Severe fatigue and brain fog with ME/CFS, somewhat better with medications and supplements
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 15 months
- Last post
- Jul 2025
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I got diagnosed with cfs two years ago
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I’ve also been deemed completely unfit for work and am on a benefit now. ... I put studying on hold.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
It really helps me from feeling like crap in the morning to, oh I can actually do something and I at least have motivation to leave the house for half an hour ... I still get bad PEM
In context ↗
Read from 5 of their posts and comments; links to the 4 this page draws on
Summary
A 26-year-old in the Netherlands developed severe fatigue and brain fog in 2022 and was diagnosed with CFS, putting full-time study on hold. Medications and supplements from a fatigue clinic brought gradual improvement, but resuming study in September 2024 brought back daily crashes and brain fog. A daily 5 mg supplement gave a morning boost but bad PEM continued, and they remained unfit for work.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- various kinds of medication and supplements (fatigue clinic) · Not said
They gave me various kinds of medication and supplements.
In context ↗ - energy drink (caffeine) · Worse
Doctor recommended caffeine, ao started taking an energy drink every time before studying.
In context ↗ - creatine · Helped
I take about 5mg per day and it’s helped me a lot.
In context ↗ - calcium tablets · Helped
I’ve been taking my calcium tablets at night now and have been able to go from 3-6mg melatonin to 0,6mg
In context ↗ - valerian root · Helped
Also, valerian root works well to get me more relaxed
In context ↗ - melatonin · Not said
have been able to go from 3-6mg melatonin to 0,6mg
In context ↗
Approaches: Supplements
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. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | CFS onset: severe fatigue and brain fog, full-time study put on holdI couldn’t cope anymore due to severe fatigue and brain fog. I put studying on hold.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2024 | gradual improvement on fatigue-clinic medications and supplementsStarted feeling a bit better over the last two yearsIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| September 2024 | resumed studying and declined back to onset levelEver since September when I started studying again, it’s been almost at the same level again as when I got cfs.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| May 2025 | creatine gave a morning boost but PEM continuedI take about 5mg per day and it’s helped me a lot. ... I still get bad PEMIn context ↗ | Moderate | Creatine |
| 2025-07-19 | still limited; occasionally accepts PEM for a day outI sometimes just take the PEM and have a good day out.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- “Noticed I could study more during the day, but also noticed my crashed came quicker and were worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I still get bad PEM
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I get extremely tired, I get bad brain fog
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
the worst is that I feel like I’m getting very depressed every time
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
have been able to go from 3-6mg melatonin to 0,6mg
In context ↗
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