Six weeks ago I suffered from a mild case of food poisoning. All gastro-intestinal symptoms disappeared within 48 hours but I have felt extremely tired and intolerant to exercise (cognitive and physical) since then. I was already not in a very good shape due to PCS (12 months), which left me with chronic headaches, lower energy, and sensitivity to movement. But these past six weeks I have been much more tired than before, and I have also experienced difficulties to concentrate on mental tasks (which was not the case at all before the infection).

I had a blood test done and it shows positive for biomarkers of chronic inflammation in response to the infection. The doctor mentioned the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as a possible consequence of the food poisoning. Unfortunately, it seems difficult to have a clearer diagnosis for this pathology.

I am feeling desperate. PCS is tough but had become somewhat manageable for me. But the combination of PCS and CFS and the long-term prospects seem awful. If anyone has some thoughts, experience or advice to share, I would be very grateful.

Thank you.

Vania,

You could also be mildly depressed. Maybe you need a pick me up activity to stimulate you out of the doldrums. Or, a cup of coffee with the caffeine it has. Or, some probiotics to reset your gut. The food poisoning can change the gut flora such that you are not getting the nutrients you need. Have you tried upping B-12 supplements? A bad gut can reduce B-12 absorption.

Thank you very much, Mark. I am indeed not in a very good mood, but I tend to think it is a consequence rather than a cause, since the fatigue started suddenly one day after the food poisoning. But I might be wrong.

Coffee does not help, and I started taking probiotics yesterday. Upping B12 supplementation is a good idea, I will do it. Thank you again.

Did your sleep patterns and quality change ?

I sleep more than before the food poisoning. Quality-wise, I did not notice anything particular, but my sleep is not refreshing: I feel tired when I wake up, even after a 9 or 10 hour uninterrupted night. Do you have any hypothesis in mind?

Thank you again. I really appreciate your help.

If you are not waking up refreshed, it means you are not getting quality sleep. Hours of sleep are meaningless if it is not quality sleep. For me, it was all about good head and neck posture during sleep. Without it, my sleep would not be refreshing. My wife could look at my sleep posture and facial expressions when I was asleep and tell if I was going to have a good day. My breathing would be irregular, my body might twitch a bit or I might have tense muscles. We used to be able to sleep holding hands but I got so I would squeeze my grip and her hand. I get some of my best sleep in a recliner chair that supports me for good head and neck posture. When I am getting good sleep, my body relaxes completely so even my face droops.

Subtle C-1 and C-2 neck injuries/strains will cause inflammation during sleep with poor posture. This interrupts blood flow and even breathing.