Getting worse and worse both physically and mentally...
I feel horrible physically and very depressed since deterioration, here's my situation in short because I can't write longer due to extreme brain fog.
I have severe ME. I'm not entirely on my own as I have great support in these groups and a few ME people with whom I chat, but it's close to it and close to impossible to carry on, because in real life I'm the only one who is researching this illness and ways to get better, my closest family and friends are trying to support and be kind, but they have many (health) problems themselves or don't understand English to research, and I started with that mostly recently, when I got severe, so I can do very limited amounts of it plus my state isn't improving at all, I have some better days, and I don't even overdo activities on them anymore, and still I crash hard, I can even say my state is deteriorating; maybe I have something additional to ME, but I can't do many tests where I live, all the doctors (except my new therapist) are uninterested in ME, and I don't have money to go elsewhere for those tests and new doctors. I also wanted to try with keto-paleo diet as the last option - as dr Myhill advised, but I feel unready for it because of such a low variety of allowed foods, especially where I live (and food is very important to me, as only it and music bring me joy on my bad days, which are the majority lately), and also because I would feel even worse while in ketosis, but I'm already barely holding on. And I got very depressed, so much that today I couldn't even listen to music or write to anyone because depressed mood further weakened my disability. So what do you suggest?
@FicaR94
I hear you. It is hard to deal with the illness and do the research and try to make lifestyle changes. And yes of course you need to have joy in your life and those things that are uplifting for you are very important. Also, it is understandable that you wish you had a family that was more knowledgeable about your condition, but unfortunately, that can't happen right now. I wonder if, for now, you could just play around with adding an item or two to your diet from this new plan every week? It would allow a more gradual transition and introduce you to some new things before you make any big changes. In theater, they have rehearsals and they have dress rehearsals and then they have the actual production after many months. Look at this as your rehearsal time. Enjoy your favorite foods and dabble in some new foods for now. You can make a transition much later on. .Would this way of looking at it help? Can you think of some other ways to balance your need to have the foods that make you happy and your need to set a goal and make changes?
And maybe this is not the main issue. Maybe you need time to adjust to the changes that are happening and grieve. It is ok to take some time and feel the loss. I felt I needed to grieve the life I used to have and it took me a while. Eventually, I came to accept my illness.
It is a lot to process and it is ok to take it slow. Be kind to yourself. You are precious.
@BlindGrapefruit thank you for your kind comment. Yes that was something similar with what I was thinking to do, to change my diet gradually, so I can keep some comforting foods at this very hard time.
@FicaR94
I have transitioned my diet a lot, and I now eat mostly organic non-GMO food that is not processed. I get grass-fed and grass-finished beef. It is more expensive, but I just eat it less often. I don't eat dairy, and I don't eat gluten. But sometimes I still have a gluten-free dairy free version of macaroni and cheese that I just love! I don't think it has much nutritional value but it is a childhood favorite and I won't give it up!
@FicaR94
So how is it going? Is it helping to make gradual changes?