u/BobBash64

This is not based on any actual statistics, but as someone with ME/CFS who has read many posts in this community, it seems that a large proportion of people who report significant improvement, to the point that they are close to living a normal life again, have used low-dose Abilify (LDA) as part of their treatment at some stage, even if they are no longer taking it.

How accurate is this observation? Are the underlying mechanisms by which LDA may help ME/CFS currently understood?

https://preview.redd.it/hth1z1x95szg1.jpg?width=1486&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa5f93b3aa6acd252cab904b2d6471de4a65c7da

These are the results of my organic acid urine test. The D-Arabinitol marker is elevated but not in the red region yet. Would you consider medication for this results?

My dad called me today and, in a very aggressive tone, asked why I’m spending all my money and savings on doctor visits. He said it’s all in my head, that ME/CFS doesn’t make sense to him, and told me to go get a job.

I feel so helpless. This triggered a big crash and ruined all the effort I’ve put in over the past few months to avoid PEM. Please help if you have any advice.

Sometimes I feel like I’m right at my threshold. I don’t get a full PEM crash, but I still experience some symptoms and recover faster than usual. Do you also get these “mini crashes”?

I think we all know this, and most ME CFS patient resources start by emphasizing pacing. But many of us forget it and get pulled into searching for medications and supplements. Your single most important and effective treatment is to identify all the emotional, mental, and physical activities that trigger a PEM crash and do whatever you can, at any cost, to prevent it. We are dealing with a very complex illness whose underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown, but we do know we are caught in a vicious cycle that keeps worsening. Breaking this cycle is the first requirement for healing.