"It Made My Dreams Feel Possible Again": How Oxaloacetate CFS Helped Nate Reclaim His Future

After more than a decade of living with ME/CFS where chronic fatigue and pain overwhelmed his life, where walking his tiny dog June Bug or just doing too many dishes could leave him crashed and exhausted for weeks, audio engineer Nate found Oxaloacetate CFS to be life-changing. 

Today, Nate is growing his audio engineering business, pursuing creative goals he once thought were out of reach, and looking toward the future with renewed optimism. He credits much of that transformation to Oxaloacetate CFS.

We're grateful and honored for him to join us to tell his inspiring story to the ME/CFS Healing Podcast hosted Oxaloacetate CFS. 

A Career Interrupted by Illness

Nate's symptoms began just as he was launching his career as an audio engineer.

"I had just started working at a local studio when I began experiencing intense pain and fatigue out of nowhere," he recalls. "I had countless tests done and saw several doctors, but nobody could tell me what was wrong."

For years, Nate struggled with unexplained symptoms that affected nearly every aspect of his life. Good days were rare, and even those often felt difficult compared to what healthy individuals might consider normal.

"I'd have good days and bad days," he says. "But even my good days would probably be considered bad days by someone who wasn't living with this every day."

As the years passed, the combination of pain, fatigue, and post-exertional malaise (PEM) made it increasingly difficult to build his career. He often found himself forced to choose between work, creative projects, and basic daily responsibilities.

Living Within Strict Limits

Like many people with ME/CFS, Nate became acutely aware of the invisible limits imposed by his illness.

Certain activities could trigger severe symptom flares that lasted for days or even weeks. During those periods, simple tasks became overwhelming.

"If I had a PEM crash, it could last a week," he explains. "Pain, fatigue, brain fog—it affected everything. And when you don't feel well physically all the time, it impacts your mental and emotional well-being too."

His audio engineering business remained afloat, but growth felt impossible.

"Before Oxaloacetate CFS, my business was perpetually on life support," he says. "I was constantly trying to balance what I wanted to accomplish with what my body would allow."

Discovering Oxaloacetate CFS

About a year and a half ago, Nate decided to try Oxaloacetate CFS.

He admits he approached it with cautious optimism.

"I've tried a lot of things over the years," he says. "A lot of them either didn't work or weren't noticeable. So I didn't really know what to expect."

What happened next surprised him.

"It was a total game changer."

Nate says he quickly noticed improvements in fatigue, pain levels, and his ability to recover when he pushed himself too hard.

"It absolutely helped with both fatigue and pain," he says. "It helps prevent crashes, but it also helps me recover if I do end up in one."

Growing a Business Again

As his symptoms improved, Nate found himself able to focus on something he hadn't been able to fully pursue for years: growing his business.

Today, he spends more time on marketing, client acquisition, and strategic growth rather than simply trying to make it through each day.

"Now that I have more energy, less pain, and more ability to get things accomplished, I'm finally able to grow my business."

The difference has been profound.

For years, he felt forced to put many of his ambitions on hold. Now, he feels capable of pursuing them again.

"I've always dreamed of making great records and working with talented artists," he says. "There were definitely times when I thought it was a fool's endeavor. Now it feels possible again."

More Present at Home

The benefits haven't been limited to work.

Nate says improved energy and reduced pain have allowed him to be more present with his wife, Molly, who has supported him throughout his health journey.

"At the end of the day, I'm not in so much pain that I can't enjoy spending time with her," he says. "I can actually be present and enjoy the moment."

Even everyday activities that once felt overwhelming have become more manageable.

Instead of constantly monitoring symptoms and worrying about the consequences of every activity, he can focus more on living his life.

"I don't have that constant pain and fatigue hanging over me anymore," he says.

Looking Toward the Future

Perhaps the most meaningful change for Nate is something harder to measure: possibility.

For years, chronic illness forced him to think small, carefully rationing his energy and limiting expectations for the future.

Today, that mindset has changed.

"It really feels like Oxaloacetate CFS is making my dreams and goals possible again."

He and his wife are even discussing possibilities that once felt unrealistic, including potentially starting a family.

"I don't think that would have even felt possible before," he says. "Now it's something we can genuinely consider."

A Renewed Sense of Hope

Every person's experience with ME/CFS is unique, and no single approach works for everyone. But for Nate, Oxaloacetate CFS has provided something he feared he might never get back.

Hope.

"Without Oxaloacetate CFS, I feel like I'd still be in the same place," he says. "Now I feel like I can move forward."

For someone who spent years watching opportunities slip away because of fatigue and pain, that renewed sense of possibility may be the most powerful outcome of all.