The FastDay Forum

Hi nursebean, I'm so sorry that your work "friend" have let you down. it's really hard when people you thought were friends turn out to not be. you did nothing to deserve such treatment. yes, it is terrible that we are treated like we are just lazy or attention seeking.

I have a problem with my brain thinking I can still do things my body just won't do. LOL. most days I do really good to cook a meal and try to clean house. I have had ME/CFS for 20 yrs and fibromyalgia for about 20 yrs before that. my daughter got sick at 16, had just gotten a scholarship to the local ballet troup and was planning her college studies. this illness has taken away so much from so many of us.

I worked in neonatal intensive care and had to quit when I started having lots of cognitive difficulties. not a job that you can afford to not think clearly. I will never be a nurse again. I wish I could say that I'm greatly improved with this diet, but I have had some improvements. I have practically no heartburn, which has helped my sleep. I'm still having a lot of pain and can't stand up much by mid afternoon. but I'm hopeful that over time this will improve.

never give up! listen to your body and be good to yourself. you are early in your illness and there is more research every day. someday we will beat this thing. sending gentle hugs your way.

So sorry to hear how it's affected your poor daughter. As you say, it takes so much from us doesn't it. Big hugs to you too

Hi nursebean, how are you doing today? I just realized that I didn't answer your question about how long I've been 5:2. I saw the documentary toward the end of August. I started experimenting with skipping breakfast, and then tried skipping lunch, just to see if I could do it. I lost some weight and found that I could do this. I officially start Sept. 2. counting what I lost before my "official" start day, I've lost 17.8 lbs!!! I'm thrilled!! I had pretty much accepted that due to not being able to do much, I was just going to be that little ole short round lady.

I don't know that this way of eating will cure us, but I've tried lots of things, and this way is helping some of my symptoms. I'm really hopeful that since you haven't been sick as long as we have, you might see really good improvement. that would be WONDERFUL. my daughter has one friend that did improve slowly over the years and is now having a more active life, so never give up hope.

hope you are having a good day. hugs

17.8lbs?! That's amazing! Especially as you aren't able to exercise. It just goes to show how effective this WOE is doesn't it. I'm definitely going to stick with it.

As for me or ME, I'm definitely better than I was this time last year but still very restricted. At the moment I have very achy legs which is a new thing for me. I usually only ache in my neck, shoulders and arms...hey ho! I haven't been able to do yoga for a few days so maybe that's why...who knows! I suppose I just need to hope that I'll one day reach a more functional level but I guess I'll never be completely normal. Is it more unlikely the older you are when you first get diagnosed? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

Well I hope you are having a better day today. When is your next fast day? Are you all doing it?

Sorry about all the questions!!

Sending Bean hugs

Hi nursebean, I''m having a really bad day, so can't really post much. promise to be back tomorrow. Hope its a good day for you.

Oh no MountainMyst...sorry to hear that. Hope tomorrow will be better for you. I've not been too bad today. Managed to walk my dogs, not much else. Fasted ok. As I write this my dinner is in the oven...and I cannot wait!!

Take care. Feel better soon.

Bean xx

Hi bean and fellow cfs- ers ...saddened to read yr CFS experiences..all too familiar to me

I first became unwell with this collection of horrid symptoms eighteen years ago...managed to continue to drag myself to work for six months then got gastro enteritis which the doc said was the straw that broke the camel's back and i crashed...complete physical breakdown..
My job was kept open for a year but sadly too unwell to go back.
So i too lost health,career,salary,home, friendships to CFS....more than anything i lost myself..my old sociable lively self.
Its tragic...And yet still some people dismiss this illness as all in the mind or even lazyitis..
I guess thats just their ignorance and maybe their fear talking..
I am doing 5:2 in the hopes of health benefits,and also as i have plenty of blubber i can shed!

What has worked for me:- three things...
1) Reflexology .my friend is a reflexologist and very kindly gave me free weekly sessions for two years,during which time i improved a lot,which allowed me to then do...
2) an exercise programme under hospital supervision....best thing i ever did,really helped me healthwise,and my daughter,too (who has had this for about twelve years now..she has just returned to uni this last year but finding that incredibly difficult,but getting lots of support from the University.)
The exercises (Stationary bike and exercise dvds) started off very gently and very slowly built up over many many months.I feel much better for getting physical exercise tho cannot sustain it for very long periods,and have to suspend it when sciatica kicks in
NB I would say not to attempt exercise programme until you were quite a long way along the road to recovery.
3) the passage of time itself has led to some small improvements for me,tho i know its not the same for everyone..i thank God ive made some progress..
I am about 70% better now,but i still get drained quickly,specially when in company... That is my biggest trigger..
Have just had a very sociable two weeks in London and finding it hard to recover from it..
Engaging in conversations,loud busy environments,too much noise,really put me back,whereas exercise as long as not prolonged energises me.
My worst symptoms are brain fog,insomnia, dizziness and poor co ordination ( these last two have improved since 5:2 ing) and of course,the inevitable exhaustion
Glad we have this thread here to talk. Took me ages to write this after skimming yr posts - will reread properly when over this relapse..mightnt be back online for a bit,but will deffo be back...maybe this can be our CFS tent? X
Good luck and keep sharing x..

