Managing the most disrupting symptoms CFS/ME- My experience- GI symptoms

Gastro Intestinal Disturbances in CFS:

The commonest of the upper GI symptoms include fullness and bloating after a small meal, abdominal distension, nausea, and loss of appetite. Food sensitivities, altered gut flora, leaky gut, etc., are very common. Certain studies claim that the GI mucosal lining is highly compromised in CFS patients and that this contributes to immune system activation. Digestive health in fact is key to our overall wellbeing by way of absorption of nutrients, and prevention of chronic diseases including autoimmune disorders.

A systematic approach that focuses on the following is commonly suggested :
• Removal of obstacles to cure (including identification and removal of food sensitivities)
• Balancing gut microflora
• Optimizing nutritional status
• Modulating and reducing stress
• Creating an individualized supplementation plan that supports the healing of the gastrointestinal membrane
• Optimizing lifestyle through targeted lifestyle medicine modifications

For me, this was the first major debilitating symptom coupled with headaches, acnes, rashes, changes in the mouth flora, all of which the physicians completely failed to understand and manage for years. They also made it worse by prescribing PPIs. I was compelled to learn the working of human body, particularly intestine, before I worked out a solution. That time, I was not aware of CFS or any of the related information quoted in my posts. It was never linked to CFS either at any point of time. I started a cocktail of digestive enzymes, pro & pre-biotics, and Betain HCl that helped keeping my gut in manageable condition now. Use of Betain HCl should be decided in consultation with a physician and evaluating the acidic status (Salivary VEGF test).