NMG Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Hello I'm no stranger to paleo/primal/etc. My downfall was lack of willpower and emotional eating in stressful situations, plus a few years full of stressful situations. I know what I should be doing, but... For about a year I haven't been right healthwise. I already had pcos, so acne and a beergut were my normal baseline. I suspected the onset of Lyme disease for a while but after several tests I have been diagnosed with ME/CFS. Although I don't have muscle pain, I have complete brain fog, muscle weakness, loss of stamina, and Raynauds attacks. I'm not currently fit for work - it involves physical activity out in the snow - probably the worst combination of tasks/symptoms! Because I'm not at work, I'm skint. Because I'm skint, I'm stretching out my fuel, Currently the indoor temp is 8 deg C (46F). This makes my circulation/raynauds symptoms worse of course. I've fallen into the trap of using coffee and sugar simply to get through the day (animals to feed and water, washing, cleaning). I know I can't go on like this but I'm going round in circles. If I don't have the coffee/sugar I can't cope with everyday tasks - like cooking decent food! And I don't have the emotional energy to let go of these crutches, let alone turn down non-paleo food offered by friends etc. At the back of my mind is the thought that I might have to give up this career and somehow defy illness in a recession to earn a living... So that's me. Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabel Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 In terms of coping with the cold... I wear thermals in the house all of the time. And a hat a lot of the time. Once I start with the cleaning/washing I generally warm up. If you can manage any exercise at all that will help too. And when all that fails, I go and hang out in the library (which luckily for me is only a five minute walk away) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maycat Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I don't know how you can handle living in a house that cold with Reynauds! That is brutal! I can tell you that after a few days into the Whole30 you start feeling much better. If you can handle getting up and doing chores in the cold like that, you can definitely handle a few days on the Whole30 until the benefits start kicking in and you have more energy. A cup of coffee two is allowed on the Whole30, if you drink it in the morning. Once you stop drinking so much coffee, you start sleeping better, and then you don't need so much coffee. Personally, I drink mine with some canned coconut milk and now that I have been drinking coffee without sugar, that is plenty sweet enough. Again, the worst part of it will be the first few days, and then it gets better. Finally, regarding your ME/CFS and the Reynauds, you may want to consider acupuncture. I don't know where you live, but check out http://acmac.net/acu/clinics. Community acupuncture is low-cost and on a sliding scale. You pay what you can afford, and it is very helpful for ME/CFS, and most likely Reynauds. I know many people who went from barely being able to get out of bed in the morning to back to feeling great energy again after a few treatments. Personally I go weekly and it has been incredible for my health. Best of luck and much love to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Hi NMG, welcome to the forum. I'm sorry you've been diagnosed witn ME, it's a right bugger. I've had it for over 7 years now. I'd to give up work and am still mainly housebound with it. If it is ME as opposed to chronic fatigue please think very very carefully about excercising. PEM (post exertional malaise) is one of the defining characteristics of ME. IF I stand 10 minutes too long in the kitchen or walk a bit too far round the supermarket, I might feel ok at the time but can be laid up in bed for a couple of days afterward with total flu like symptoms, shaking, shivering, inability to sit up, temperature fluctuating wildly out of control and literally collapsing when I try to get up. It's to do with the mitochondria and the ATP production, we don't replenish it the way 'normal' people do so quickly go into ADP mode and then 'hit the wall'. It's why we're supposed to be so careful pacing our activities. Can I ask where you are? If you're in the UK there's a few links I could send you on ME that might be helpful. I don't know how you cope with the cold, that's brutal. I literally can't get the muscles to respond until the temp gets to a certain level. I totally empathise with not working, being skint and trying to afford to live. I prioritise food and heating at least one room. W30 can be done on a really tight budget but I'm not going to say it's easy especially when you're physically limited in what you can do, where you can go. I'm also not going to lie and say W30's cured me, it hasn't but it has helped. It's helped a lot with the brain fog and with the digestive issues I had though that took a while to sort out. I do feel a bit more energy, I can manage out more than once a week now. It's also helped the orthostatic intolerance. I still have to be aware of how long I'm sitting upright, 'cos too long and I literally keel over but have managed for long enough to go out for coffee. I've still had a few PEM crashes, my own fault trying to do too much, but they haven't been as brutal nor lasted as long as before. Bottom line, I totally think W30's marvellous for people with ME and I would wholeheartedly recomend it. I eat more or less this way all the time now. If you've got any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask and if you're in the UK, I'll send you the links. I really do wish you all the best, good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMG Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 Hello Yes I'm in the UK. Links would be lovely! I'm looking at acupuncture clinics but one appointment is half of my current weekly income. I'm very lucky, I don't have it so bad. I'm kind of at the "permanent hangover" level, and have found that with exercise my batteries will just run out quite suddenly - at that point I've overdone it and won't be fit for much for a few days. I did one of my old yoga dvds this morning - my balance has gone to pot and it's also too cold to do the lying-down-and-relaxing parts! I can generally do one or two Big Things a day - e.g. a shopping trip and walking the dog. What is the defined difference between ME and CFS? It's been given to me more as "we've ruled out other stuff, so here's what we're caling it". I'm keeping a diary of general food/activity. I'm not going to say "Hey I'm doing W30!" because my brain then sabotages me! But one meal at a time it's do-able. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Hi, one meal at a time is all it takes . Sorry to welcome you to the ME club but it definitely sounds like post exertional malaise to me. As for the balance, yep that's why I'm now on crutches when I do go out. Anyway the best link I can give you is http://www.mechat.co.uk/info/about.htm If you start there, that'll answer your questions about ME/CFS. Then the bar at the top has drop down menus which contain a wealth of information including links to other sites. A diagnosis of exclusion is what we all get, rule out everything else and look at the symptomology. The one doctor in the UK who knows more about ME than any other is DR Sarah Myhill and you can order tests from her website. Unfortunately she's private so way outwith my budget but one interesting thing is she does recomend all her ME patients to follow a paleo diet. Good luck and keep us posted how you get on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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