Got ME while in college. Prior jobs were substitute teacher, data entry, haunted house actor, and call center work. Didn't last long at jobs with too much sensory assault, regardless of how much I liked them.
The stress of my university time might be considered normal, but it piled on quickly. Emotional stress of being a perfectionist and art major, mental stress from trying to "catch up" (I had barely squeaked through grade school), and physical stress of going from couch potato to walking for hours while carrying heavy supplies. There were heightened financial and social stressors, too.
ME probably began fairly mild... a doctor said to push through my exhaustion and I got sicker, with a host of new abnormal symptoms medical specialists said meant nothing. Lost perfect attendance, coordination and strength to draw, and ability to learn fast. I struggled with comprehension to the point that I could get lost on campus and occasionally couldn't remember how to spell my name.
Fortunately, I figured out that while I struggled to stay awake when upright, I could still think and stay awake if I was laying down. So, I gave up art so I could lay down and use a computer to study, switched to a subject of study I already knew something about, gave up outings (previously frequented places like bookstores and libraries), and learned to rely on others for my basic needs. Graduated at 25 with a psych major.
Now an accountant in my early 40's. I work from home with hours that are extremely flexible. The difficulty and joy of the job generally depends on whether I'm in PEM.