ME/CFS
Mild → no benefit
ME/CFS with depression, POTS and food sensitivities; LDN and guanfacine gave no benefit
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill for
- Not stated
- Last post
- Sep 2026
In their words
- At worst: Mild
I don't have severe long covid ... I'm wondering what will happen with colds as I go back to the office next week
- Now: No benefit
I feel like I have progressively gotten worse for a few years, but more recently have made some slow improvements.
In context ↗ - Began after: nothing they could name
I don't have a pinpoint to when my issues started, but half of my siblings hint towards these issues.
- Says they never had: Brain fog
I haven't had the brain fog issue.
Read from 117 of their posts and comments; links to the 56 this page draws on
- Jun 2025
- Feb 2021
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Summary
A Reddit user with ME/CFS and treatment-resistant depression whose November 2020 COVID deepened the depression for two to three months; it eased by month three. A first Pfizer dose lifted mood for a day; a second brought nausea and worse food sensitivities. Later hyperadrenergic POTS and food sensitivities dominated; LDN, guanfacine, ketotifen and NAD+ gave only partial or conflicting help, with slow improvements reported in 2025.
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What they tried
Also tried
vitamin D· HelpedXanax· Helpedprovigil· Helpedmagnesium· HelpedB vitamins· Helpedmirapex· Helped · wore offAdderall· Helped · wore offCBD· HelpedLDN· Helpedguanfacine· Helpedketotifen· Helpedred and infrared light· HelpedNAD+· Helped · wore offcpap· No changemicrodosing· No changePOTS meds· No changePlaquenil· No changeTMS· No changeprobiotics· Worseniacin· Worseketo· WorseALCAR· Worsecompounded ketamine· Worseantihistamine· WorsePfizer vaccine· Worsemethylated folate· WorseCoQ10· Worsesynthroid· Worsebeta blockers· Worsecarbidopa· Worsestellate ganglion block· Worsetirzepatide· Worsemeditation· WorseGabapentin· Much worseSSRIs· Not saidQuercetin· Not saidintermittent fasting· Not saidWellbutrin· Not saidLamictal· Not saidoxaloacetate· Not saidEVT· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- SSRIs · Not said
the kind of sadness I experience when I forget to take my SSRIs.
In context ↗ - vitamin D · Helped
I definitely feel like it helps my immune system and mood.
In context ↗ - probiotics · Worse
probiotics make my mood worse!
In context ↗ - Xanax · Helped
My histamine/mast cell reactions are lowered on xanax.
In context ↗ - niacin · Worse
niacin makes my lips extremely chapped. and the higher the dose, the worse it is.
In context ↗ - provigil · Helped
I started provigil and it helps but also makes me more weak when it wears off
In context ↗ - magnesium · Helped
I've read that it is good to take with magnesium so that it is smoother and I think it has helped me.
In context ↗ - cpap · No change
the doc prescribed me a cpap & tried it. over it.
In context ↗ - keto · Worse
i noticed for me trying to go keto caused my depression to worsen
In context ↗ - Quercetin · Not said
I've done research and a trial with Quercetin
In context ↗ - ALCAR · Worse
AL-CAR gave me intense headaches and agitation (crosses blood-brain barrier).
In context ↗ - intermittent fasting · Not said
to some extent I try intermittent fasting but it's a dance with having no energy to move
In context ↗ - compounded ketamine · Worse
Even a low doses of ketamine over-stimulates my nervous system for the next couple days- including worsening my pots, mcas, headaches.
In context ↗ - antihistamine · Worse
Antihistamines are however not a panacea for me. My receptors become more hypersensitive to histamine and my food sensitivities become much worse.
In context ↗ - Pfizer vaccine · Worse
I actually felt great the first day after my first Pfizer, shitty after my second- which included nausea and increased food sensitivities for a month.
In context ↗ - microdosing · No change
i found a connection and it didn't help me unfortunately
In context ↗ - B vitamins · Helped
I'm pretty sure they help somewhat with my energy, but high doses can give me headaches (especially B12).
In context ↗ - mirapex · Helped
A couple days after starting it I had a couple of good days but it seemed to taper off.
In context ↗ - Adderall · Helped
My first few days on Adderall were great- depression gone, motivated. But then my mood cycled up and down - with bad "down" periods.
In context ↗ - CBD · Helped
It's pretty benign, but a little relaxing.
In context ↗ - methylated folate · Worse
Both ALC and methylated folate gave me really bad headaches.
In context ↗ - Wellbutrin · Not said
My psychiatrist said it might be cheaper to add on the dextromethorphan to my Wellbutrin. No luck for me.
In context ↗ - Gabapentin · Much worse
Gabapentin made me suicidal, LDN eased my depression.
In context ↗ - Lamictal · Not said
Lamictal triggered acne for me, but it was temporary.
In context ↗ - CoQ10 · Worse
For me, CoQ10 worsens my anxiety, similar to caffeine.
In context ↗ - synthroid · Worse
if I take anything little stimulant like caffeine or synthroid the next day my brain is f’d. My POTS and headaches are also worse.
In context ↗ - beta blockers · Worse
Beta blockers worsen my depression personally.
In context ↗ - LDN · Helped
It helped my 30 year treatment resistant depression, eased sensitivities, feel better- but can barely move!!
In context ↗ - guanfacine · Helped
With guanfacine, it slightly helps all three, but still leaves me with orthostatic hypotension that drains my battery.
In context ↗ - carbidopa · Worse
I also tried carbidopa for it and that gave me anxiety.
In context ↗ - ketotifen · Helped
I felt a little less shitty with it, and sleepy.
In context ↗ - red and infrared light · Helped
After 2-3 ten min sessions, my head started to feel cleaner and less depressed.
