Absolutely! I hhhhhave a ttttterrible ttttime reading out loud. I have never s s s stutt ttered in my life before. I find that I just get stuck on words somehow. It is most frustrating. So much for my career as a t tt teacher.

People trivialize our illness so often, too bad they don't get to see the depth of the impairment we have to deal with. I had to give up a promising career as a biologist because of problems I had with ME/CFS.

I noticed that I stutter sometimes now too, Denise...never stuttered before I got sick.

My cousin tried to convince me to look for work as a substitute teacher. I wouldn't know where to start in explaining to her how impossible that would be. People just don't get it.

When my ME/CFS is really flaring up, I crash into the door jamb just trying to walk from one room to another in my own house. That can really hurt, I've learned to walk more slowly now.

Hey Serce, one thing I missed in your post ( imagine missing something when you are reading!). Yes, it is very true, we need to exercise mentally too!
And Richie - right on Buddy! I have a huge bruise on the front of my thigh from walking into a chest of drawers, and my shoulder is always sore from walking into door jambs! I swear the damn things move on me.......

I don't walk into doorways...often, but when I stand, I sway. I always think if someone were to look in the window they'd think I was drunk.

We've got 4 young kids.
I gave up reading out stories for a couple of years because its way to hard.
Even large text word 'kids' books.
I couldn't do it.
I can only do a level 14 reader with my 8 year old now, and thats on a good day.
I've just ovrcome a migrane that lasted nearly 3 days. Reading at these times is almost impossible. Thats why I use Text To Speach (TTS) and Voice recognition but in a migrane or bad flare evenTTS and VR is outof the question. It will be neuro toxin load that cant be delt with.
If you have a look at the limbic system then have a look at the optic system they are intertwined.

The hypothalamus is a small part of the brain located just below the thalamus on both sides of the third ventricle. (The ventricles are areas within the cerebrum that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid, and connect to the fluid in the spine.) It sits just inside the two tracts of the optic nerve, and just above (and intimately connected with) the pituitary gland.
If a flare is triggered because of viral toxin load or toxin load or emotional load or even toxic load produced from too much sunlight, (optic nerve) then the hormonal load can debilitate us an put us in bed.
Since I have had CFS I notice I feel my way through doorways, down hallways, down stairs I always hold onto ballistrades and I sway. I'm someone who was trained towalk up and down staire withou looking at them and even to run down and up stairways with a loaded weapon, always looking at my greatest point of risk or my 'target'. These days I've got Buckleys chance of walking up or down stairs without holding on to a ballistrade and looking where I put my feet. Yep I walk into the corner of my bed often and get a huge corked, bruised quad. 'Spacial perception' and cognative progcession is compromised to a digree. Its like a perpetual mini stroke. Most of my kids read out loud better than I can.

oh my gosh alistair i'm so with you i too sway and feel anxoius when walking down stairs and corridors. I have fallen and sparained my ankle, and have very limited spacial awareness. Even on sitting and closing my eyes my head swims and i too get migraines.
Granted i have never suffered from headaches till 2 yrs ago!!
I feel like an OAP and worry when i'm faced with a long staircase, and esp cant handle getting on and off the london tube (as huge gap between carraige and station platform) I even feel disorientated when stepping out of a car.
Nice to jear i'm not the only one :---)

I too studder and stammer not only reading but just talking in general, either the words come out all mixed up or I can't remember the simplest of words. It is very frustrating. When out in public(when I'm able to go out) I sway and stumble so much I worry that people think I am drunk and I don't drink. My husband teases and says maybe if I were drunk I would walk straight. LOL

I pinball through the house a lot also, feel like I'm in Vertigo the Movie. I have a hard time w/curbs, stairs, and flat surfaces. I've removed scatter rugs, even the coffee table in the living room is being stored now. Less objects to hit or stumble over seems to improve my short journey in the house.

I don't stutter, but for a little while I did wonder if I was having a mini-stroke. I have found myself stuttering on meds that I am given and have a hypersensitivity too. Stutter and stammer and shake, can't maintain my body in an upright position.

I just thought it was so weird that I can read silently, but not aloud...I was pre-migraine and have now been brain hurting for the last two days. I'm sure the coming migraine had something to do with the word puddles.....sigh, hugs, I had 4 shots in my tailbone today. They don't know if it is a fracture, or what exactly...mri coming up soon. And they are giving me epidural injections in my neck to reduce the pain and the constant migraines...Lord have mercy on me in the days ahead....hugs and prayers to all! The doc said, "Awww kid, you're a mess, just a mess of pain." Almost burst into tears on the spot....hard to take kindness when I'm trying so hard to hang strong!

I can, I will, I must......xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

the only thing you need to add to your list of exercise is to exercise as much kindness to yourself as you seem to show others. and go ahead and cry-it released endorphins, just like exercise! think of it as emotional exercise.
I , too had difficulty reading aloud to my child, but i was simply unable to speak the word-it would be on my tongue, but it would not get out of my mouth for forever! I would pronounce it correctly, though, when it did come.

I appreciate what you shared with me sslaird...

I'm not averse to tears. Tears are averse to me. My tears are white, not clear. My eyelids swell and my face puffs up. It hurts. It is a problem. I can have a short rain shower, but not much more. I am careful to avoid salt/msg/preservatives, but it remains a problem.

Just one more odd sidebar in this chronic conditions journey. Take care...

I have a hard time too. I teach second grade and I am constantly reading aloud. I make tons of mistakes. It's frustrating!

Likewise. In English and Japanese. It's a really good thing I was able to get five courses of high school Japanese under my belt before this thing hit cause my short term is now so bad I can barely hang onto what they're trying to teach me and forget forming any answers in a foreign language. My comprehension skills, oddly enough, seem alright. Of course, whatever limited Japanese skill I can retain will go well before my English skills but, on a bad day, I can't even manage a grammatically correct sentence in English. Reading goes too...academic articles are particularly challenging and I find myself starring blankly at a single word for minutes at a time. It's extremely frustrating. Reading aloud is so much harder...unless I memorize it ahead of time, I'll make so many mistakes it won't even be intelligible (very annoying when trying to give speeches or reading in class).

Anyway, I hope that helps you feel a little bit better and not so alone in the struggle. Don't push too hard and you may find you have an easier time reading later on or for shorter lengths of time. I frequently overdo it and land myself in bed for weeks so this is definitely one of those "do as I say, not as I do" situations. : P

Take care! : )