I am a 19 year old currently studying full time at university. I was diagnosed with CFS a year ago after having symptoms for the previous 2 years. I am really struggling with almost constant brain fog and cannot concentrate enough to revise for my exams. I take lots of vitamin supplements and try to eat a diet low in sugar. I am relatively fit and find that some light exercise can sometimes pull me out of it, but I then crash again in about an hour- is there anything else I can do to reduce the symptoms?
I really suffered with brain fog problems but it has taken me quite a long time to overcome the issues. I read a very interesting study done by one of the UK medical schools taking cocoa rich chocolate, I use Lindt 85% dark. Its my excuse to eat some chocolate.
Seriously I would say pace yourself and I hate to say it but you should have started your revising months ago, not leaving it to the last moment. What I would suggest is short periods of revising followed by periods of complete rest for at least 30 mins. You will need to find what works for you, such as 30mins of revising followed by 30mins of complete resy doing absolutely nothing. Determine how much you can do without busting and do that much. Some is better than none.
Depends on your subject but could consolidating information into techniqies like mind maps to help you revise and remember
best of luck
Hi Laura,
Sorry your suffering with this/our horrid ME. The fluctuation and unpredctability is awful.
I was diagnosed 4 years ago and found no help other than trying to self help, but it's has a mind ofit's own.
For me one of the first things was acceptance, and being a head strong person, it took a while, especially relating to poor mobility.
That constantly 'shoved in the face' word 'pacing' is important. Trying to find some sort of level playing field. However, for me worsening and relapse are still frequent, regardless of pacing. No reason.
Have you tried doing a little at a time, then stop and don't keep pushing yourself, creating a vicious circle.
I have completely changed my diet, smaller meals, fresh ingredients. It's not changed things but healthier.
Has your dr. referred you to a cfs/me clinic? He/she should. They can't fix it but can help with learning to pace, cope etc. Didn't hapen for me as I have symptons over and above which though they agreed cfs/me,took me out of their criteria (budgets eh!).
Massively important...is to not put yourself under stress. Easier said that done but essential.
Best wishes xx
Hi Laura, Brain fog so much a nightmare, I sympathise with you after struggling to finish my bookkeeping course to wish I never did, I'm sure you are aware to pace yourself even if you after sleep after revising every hour to get you through your revision, I believe once you start revising people tend to forget how long they have been another 10minutes becomes 1hour even 2 or 3. Set an alarm every hour put it away from you not in arms reach and once you have moved to turn it off walk out off the room you are revising in and close the door behind you, try not to ponder on the exams or think about revising in the 1hour your away. This may seem long-windedly but it will help. Good luck and be patient you will get through this x
Hi Laura,
No one has mentioned medication to you as yet and, you may strongly oppose this at this stage.
I have reached a point where I am dealing with my ME in every way I can but still, I feel I am not in control.
I am lucky, in one sense, in that I have 3 family members who have ME too. They are all either coping really well With life or completely recovered !!
They have recommended that I try the smallest dose of Lustral to see if it makes a difference.
I have been taking it for 2 weeks now and already my brain fog is clearing. I asked the doctor for it and explained why I wanted it. He agreed. he even said to me, ...you are one determined lady !
I don't allow myself to get low in mood because I strongly believe ....mind over matter...helps in this scenario. I keep in touch with people, I keep busy but paced. I take projects, small ones and I 'm slowly but surely beating ME.
By the way, it's important to take the Lustral early in the morning.
I wish you well and hope you find a way forward.
Hang onto the positives throughout.
good luck
Jinny 23
Thank you so much for replying. I love chocolate and haven’t been eating much of it since cutting out sugar- so I will definitely give this a shot! Pacing myself is definitely something that I should try to get better at, I tend to crash really badly for the entire holiday (6 weeks)- where I basically am so tired that I can’t concentrate on anything- even reading the back of DVD’s is too much and this prevents me doing any revision in the holidays. I do revision as I go along- making mind maps and flashcards as you suggest and this is definitely useful for me. Unfortunately my subject requires huge amounts of memorisation that basically needs some intense revision in the run up to exams- I think the suggestion of 30 minutes followed by complete rest is a good idea, anything to prevent my usual boom bust cycles.
Laura
Thank you so much for replying, I agree acceptance is definitely a problem for me and it is something that I am working on. I try to do everything that I have always done and then just deal with the consequences. I have got a new GP since moving away to uni, who I have never actually visited. Do you think that I could contact a clinic directly with a letter of diagnosis from my old GP? How annoying that they wouldn’t take you! I am normally quite a chilled out person, I guess I have accepted that I can only do my best, but it is difficult not to become anxious when everyone else is working solidly!
