yeah BW I have also had a diagnosis of CFS my trigger appears to be Human parvovirus as I tested positive for antibodies to it though I don't recall actually being sick prior to diagnosis with CFS. It also triggered a form of reactive arthritis in my ankles which flares up from time to time if I get too tired, cold or stressed. I find I plan my days around my good hours. If I start to feel really CFS tired, which is a completely diff feeling to normal tired, I have learnt the hard way not to fight it but to give in and ride with it. If you need to sleep, sleep. CFS tired is one sort of tired you cannot push through that much I have learnt.
Yesterday I had six senior citizens here for a sewing bee making costumes for our local theatre group and after six hours of entertaining, supervising etc which I find quite stressful, I have woken up today feeling like absolute crapola. Hubby and I went down the street to do some errands and basically get out of the house and I had to make him bring me home. I was/am so tired I cannot even breathe right if you get what I mean, I felt like I could sit on one of the benches in the centre closed my eyes and had a snooze right there.
I find that diet wise too much yeast and vitamin B foods can contribute. So no breads or vegemite for me when I get this way, that seems to help as well as piling in the good proteins, salads, no starchy vegies, a bit of choice meat - anything stodgy I try and minimise at these times as I already feel stodgy enough in my body.
With regards to vitamin supplements I also find CoQ10, fish oil, selenium and vitamin E to be helpful but have found that general mixed multi vitamins make very little difference. I find with mixed multis that there are too many vitamins in the supplement that actually counteract each other when taken together and so prefer individual supplements if that makes sense. Like for example iron and calcium inhibit absorption of each other so should be taken a few hours apart. For this reason I have started researching more individual vitamins and their benefits and tailoring a regime just for me.
Oh and magnesium if i get any related muscle aches.
One product that is absolutely awesome is SPATONE. It is a liquid colloidal iron supplement that comes from a mineral spa in Wales and has a very high available iron content, great for pregnancy and because it is a colloidal mineral does not cause constipation or tummy upsets...that also seems to help perk me up. You can get it from the chemists in little liquid sachets you chuck in some fruit juice (except orange I think?) and it just makes it tastes a tiny bit metallic but otherwise very palatable.
Hope this gives you some ideas......