Sorry, You're right. I have gradual onset ME. I meet all the criteria (Canadian consensus I think).
I guess I'll try to fill in some details as I haven't posted this elsewhere.
I have been ill all my life although not initially with ME. First epilepsy from toddlerhood. I was medicated for that until I stopped medication as a teenager (I simply couldn't be bothered with three times a day and it made me somewhat of a zombie.
Also as a result I have always had trouble organising my thoughts I rely a lot on external help). I've also had since childhood tinnitus. As a teenager I experienced hormonal trouble. Killer PMS, headaches that overtime became more aggressive migraine and accompanying vomitting.
Then came other difficulties, Reynaud's, swollen lymph nodes, at some point I realised I had had a sore throat for a long time. I've been sensitive to bright light, smells. (these all have been going on for at least twenty years) At some point after that I developed insomnia.
I think I naturally worked within a certain energy envelope and after I married I stayed home, I have two children now grown by raising them challenged me energetically and about 7 years ago I crashed onto the couch~extreme pain, fatigue (that I later discovered would definitely worsen with exertion)...,
cognitive breakdown, aching sore throat, more trouble sleeping, and from reading here I realise that I also have POTS and have fainted several times over the past few years often after taking a shower. I have also experienced anxiety attacks sometimes panic that wakes me up at night.
I may have missed a few things but that's the gist. The difficulty is that I'm asking for help but I have nothing to offer with regards to tests.
Since I've had a long history with Dr's I've mostly avoided them.
Occasionally going for help for this or that symptom
and getting no relieve I tried simply to carry on and coped as best I could. The only test I ever remember taking was a cortisol test with a naturopath. I don't have those results for several years ago but she gave me liquorice tincture.
I have no money to spend on tests presently. My husband also has health issues and has been early retired. I can't even buy the vitamin supplements I've used in the past.
I've tried a variety of supplements, the only ones I've done with any sort of organisation were the methylation ones suggested by Rich vanK. I gave those up as I felt worse. I would have tried again at lower dose but cannot afford to at the moment.
I have achieved some mental clarity just by taking vitamin D in larger doses (it's not expensive) and drinking water has helped the POTS a little.
I thought, given that there is so little I can do that gluten free might help.
My formal ME diagnosis came when we moved back to Toronto from Vancouver (three years ago). I went to my new Dr. simply to establish that I had one and he agree that I had ME. But he doesn't really know what to do about it.
He immediately gave me codeine for the pain and lorazapam for sleeping/relaxant. I was hoping after the gluten free that I would feel good enough to make the trip downtown and enquire about Low Dose Naltrexone next.
My apologies for such a long post, but then it's been a long road down the rabbit hole. My thanks in advance if you got this far.