Laura
Thank you so much for replying, its so nice to be able to communicate with others who have the same problems as me! Setting an alarm is a really good idea, I have been known to really push myself and then crash so this could definitely increase my productivity!
Thank you for replying, that’s wonderful that so many people in your family are success stories and can relate to you. It can be so difficult to explain to people what you are going through- and that you are not just lazy. I might look into taking Lustral, but you are right I would rather try out any natural methods first and see if anything works for me.
Laura
As far as I know you need a referral to the specialist clinic.
The waiting list was over a year for my area, but not everywhere. You should talk to your gp for sure.
xx
Hi laura, I recently attended cfs/me clinic and whilst it was very informative it doesn't provide any sort of cure for your brain fog and it is quite a draining experience facing up to your illness. I think it's something that maybe you should do after your exams. Much of the focus in the sessions I went to related to mindfulness which seems to be in many forms. The best I found was simply colouring in a picture, but it's not for everyone. I think for me that it was most important to accept that the brain fog and memory lapses were generally stress related and not even huge amounts of stress where necessary to provoke these reactions. So in my case lower stress, equalled less brain fog, but it meant not working. I do think however that you should get a gp appointment because me/cfs is a recognised disability and I'm sure the University should be made aware that you have this disability and should be able to make provision for it in some way during exam periods based on a gp letter. Talk to the University too, I'm sure they would have somebody on campus who deals with disabilities.
In terms of supplements I take one a day multi vitamins and minerals and extra magnesium, but l don't know if they make much difference.
Good luck
Thank you for replying, its intresting to hear about your experience of the clinic and its deffinately something i will bear in mind. the university is aware that i have CFS and is relatively understanding but there is little they can do to help my symptoms. I guess stress is inevitable when studying, but i will try to reduce it as much as i can.
Laura
For one thing, be very careful about exercise. It can hugely backfire and cause you to relapse, making recovery difficult. Avoice sugar and caffeine. Eating protein can sometimes help boost energy. There's no clear path to recovery. I think the best you can do is live a healthy lifestyle and don't push yourself.
Hi Laura
I'm waiting for a diagnosis myself so am not well enough informed to comment but just wanted to wish you well and good luck with your studies
Hi Laura,
I am 22, currently doing uni exams too and have had cfs for the past 2/3 years. I find a very regular sleeping pattern, a short walk when i wake up, plenty of water and fresh fruit help me during exam time. I know that brain fog can be so frustrating when you need to get study done, nothing worse! I got a doctors cert from my local GP saying that I suffer from cfs and struggle some weeks with college. I submitted it to all the departments in my course and found I had no problem with extending deadlines and they might have given me a break if I was borderline pass too A little thing that helps if you are suffering from one of those brain foggy days, knowing your lecturers won't be on your back.
Hope this helps
I went the private route to get my condition diagnosed and the consultant then referred me to a specialist ME nurse, but to be honest what she told me was common sense. My GP suggested the best pacing strategy but the only reason I have been successful in improving my condition is thanks to me, making pacing work.
As for the brain fog here is how I started to deal with it. I have alwasy been a mathematical type person but not a fan of games but I have use certain apps on my iphone to get my brain working again. I started with Solitaire because it involves simple memory recall and doesn't take too long. Although I may have had no energy to move I could sit there and play the game.
Then I moved on to Suduko and that has been a real measure for me of how I am doing. Some days I couldn'y even solve a puzzle the brain just wouldn't work, but usually it took me at least 30mins. Then it was about 20mins and then 10. I moved up to the more complex puzzles and again noticed the times starting to come down. This week I did a puzzle in under 5 mins, my average is about 8 -10 mins now, not bad for someone who took over 30 mins. Again its a form of pacing in slow doses for me to get the brain concentrating again
Hope this helps
Thanks for replying, this is really weird but litterally a couple of weeks ago i started playing solitaire for the same reason, i might give suduko a try as i am also mathmatically minded
Laura
Thanks for replying, I was offered extended deadlines, but have always cautious, thinking that it would put me behind with the next deadline, but if you have found them helpful then i might request them.
Laura
Thank you for replying, I hope you get your diagnosis and start to feel better soon
Laura
Thanks for replying, since getting to uni i havent been eating as much protein as i should, so if this could help to increase my energy levels then i will deffinately increase this