- Messages
- 76
Background: Moderate CFS for 3 years post mono. I suspect a lingering EBV infection drives the majority of my symptoms. I take 3 grams of valacyclovir a day to suppress replication. I get very sick with mono-like symptoms and PEM if I miss a dose.
I took NAC for close to 2 months earlier this year (600mg a day.) I noticed I felt a whole lot better within a month or so but wasn't exactly sure it was the NAC helping me because I had a few other supplements in my stack. A few weeks later, I decided to drop all my supplements and see how I felt without them. Stopped NAC, l-lysine, zinc, and monolaurin. I did not drop my 3 grams per day Valacyclovir because it's the only drug I've found that stops my chronic EBV from replicating. I felt horrible again for a little over a month and assumed the combination of supplements I was taking were actually providing some benefit.
That month went by and then I started back on NAC alone and I was back to feeling much better. My lymph nodes weren't as swollen, my inflamed tonsils and sinuses were much better, I had more energy, and my activity threshold for triggering PEM had increased tremendously. I first expected a crash after exerting myself more than usual but it never came. I kept slightly over-exerting myself with short walks and even a quick mini-tennis session that led to no PEM. I was so happy to have a small part of my life back !
These benefits lasted the entire month I was back on NAC. I'm fairly confident I would have crashed hard several times with that much exertion if it weren't for the NAC.
Unfortunately, it's not a perfect fairytale story. A week ago, I came off the NAC again because it makes me pretty apathetic if I take it everyday for too long and I'm back to feeling pretty yucky within a couple days off it. Not completely terrible but noticeably worse. This could be a coincidence but I truly believe NAC helps my CFS. I also started back on L-lysine and it definitely helps with brain fog. No question. These are the only two supplements that have provided some CFS relief. I believe it more than ever that lingering EBV is to blame for a majority of my symptoms. I'll try to adjust my NAC dose so it doesn't make me apathetic while also provided CFS relief.
Here is some research I've found regarding NAC and EBV inflammation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5724866/
The extra glutathione production from NAC could be the reason it helps me so much. I do I suspect it helps with the inflammation directly related to the EBV but I wouldn't doubt it to be more complex than that.
Has anyone else noticed a strong benefit from NAC?
I took NAC for close to 2 months earlier this year (600mg a day.) I noticed I felt a whole lot better within a month or so but wasn't exactly sure it was the NAC helping me because I had a few other supplements in my stack. A few weeks later, I decided to drop all my supplements and see how I felt without them. Stopped NAC, l-lysine, zinc, and monolaurin. I did not drop my 3 grams per day Valacyclovir because it's the only drug I've found that stops my chronic EBV from replicating. I felt horrible again for a little over a month and assumed the combination of supplements I was taking were actually providing some benefit.
That month went by and then I started back on NAC alone and I was back to feeling much better. My lymph nodes weren't as swollen, my inflamed tonsils and sinuses were much better, I had more energy, and my activity threshold for triggering PEM had increased tremendously. I first expected a crash after exerting myself more than usual but it never came. I kept slightly over-exerting myself with short walks and even a quick mini-tennis session that led to no PEM. I was so happy to have a small part of my life back !
These benefits lasted the entire month I was back on NAC. I'm fairly confident I would have crashed hard several times with that much exertion if it weren't for the NAC.
Unfortunately, it's not a perfect fairytale story. A week ago, I came off the NAC again because it makes me pretty apathetic if I take it everyday for too long and I'm back to feeling pretty yucky within a couple days off it. Not completely terrible but noticeably worse. This could be a coincidence but I truly believe NAC helps my CFS. I also started back on L-lysine and it definitely helps with brain fog. No question. These are the only two supplements that have provided some CFS relief. I believe it more than ever that lingering EBV is to blame for a majority of my symptoms. I'll try to adjust my NAC dose so it doesn't make me apathetic while also provided CFS relief.
Here is some research I've found regarding NAC and EBV inflammation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5724866/
The extra glutathione production from NAC could be the reason it helps me so much. I do I suspect it helps with the inflammation directly related to the EBV but I wouldn't doubt it to be more complex than that.
Has anyone else noticed a strong benefit from NAC?
