I finally figured out how to explain chronic fatigue syndrome to some of my guy friends (no, the energy budget didn't work that well--only sort of).
Car analogies.
CFS/ME is like having a short in the electrical system, misfiring spark plugs, and an alternator that doesn't work quite right.
For the most part, the only "recharge" I get is from eating a bit (protein and dairy--fruits/veg, grains, and legumes don't help a lot) and from sleeping. I don't recharge from sitting down and resting. And I don't recharge fully. Ever.
However...
The AdrenaMaxx helped a bit. I'd recharge a little when I'd sit down and rest. It took an hour and a half to build back up what I spent in fifteen minutes of housework, but I'd build back up eventually.
The new adrenal support suppliment--Flex Naturals Adrenal Support--also helps (and doesn't contain ingredients that interact with my other medications). I got it in the mail after I got home from picking up the kids on Tuesday. After I'd massively overdone it by going to Sam's Club after I'd finished teaching my second 75 minute class for the day. By the time I got it, I was already feeling the physical effects of doing too much (you know how you overwork, and then all your muscle fibers keep twitching after you stop? Yeah, I was at that point) and it was too late in the day to start taking it.
I took a dose yesterday with breakfast (right around 7:00). I was still paying for the day before with massive whole-body aches, increased exhaustion, and brain fog making the world seem dull and out of focus. I took the kids to school, and then went home and collapsed in my recliner, picked up the laptop, and started in on surfing through blog sites, news sites, and Facebook.
Around 8:30, the world snapped back in focus. The brain fog cleared a bit, then a bit more. And I started recharging. By 2:00, I was able to go get a few things exhaustion had made me forget the day before at Sam's Club. And I was able to make breakfasts for the imp for the next two weeks (egg muffins), and pre-position things for making supper tonight.
No, I'm not at 100%. I'm not quite even up to 50%. But that's better than where I was last week, and I'm recharging at rest instead of only eating and sleeping.
And more than that, I have hope that eventually, I'll get back to normal with enough rest, support, nutrition, herbal supplementation, and time.
6 hours ago
Who was it that sang that song "cocaine"? Peter Frampton? Medicinal cocaine......
ReplyDeleteIf I ever got on drugs, it'd be uppers, not downers. Just so I could function semi-normally.
DeleteI can sympathize as I have CFS/fibromyalgia. And most all of the meds the docs wanted to give me to help with the pain made everything MUCH worse. So for me, it is stick to a routine, get my butt into bed by 10pm, avoid alcohol and high fat meals, and pace activities...I try to get 3 things a day done, tops! Meals are protein, fruit, veggies, and limited starchy carbs. And if I can get a nap in the middle of the afternoon, that is great!! If I do too much, or work too hard/fast at physical labor (stacking firewood comes to mind) I pay, big-time, the next 2 days. I've been dealing with this for the past 25 years, but since the alternative was a brain tumor, I'm pretty happy. Trying to reduce any stress also helps a lot. Hope you find the combination that works the best for you soon.
ReplyDeleteCFS by itself can go into remission, of a sort...or it can evolve (devolve?) into fibro. I'm trying to figure out how to work within it to get it to ease off as much as it will.
DeleteAlcohol actually helps me somewhat, so long as I don't have too much, on the days I do too much. It helps with the pain so that I can sleep.
Fruits and veggies...that's problematic. Several seem to exacerbate my symptoms. I'm still trying to figure out which ones seem okay for me and which ones are on the "avoid" list (citrus...oranges in particular bring down the fog). I've had to resort to drinking veggies--eating them leaves me starving within half an hour, even with meat in the meal. Stew is less bad. Potatoes and corn I seem to do fine with.
I've had my thyroid removed, since it was choking me, so I have to avoid soy, and be careful with my fiber intake (estrogen binds thyroid hormone so it can't be used, and a high fiber diet inhibits absorption of the actual medicine).
Honestly, I seem to do best with meat, dairy, and traditional V8.
Stress...yeah, I've reduced that as much as possible, but I teach college, and have young children. There's a limit to what I can do to reduce stress.
I hope you find something that improves things for you, too, soon. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemies.
I feel ya. I'm glad to see that you and the doctors are starting to find a combination that at least helps.
ReplyDeleteThe doc gave me the diagnosis. All the rest is from my own research (since I have more time and motivation on this than a doctor that has a dozen patients a day).
DeleteGlad you're narrowing down the options, hopefully you'll get a working set that allows your improvement!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping so...thanks for the good wishes.
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ReplyDeleteWell, fuck you too, asshole.
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