Hi ruthmel1, I have M.E./CFS also and have been doing 5:2 since the end of August. I haven’t noticed any negative effects. the only reason I could think of not to try it is if you have a problem with low blood sugars. some folks with M.E. do, I think all you would need to do is spread your calories through out the day.

I am finding that I have a bit more energy in the mornings, but am having a lot of pain at times. Usually when I try to use that energy to do too much. 🙂 you know how it is, when you feel a bit better, you try to do all those things you can’t usually do.

I do think that part of your flair could be post operative, and the cold weather. you might want to discuss with your doctor just to be on the safe side. I hope you have an informed and supportive doctor.

wish I could say that my family and I are healed by 5:2, but I expect it will take a good while to see if the healing aspects of the diet works for M.E./CFS.

good luck and let us know how you get on. hope you recover quickly from your surgery. sorry I didn’t respond sooner, had a couple of days I didn’t make it online until late in the day, and my brain is mush by then.:) Phyllis

Hi ruthmel1, it’s funny that you are worse in winter and my family is worse in summer. we live in the southern U.S. and it’s really hot and humid. heat increases out weakness and heart rate irregularities.

glad the magnesium and mag. supplements are helping. I haven’t tried the malic acid, but do take magnesium.

well brain fog is getting thicker. will try to write again tomorrow. stay warm and take care. Phyllis

Altho’ it’s been nearly 20 months since this thread was started, I’m dropping in here to relate my experience so far of intermittant fasting the 5:2 way. So…..

I’m 64 . I’ve had ME/CFS for 17yrs, been on 5: 2 for nearly 10months.
Lost 12.5 kgs with 8kg to go. My weight is going down slower than other people’s (no exercise I figure) but it is working for me.
My balance is better.
My stride is little longer and I walk a little faster.
I’ve gone down from a size 16 Australian to a 14.
Taken in a hole in my watch.
Halved my BP medication, and soon to delete it.
My regular doctor is very happy.
I have a little intermittant tachycardia as part of my ME/CFS, and have had a few cardiac symptoms and tests each year for 4yrs. Recently I had my annual tests and check up. My cardiologist said I’m better than before.
My BMI (Body Mass Index) is now just into the normal range.
My posture is even a bit better.
Slopes and stairs are still a real challenge but a tiny bit easier.
Used to have to keep under 110 heartbeats/ minute or my CFS went backwards. Now I can operate up to 125 beats/ min.

I was one of those CFS people who had to eat a bit of something every 2 hrs or seem to get low blood sugar. I was concerned about this aspect but on 5:2, for me, it seems to have disappeared from the beginning. I’m amazed.

I now fast Mon and Thur, eat nothing till 6pm then a 500cal or less meal at 6 pm. Non-fast days I use a 16:8 system i.e. Don’t eatfor 16 hrs then eat in an 8 hr window. For me that 8 hr window is from 12 noon till 8pm.

Hope this is of assistance to you.
Cheers,
Merry

Hi everyone,
Not sure if I have posted in the right place, but I have ME/CFSfor 11years and piled on the pounds. I am also unable to stand or walk, so I am a full time wheelchair user. That hasn’t helped, and also a long stint on steroids which finished 6mths ago. Over the last 6 weeks I have cut out sugar and have bread only twice a week at the moment, as I do react badly to both and feel much better. Then I found this website and bought a couple of books. I have just been monitoring my calorie intake this week and my calorie intake was only around 1000 calorie (now I have excluded sugar/sweetning of any kind and reduced bread intake), I have managed to increase my calories to 1200 and see how I go for this week. I know 1200 is still low, so I will see how I feel on this, then up again if I feel unwell. Planning meals from the books has been an easy way of checking the calories, I have added carbs & veg to those meals. I am full most of the time but have some crudites and hummous on standby! Once I work out my natural calorie intake then I will introuduce fasting. Some wheelchair users advocate a calorie intake of 1000 cals as they find that maintains their weight, but that seems very low!

Any advice from forum members on managing the fast days and their general calorie intake or wheelchair uses would be greatly appreciated. I have no way of measuring my weight so going on the good old measurements system… anything that shows a drop in cm’s will be encouraging!

So pleased I found this way of eating though!