In context ↗ - antibiotics · Helped
The antibiotics helped the fatigue but it didn't last long... only a few days.
In context ↗ - steroid spray · Not said
I was on them and steroid spray by the doctor before the CT.
In context ↗ - medication for depression · Not said
I am on a good medication for that
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. The chart starts 10 years after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 2 steps say too little to place on the scale and are only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| about a decade ago | debilitating fatigue beganI have been fighting debilitating fatigue for about a decade nowIn context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2025-09 | fatigue much worse, barely awake a few hours a dayI can barely stay awake for a few hours a day and when I'm out of the house, I am miserable from fighting it.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| 2025-09 | Vyvanse gave about seven hours awakeWith it, I get like 7 hours awake.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2025-09 | antibiotics helped fatigue for a few daysThe antibiotics helped the fatigue but it didn't last long... only a few days.In context ↗ | Not stated | Antibiotics (unspecified) |
| 2025-09-14 | still fatigued, awaiting insurance for sinus surgeryall I can do right now is try to find a way to lessen the fatigue symptom until I can get insurance.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Sleep problems
If I don't take it though, I will sleep over 20 hours if I'm home and still be exhausted.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
The most relevant is depression and diabetes.
In context ↗