Hi nursebean, I'm so sorry I didn't get back yesterday. by the time I was able to get online, it was already today for you.

I'm sorry you are having more pain, hopefully when you are able to try the yoga again that will get better. my exercise consists of trying to clean my house and take that dog outside. I might give the yoga a try again now that my gastric reflux is pretty much gone thanks to 5:2.

my daughter and I are closely following 5:2, my hubby not as closely. he really doesn't need to lose weight, he's almost 6ft4inches and weighs in at 160. but, because of family history of dementia, cancer and heart disease, he is interested in the possible other health benefits. we fast on Tues. and Fri. so far it's been good.

hope you are having a great day! phyllis

Hi CandiceMarie, so glad you posted! And really glad to hear that you have had some improvements over the years. I,too, have difficulty in social situations because of the noise, perfumes, just get overload really quickly.

I have a yoga for M.E. tape here somewhere, might have to give it another go. we have also tried ti chi before, but had difficulty with the standing up for long periods. my daughter has really severe OI and will faint. so, we will have to go really slowly. I have found that the more physical activity I do, the less my brain works.

hope you are up to posting again soon. hope it's a good weekend for you. Phyllis

Hi Candicemarie and Phyllis! Lovely to hear from you both and yet sad to hear that it's not going so well for you at the mo. I, too, am suffering at the moment. Do you think it's worse in the winter?

I have to say I'm suffering with sadness at the moment. I am sad that I never hear from my best friend (she has a husband and 2 girls...a life). I never hear from my work colleague and my darling sister has moved to Canada with her 2 sons and husband. I can't visit her because of this so-called "lazyitis" that people seem to think I have. I only have my darling parents and two wonderful dogs, Poppy and Minnie. I feel lonely, though and living the life of someone in their 80s. Just watching everyone live their lives...a spectator.

Anyway, sorry about that. I don't mean to be so sorry for myself...just needed to vent. Maybe yoga will help again when I can do it. Hopefully I can do 20mins tomorrow.

I like the idea of a "CFS tent" Candicemarie. How do we start a thread for that?

Big hugs x x

Hi nursebean, it's normal to have sad times with this illness. sometimes the reality of all we have lost just smacks us up side the head. it's so hard to watch everyone out having a life when ours consists of just trying hard to survive. please feel free to vent anytime you feel the need. I think we have all been there.

some of my symptoms are worse in winter, especially joint and muscle pain, but others are better. here in the southern U.S. summers are hot and humid. that makes my overall weakness worse. and my heart symptoms flair up more. I think over all I prefer cooler weather.

I'm glad you have your wonderful parents and doggies. it helps to have that support. we are lucky in a way at our house. with all three of us with M.E. at least we understand what the other is going through. oh, and we have one dog named Maisie, and two cats, Tiberius, and Calliope. They very kindly let us live in their house.

sending gentle hugs and wishes for better days. Phyllis

Thanks Phyllis. Where would we be without our furry friends, eh?!

It's incredible that all 3 of you have ME. What are the chances of that? Yes, it must be good in the sense that you all understand each other but I do sympathise.

Anyway, hope you've had a better day.

Bean xx

Many thanks to all who have posted on this thread for educating me on CFS. I had no idea what a terribly debilitating illness it can be and feel so sorry for all of you who are currently suffering and battling to lead a normal life whilst fasting at the same time. Can't applaud your courage enough and just want to send you all my very best wishes and gentle hugs and hope that following this WOL helps alleviate some of your worst symptoms. Feel so lucky to be healthy and pain free.

nursebean, I do love my furry friends, but I have to say that if you wandered into my yard sometimes in the middle of the night, you might see me and the dog standing out there. She will be sniffing the air and looking for cats and I would be standing there muttering " who ever said that pets make you live longer, is NUTS" LOL.

My daughter and I got sick about the same time. my husband not until quite a bit later. Deidre and I have always had rather wonky immune systems, allergies etc. don't know if that set us up for this illness or not. does make life interesting for sure. hugs Phyllis

callyanna, thank you SO much for taking time to read our thread, and for caring enough to post. most people have no idea what this illness is like, and they only know what they hear about our "inappropriate illness beliefs". the really wonderful folks like you, take the time to reach out and try to learn the truth. you have truly touched my heart!

I, too, am hoping for improvement with this way of life. so far it has pretty much eliminated my reflux and heartburn. since I was having it every day, some times after just drinking water, it has made my life so much better. I'm so thankful to have found this plan.

thanks again for the good wishes. and I,too, am thankful that you are healthy and pain free. hugs Phyllis