ME/CFS
No benefit
Waxing and waning CFS after EBV; two SSRIs brought no benefit and worse fatigue
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Not stated
- Ill for
- Not stated
- Last post
- Nov 2024
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I was basically left with the old CFS symptoms that come and go.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
All the symptoms improved over 1-2 weeks after discontinuation, and I was basically left with the old CFS symptoms that come and go.
In context ↗ - Began after: glandular fever or EBV
after a really difficult Eppstein-Barr infection
Read from 4 of their posts and comments; links to the 4 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user traced their CFS to a difficult EBV infection years earlier. Sertraline (50 mg for a year) and escitalopram (10 mg for 18 months) both caused the same worsening fatigue, broken sleep with night terrors and sleep paralysis, and unbearable diarrhoea. Symptoms eased within 1-2 weeks of stopping, leaving their usual waxing and waning CFS symptoms, and they needed half the usual dose of any brain-acting drug, always with side effects.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- sertraline and escitalopram · Worse
I tried sertraline for a year (50 mg) and escitalopram for a year and a half (10 mg).
In context ↗ - immodium · Helped
I was taking ungodly amounts of immodium, but even when that would stop the diarrhea
In context ↗ - cough syrup · Worse
I felt loopy, dissociated, like nothing was real, from taking the smallest dose of cough syrup for example.
In context ↗
Their path
They say too little about how ill they were at each step to draw it on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| onset | CFS began years before the antidepressants, after a difficult EBV infectionI started experiencing those years before taking antidepressants, after a really difficult Eppstein-Barr infection.In context ↗ |
| — | worsened on sertraline then escitalopram: more fatigue, broken sleep, daily diarrhoeaBoth caused the exact same worsening fatigue and poor sleep quality, along with unbearable diarrheaIn context ↗ |
| — | symptoms eased over 1-2 weeks after stopping the SSRIs, back to old CFS symptoms that come and goAll the symptoms improved over 1-2 weeks after discontinuation, and I was basically left with the old CFS symptoms that come and go.In context ↗ |
| 2024-11-18 | still gets side effects from any drug acting on the brain, at half the usual doseI need half the dose of literally anything that affects the brain and I always get side effects.In context ↗ |
Adverse events
- Sertraline (Zoloft), Escitalopram (Lexapro)“In my experience, antidepressants only worsen sleep quality. Vivid night terrors, waking up every 2-3h, having sleep paralysis” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Sertraline (Zoloft), Escitalopram (Lexapro)“Stomach issues are common, and in my case they destroyed me.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Sertraline (Zoloft), Escitalopram (Lexapro)“Both caused the exact same worsening fatigue and poor sleep quality” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Sertraline (Zoloft), Escitalopram (Lexapro)“unbearable diarrhea to the point of spending 3-4h a day losing basically just water from my bowels” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- “I felt loopy, dissociated, like nothing was real, from taking the smallest dose of cough syrup” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Sleep problems
Vivid night terrors, waking up every 2-3h, having sleep paralysis
In context ↗ - Gut problems
unbearable diarrhea to the point of spending 3-4h a day losing basically just water from my bowels
In context ↗ - Brain fog
meds of any kind don't really trigger fatigue, brain fog, etc
In context ↗