5 years ago, I wrote about an invisible side of M.E. A lot has changed since, for me but also in terms of research. This is a very short post, but an optimistic one.
I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 in November 2024, got a treatment, stopped eating sugar but also simple carbs like rice, potatoes, pasta, bread and lost a lot of weight.
Once my blood sugar levels got back to normal, I was able to stop the medication and to start eating carbs and sugar again in moderation.
My blood sugar levels have been normal for a year now which is great, but I also have much less issues with ME which I wasn’t expecting at all. I started to feel a lot better way before I had lost all the weight I had gained over the years with ME, so I suspect my diet was the reason for this improvement more than the weight loss itself. This made a huge difference to how much I can exercise now. I’m not back to pre-ME levels but can do a lot more than before getting diabetes. I walk daily for at least 45min and more on the weekend. Steep paths and stairs are no longer an issue. I have a lot less pains in general.
I know this is different for everyone, and changing diet might not help everyone, but I’m sharing this, close enough to 12 May which is ME awareness day, as it might give a bit of hope to those who are struggling.
There are good news in terms of research too, with the LOCOME project findings (LOCOME is for: LOng COvid and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Diagnostics Stratification). Hopefully, a test and treatments will be available in the not too distant future.
If you do not know anything about M.E., my inital post will tell you more: An invisible side of ME
If you are curious about my diabetes journey, I mentioned it in my last post: A lot of changes in 2025 or in this essay: My body in numbers