I have lots in common with a lot of what's been posted here. Loads of stuff mentioned sounds a lot like me.
Loads of foods seem dubious for me but I could well believe sulphites, probably bacon, processed meat, could be key. I resumed from a vegetarian diet during the period when I started to go downhill. Now I'm sensitive to all kinds of things but most meat is OK, but I have unidentified meat and fish details I'm still working on and bacon is a suspect. I seem to have lots of mild sensitivities - not allergies - with some of them being particularly fundamental (and many are confirmed by blood tests although the tests are only through private testing and the NHS word is "I don't know what on earth those funny tests are, but we can't find a thing").
FIR is one of many things that seemed to work well for me, as part of a self-managed 1-year blitz of loads of treatments followed by selected adjustments. I have improved from permanent symptoms to decreasing and intermittent symptoms during recent years, but still whenever I'm unavoidably exposed to triggers for even a day or two I start to go downhill fast.
We are of course still waiting for news of those additional suspected triggers to XMRV infection that people suspect, possibly multiple additional co-enabling factors with XMRV, adding up to get to a first-estimate 1/8 - 1/12 chance of CFS amongst the estimated (US) XMRV infected population. Could these sorts of exposures be one of those triggers? Sounds like a case for Sherlock Holmes...or better than that...George? Can some scientific mind suggest mechanisms for co-enabling targeted immune infection by XMRV by organophosphates, organochlorides, PBDEs, etc? - eg could exposures, as co-exposures with XMRV, cause those specific systems to become vulnerable to X-infection, or involve them in CFS infection some other way?
More on Sauna Experience:
Ever since my early twenties I have had a lymph gland on my neck come up at times - sometimes when I was ill, when I exercised hard (specifically if I had been injured and hadn't done any big sweating for a while), and since getting ME/CFS when I accidentally ate something with sulphites in (pain in right sinus as well).
I was recommended sauna for detox purposes and that used to bring the lymph gland up as well. It could be toxins mobilised by the sweating bringing on a reaction, or it could be just the raise in blood pressure I suppose. Any thoughts how to prove this anyone?(I'm such a sceptic)
Certainly I used to enjoy sauna as the only time I felt warm all the way through - ME/CFS has really worsened my tendency to Raynauds and cold extremities. (I think I'll post that under symptoms and see if anyone has any advice). Public sauna OK for me as I'm not too bad on chemical sensitivities I think.
In general: risking letting random new toxins into your opened up pores can't be a good thing, whether you have become sensitive or not. Why risk it? And bear in mind that it could be other consequences of dietary intolerances that we may be sweating out, or something else? Main reason for FIR I think is to heat the relevant nerve tissue which XMRV is known to target, is that right? The sauna brings up your lymph gland...hmm your blood pressure option does also seem to make sense, but it suggests to me the toxins in the sweat itself may be bringing on a reaction - lymphs swell up with infection, and in my case my sensitivity reactions are sometimes triggered by it when I really start sweating it out - I found that regular mopping with a towel or two were really important. Actually I should have said that in my earlier list of things that worked for me: in your portable FIR (or your IMO-questionable public sauna if you must) mop yourself with a towel periodically, and every once in a while have a cold shower or dip in bath as I said, really important because otherwise you're opening the pores but then leaving whatever your body chooses to sweat out pouring everywhere and infecting everything! I'm concerned it may settle and spread and maybe even move around...
Anyway it always seems worth taking all reasonable precautions when testing any particular treatment, so that's what I did and FIR was very helpful for me. I had loads of supplements for that year too. This was with the help of a local private doctor, using treatments based on Dr Myhill's recommendations. I have to say, that year may have been one turning point for me, things did stabilise quite a bit at that time, but other factors were and are seemingly significant too.
And yes, Christmas dinner on dietary restrictions sucks!
