I had gut problems in 2018 in the 4th week of the strange sudden flu-like illness which never went away but became PVS next and then became what I and two doctors surmised may be ME/CFS.
The gut symptoms were unexpected and unusual for me. They lasted a few days only, and completely disappeared, whereas all the other symptoms plus PEM and awful exhaustion persisted.
Then this year the gut symptoms hit out of the blue again (no obvious trigger)....went away, came back, went away, and so on.
In the midst of all that I got coronavirus, so everything got blurred and mixed up. Hard to know what was what.
Now since then my gut has been unpredictable, but when I look back at my diary I can see that there is much natural improvement over 4 months. No treatment regime except diet management when needed, and natural symptomatic care when needed. Otherwise nothing.
The only diet modifications have been:
less fibre generally.
Less fruit (though I aim for one small portion daily, usually green grapes, banana or orange.) I love apples but have stopped eating them as they did upset my gut.
No tomatoes, no onions, and much much fewer lentils, beans etc
No stock cubes. Salt and pepper only.
No spices.
Very few herbs added to food, if at all.
No bran
Simple steamed vegetables and fish. Boiled eggs. Nothing fried any more.
Otherwise things have stayed the same. I have still eaten butter and toast, edam cheese (no ill effects) Chocolate (no ill effects.) Nuts (no ill effects.) I still have black morning coffee with much fewer issues than I had in 2018-19
So something weird has happened. During this unusual gut mess-up (which fingers crossed is improving) - and even post-Covid, I have noticed something unfathomable and hard to explain.
My energy has improved. The Beau's lines on my nails have worked their way out and no new ones! My tolerance to caffeine and alcohol has improved
PEM is less. I coppiced Hazels, and split the logs for seasoning 2 weeks ago. Pulled a fallen bridge out of the stream....Got exhausted, had short mini crashes, but not like before.
I may be speaking too soon. Anything can happen, but this feels weird. Yes, gut related somehow...but why should my energy improve??
I wouldn't say this except it's been going on a few weeks and seems to be a trend. I look at my diary and see the changes.
Was it something in my diet all along?
Has some change happened in the gut which was no fun but which has shifted something else?
Has some "trauma" kick-started some helpful process?
Too early to say I guess. Keep truckin' ....haha