In context ↗ - oxaloacetate · Not said
Today is my first day. No luck so far, but glad I'm not having negative effects.
In context ↗ - POTS meds · No change
Tried all the POTS meds and Plaquenil to no avail.
In context ↗ - Plaquenil · No change
Plaquenil hasn't helped anything.
In context ↗ - stellate ganglion block · Worse
SGB block gave me extreme anxiety for 4 months.
In context ↗ - NAD+ · Helped
At first I felt like it may have helped slightly with mood and energy.
In context ↗ - tirzepatide · Worse
Tirzepatide worsens my depression and anhedonia.
In context ↗ - meditation · Worse
Meditation doesn't work for me like other people.
In context ↗ - TMS · No change
I've tried EVT, TMS, microdosing, and ketamine- and all the other meds.
In context ↗
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2020 | COVID infection; depression and head misery much worse for 2-3 monthsmy mood was much worse for 2-3 months after my November invasionIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| March 2021 | depression began to ease in the third month after COVIDdepression was my biggest issue, but it started to ease in month three.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| April 2021 | second Pfizer dose: nausea and increased food sensitivitiesshitty after my second- which included nausea and increased food sensitivities for a monthIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2024 | progressive worsening over two years; standing wore them outI have been progressively getting worse the last 2 years. Standing completely wears me out.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2024 | stellate ganglion block: a few calmer days then months of extreme anxietyI got a stellate ganglion block and for a few days I did feel a little calmer which was amazing.In context ↗ | Mild | Stellate ganglion block |
| June 2025 | NAD+ supplements gave a small lift in mood and energyI recently started NAD+ supplements. I think they have actually helped a littleIn context ↗ | Mild | NAD+ boosters (NMN, nicotinamide riboside, NADH, ATP) |
| September 2026 | slow gains; guanfacine helps POTS, hypoglycaemia and sensitivities only partly; orthostatic hypotension remainsmore recently have made some slow improvements ... still leaves me with orthostatic hypotension that drains my battery | Mild | Guanfacine |
Adverse events
- Niacin (vitamin B3)“it gave me dry painful lips so I stopped it” In context ↗ Side effects
- Niacin (vitamin B3)“i did feel like i had some sort of serotonin withdrawal (where i feel like crying)” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Modafinil / armodafinil“I still take it because I get depressed if I go through withdrawals” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Vitamin D and sun exposure“However I have also taken too much and I didn't feel well at all.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Vitamin D and sun exposure“I think when I take too much Vitamin D I have some nausea.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Keto and low-carb diets“i noticed for me trying to go keto caused my depression to worsen” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Probiotics and fermented foods“probiotics make my mood worse!” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Ketamine“when I would have ketamine I would become very sad the next day” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- H1 antihistamines (unspecified)“My receptors become more hypersensitive to histamine and my food sensitivities become much worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- L-carnitine“I see a post where someone suggests ALCAR - horrible agitation and headaches for me.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“A lingering of feeling ill and nausea after eating was the biggest lingering effect that slowly improved over weeks.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“It's almost 2 months post vaccine and I feel like my food sensitivity is ramped up.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“The vaccine made me more down for a day.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“I also had a long bout with nausea after my booster.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Vitamin B complex“high doses can give me headaches (especially B12)” In context ↗ Side effects
- Pramipexole (Mirapex)“Every time I try and increase from .125 my brain feels uncomfortably/annoyingly” In context ↗ Side effects
- Amphetamine salts (Adderall)“But then my mood cycled up and down” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- CBD (cannabidiol)“I think it helps my sleep a little but gives me night sweats.” In context ↗ Side effects
- CoQ10 / ubiquinol“Taking something for energy= anxiety ... For me this includes CoQ10, caffeine, synthroid, etc.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- CoQ10 / ubiquinol, Levothyroxine (Synthroid)“Taking something for energy= anxiety ... For me this includes CoQ10, caffeine, synthroid, etc.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Levothyroxine (Synthroid)“Taking something for energy= anxiety ... For me this includes CoQ10, caffeine, synthroid, etc.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Low-dose naltrexone“It did help my mood and insomnia a bit, but it also made me more weak.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Ketamine“my sensitive system pays for it later ... My POTS and headaches are also worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Beta-blockers (unspecified)“Beta blockers worsen my depression.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- “I also tried carbidopa for it and that gave me anxiety.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Guanfacine“The guanfacine helps my anxiety and low blood sugar faux freak-outs, but causes more lethargy.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Gabapentin (Neurontin)“Gabapentin made me suicidal” In context ↗ Suicidal thoughts or attempt
- Stellate ganglion block“I have tried one, but it did feel like my hypoglycemia was worse the rest of the day.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Stellate ganglion block“SGB block gave me extreme anxiety for 4 months.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“Meditation is more likely to make me feel crazy.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Lamotrigine (Lamictal)“Lamictal triggered acne for me, but it was temporary.” In context ↗ Side effects
- NAD+ boosters (NMN, nicotinamide riboside, NADH, ATP)“I increased my dose and have been energy depleted for a few days now.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound)“LDN did help my depression and anxiety, but unfortunately tirzepatide worsens it.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Intermittent fasting“fasting causes my sympathetic system to freak out.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodGut problemsHeadaches & migraineLoss of smell or tasteMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesMuscle weaknessPOTS & dysautonomiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
My issue is mainly the post-exertional.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I have treatment resistant depression
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
it makes me feel even more weak
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
Tilt table says its hyperadrenergic POTS
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
high plasma histamine levels
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
My POTS and headaches are also worse.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I could only eat small amounts or I got nauseas.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
It did help my mood and insomnia a bit
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
I occasionally get a quick metallic taste in the back of my throat.
In context ↗