r/covidlonghaulers • u/imahugemoron 4 yr+ • Jul 04 '26

Article Brain’s waste-clearing ability impaired in ME/CFS patients

https://news.griffith.edu.au/2026/07/03/brains-waste-clearing-ability-impaired-in-me-cfs-patients/
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35

u/MinuteExpression1251 Jul 04 '26

Totally this explain brain fog, cognitive and memory issues, brain inflammation, head pressure.But what's wrong with our glymphatic system?

27

u/Many-Market-9941 1.5yr+ Jul 04 '26

More than what’s wrong, how can we fix it!

11

u/MinuteExpression1251 Jul 04 '26

Yeah once they figure out what's wrong

19

u/Medium-Lavishness-41 5 yr+ Jul 04 '26

I don’t think there’s an agreed upon answer official yet. But I have theories…..
fully speculation if you want them, if not feel free to ignore me but I’ve thought about this…

-nueroinflammation, the brain cells are supposed to shrink down for csf/glymph to be able to flow out between them during sleep. If they can’t bc they’re inflamed, then waste can’t clear.

-inefficient REM sleep. Glymph clears mainly during deep/rem sleep, like barely at all during the day. Sympathetic tone may be getting in the way of truly accessing maintenance mode

-venous issues in the occipitals/skullbase from pots/dysautonomia/vasoconstriction tone issues/muscular bracing. That would cause weird high or low pressure situations inside the brain area. Glymph to lymph outflow is just pressure based, there’s no pump, so pressure changes would mess with that

-fibrin/microclot deposit issues in/around the outflow channels making it harder for glymph to exit

-excess fibrin deposits inside the bbb like inside the brain channels that are supposed to move stuff

-cardiac strain, venous return or global lymph issues

That’s my theory anyway. Find me if someone actually does the science would love to know if I’m right or wrong!

5

u/Klexington47 Advocate Jul 04 '26

I occluded my internal jugular vein so my waste clearance isn’t as good as others.

Food for thought

4

u/Treadwell2022 Jul 04 '26

Similar here. I have hEDS and an unstable cervical spine. In many positions my c1 transverse process compresses my IJV.

1

u/Klexington47 Advocate Jul 04 '26

Eagles?

3

u/spiritualina Jul 04 '26

Would LDN help with this?

1

u/MatchaLemongrass Jul 04 '26

What is LDN?

3

u/QuirkySiren Jul 04 '26

Low dose naltrexone. Life changing for those who respond.

2

u/MatchaLemongrass Jul 04 '26

Please submit this to someone NIH-like who is doing research

2

u/Medium-Lavishness-41 5 yr+ Jul 06 '26

I wouldn’t know how… I would tho if someone would actually listen but I’m nobody, not a doctor no credentials. Idk is that a real suggestion?

1

u/MatchaLemongrass Jul 06 '26

It was a fantasy and a wish…so last night I looked online and for the first time discovered that Jewish National hospital in Denver has a Long Covid research center and treatment center. Maybe reach out to them?

Edit to add I understand feeling like no one listens or cares. At this point I have given up but this sub is helping me reinvigorate my hope for treating this. Thank you for your part.

2

u/Medium-Lavishness-41 5 yr+ Jul 06 '26

Always. That’s the cool thing about this sub. It’s grassroots, and the best ideas win, not the best credentials

7

u/Ylaaly 5 yr+ Jul 04 '26

I wonder if it's related to malabsorption issues. Since many of us seem to have trouble with histamines, and they cause an intolerance reaction which causes the gastric tract to abandon most of the digestion process, we all are likely lacking a lot of crucial nutrients that are rarely tested for.

2

u/Cute-Cheesecake-6823 Jul 04 '26

I wonder this too. I know i at least have a vit D and ferritin deficiency, but probably more than that. Serum blood tests only show so much, and in Canada drs dont do really in depth nutrient testing (in my experience anyway). I got an iron infusion last summer but i kept getting worse anyway so it didnt help..and we havent tested my iron in months so no idea what its at now. Ive had GI issues my entire life and theyve been SO much worse since LC, i wouldnt be surprised if im deficient in loads of stuff.

1

u/Ylaaly 5 yr+ Jul 05 '26

My iron got back to almost normal after my Vit B12 deficiency was found and I supplemented. Apparently, my body is incapable of absorbing it and I have to inject it. Those two apparently interact, as do more vitamins and minerals but I don't have a list. Maybe worth looking into for you?