ME CFS Flares, How to cope BLOG

ME/CFS flares: what do they feel like and how to cope

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People with ME all suffer at varying degrees, we cannot compare our flares to somebody else’s. What one considers an ME/CFS flare another considers just another regular day with ME. What one person with ME considers a normal day, might be somebody else’s idea of torture. Once thing they all have in common is that everybody’s battle is devastating. We learn to acknowledge and respect everybody’s pain and everybody’s victories, because despite not fully understanding each other’s experiences, we can…

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a close up shot of forget-me-not flowers

ME/CFS Awareness Pictures To Share, Part 1

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Ever wondered where to find M​E awareness pictures to share? Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is a very misunderstood illness, ​so ​my aim is to empower ​people with ME or CFS to raise awareness, share their own ​experience and to educate the public about the condition. In this series I will be sharing M​E awareness ​pictures that I have created and shared on social media ​and I’ll elaborate on each topic here on the blog. ​All these posts and graphics have been created…

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Man holding his head in his hands. Title Reads, Where to get help when you feel like giving up. Helplines & Prayer Partners available 24/7 Worldwide.

Do You Feel Like Giving Up? Where To Get Help When You Can’t Cope

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In the chronic illness community, I have found some of the strongest people you will ever come across. They are warriors who fight many battles daily, often against their own bodies or minds, just to get through each day. As much as there is hope and strength, there is also a lot of neglect and isolation. It is natural in these lonely and scary times to feel like giving up. I often come across people who are losing all hope,…

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A woman looking off to the side, she's sad and demotivated

You’ve Got This: You’re A Warrior And A Survivor

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When living with a chronic illness, whether it’s a physiological or psychological condition, it is common to start doubting yourself. Your confidence dwindles as you lose the ability to function the way you once did. You might start to feel useless, helpless and hopeless, but there is so much you can still offer the world, don’t let doubt and negative self-talk steal your joy and faith! Note: You may freely download and share the following graphics on social media or…

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Healthcare professionals pulling a patient's bed along the corridor

Why I Avoid Emergency Services And My Top Tips For Coping At Home

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I often see people with ME/CFS writing about how they have spent hours in the emergency room only to be completely disappointed, misunderstood or even disbelieved. They go to the emergency room because they are feeling so weak and exhausted that they don’t know where else to go or what to do, they’re scared because they feel so utterly ill. I understand the fear that leads you to that conclusion, it’s scary to lose control of your body, but it’s…

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A man sleeping next to his dog. Title reads 12 tips to help you adjust to your new normal. Are you struggling to adjust after your ME / CFS diagnosis?

12 Tips To Help You Adjust After An ME, CFS Or PVFS Diagnosis

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I am regularly contacted by people who have recently been diagnosed with Post Viral Fatigue or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. They are often scared, worried and confused, but also hopeful and determined to return to their normal life. Their question is usually the same: what can I do? Having a diagnosis of PVF or CFS is difficult to deal with because there is so little information out there and often doctors don’t know what to tell you. They haven’t been trained…

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Four plates of low histamine keto meals

Low Histamine Keto Meal Ideas, Week1, Oct 2017

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It’s that time of the week again! Time to start thinking about what we will eat in the week ahead. As most people who attempt a change in diet are aware, planning is essential if you want to minimise the chances of falling off the wagon. In these posts, though, I do not plan ahead, but show you what I’ve eaten this week in the hope that thy will help you in your planning. These are my favourite meals from…

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A sailboat on the ocean.

The Wind In My Sails: Celebrating The Small Things

Sometimes, when we’re living with a chronic illness, no matter how hard we try to do the right thing, we just flare anyway. Most of us have experienced this to some degree. For example, you might wake up in the morning and feel like a ton of bricks are weighing you down into the mattress and every movement is painful and exhausting. You can’t for the life of you remember what you might have done in the days before to…

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Before and after photo of Char, On the left she is overweight, on the right she is slim.

My Weight Loss Journey: Managing My Weight And M.E. With Diet

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People with chronic illness often find it hard to lose weight, whether it’s due to medication or their ill health, but many wrongly believe that it’s useless changing their diet because they cannot exercise. Most of my weight loss journey was without exercise, in fact I was mostly bedridden, but still consuming decent meals daily. At one point even three cooked meals daily! It’s a slow process that requires commitment and consistency and I haven’t only lost weight with diet…

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a woman sitting alone on a windowsill, looking lonely. Title reads Isolation, why people drift away when you're chronically ill and why this might be a good thing

Isolation: Why Do People Drift Away?

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Sometimes it’s hard to accept that when you’re living with a chronic illness, people fall away, but it is something that commonly happens after a period of time, and it might even be beneficial. Initially, once people are made aware of your struggles, you might have an outpouring of support and practical help from many around you, but over time, when you don’t improve, most people will inevitably drift away as they are unable to make taking care of you…

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