Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) describes a sense of exhaustion and post-exertion malaise, even when you have gotten enough rest and sleep. The disease is characterized by six months of incapacitating fatigue experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina, and problems with concentration and short-term memory. The cause is unknown, but it is a...
Hey everyone,
I"ve posted this to the Fibromyalgia Support Group, but will also post here.
After living with Fibromyalgia with Chronic Fatigue for many years, I have classified my symptoms of tiredness.
Stage I: regular, stable everyday CF tiredness. Still able to read and drive, but never energetic.
Stage II : moderate CF tiredness. Arms and legs getting tired, loss of power. Scratchy feeling in eyes, and muscle pain starting in spine and thorax.Need utmost effort for driving or reading. Feel urgent need to rest, or will enter stage III.Recovery possible, but if not resting in time, will proceed to stage III.
Stage III: Beyond tired. Muscle weakness and pain in arms and legs, feeling as if each limb weighs 100 lbs. Dizziness, feeling like passing out.Cannot drive, read, talk on phone or watch tv. Too tired to eat. Need to lie down in quiet room with eyes closed. No recovery on same day. Effects may last 2-3 days.
These are my symptoms. How many of you can identify? Do you have your own pain or fatigue rating scale?
I"ve posted this to the Fibromyalgia Support Group, but will also post here.
After living with Fibromyalgia with Chronic Fatigue for many years, I have classified my symptoms of tiredness.
Stage I: regular, stable everyday CF tiredness. Still able to read and drive, but never energetic.
Stage II : moderate CF tiredness. Arms and legs getting tired, loss of power. Scratchy feeling in eyes, and muscle pain starting in spine and thorax.Need utmost effort for driving or reading. Feel urgent need to rest, or will enter stage III.Recovery possible, but if not resting in time, will proceed to stage III.
Stage III: Beyond tired. Muscle weakness and pain in arms and legs, feeling as if each limb weighs 100 lbs. Dizziness, feeling like passing out.Cannot drive, read, talk on phone or watch tv. Too tired to eat. Need to lie down in quiet room with eyes closed. No recovery on same day. Effects may last 2-3 days.
These are my symptoms. How many of you can identify? Do you have your own pain or fatigue rating scale?
Sometimes I manage to go to work.I spend most of the day in a soft chair and having to stand up for brief periods.I feel weak amd shaky all day and by about 1pm I start to crumble.When I arrive home I head for my bed and collapse.I don't know how I would eat at night if I lived by myself.
My bad days are when I'm completely crashed in bed and getting to the toilet is like a marathon.When I'm crashed I just cannot sleep enough, sometimes only a few hrs a night. In general I never get enough sleep.
So I'm not sure about stages.I guess both stage 2 and 3.It all just sucks and I need a new body.
I have the heaviness in hands and feet and my head feels ridiculously massive. Ever wonder why God designed this scrawny little neck to hold up that big heavy head?
I'm well enough to feel bloody tired of lying in this bed but sitting up takes too much effort.
Does your psychological state change as you move from one level of fatigue to the next?
I did not comment on the pschycologial effect of the stages of tiredness. For me, stage III is a state of mental " nothingness", too tired to absorb or communicate information. Occasionally stage III or stage II brings a great wave of emotion, with feelings of self pity and sadness. I have accepted that these feelings are present, live through them as best I can, and wait until they subside a little. Then I get up to see if I can tolerate it, if not, it's back to bed.
Interesting is that I do not want anyone to see me when I'm in a crash, but I guess that is just vanity. But I think that I would be afraid of people's reaction to my "crashed" self, as for some reason I would still uphold the image of the organized, cool and fashionable Mom.
Anyone who claims to have "accepted" this illness completely, is lying in my opinion. It 's natural to be more accepting and optimistic when you are in a good stretch, but who can accept a disease that is unpredictable?
I feel neuropathy type pain as soon as my feet touch the floor whatever time I get up. I must go back to bed and rest more before I can get up again. I am in my bed most offen and trying to become more active so my energy flow doesn't go altogether
I do feel pain in my hands, feet, spine, and legs. I take Tylenol when it's too difficult. I sleep 12 to 14 hours a day and feel absolutely NO reprieve from exhaustion beyond exhausted.... I embrace all the cards I have been dealt and do the best I can with what I have.
I have a spirit that won't quit and keep on keeping on with my faith and self-love in tact. It took me a long time to get here with acceptance. Breast cancer thrown in last March was another wake up call to leave be myself unconditionally and spread that love to others.
Check out the necks of athletes, especially football players. Those are normal human necks. You can rehabilitate your neck and avoid injury by simply moving it in different directions while pressing on your head in the opposite direction. This is an especially important exercise for people who sit at desks or watch TV a lot.
Start off very slowly with just a few repetitions and rebuild the musculature over time. This kind of basic exercise is something even very ill people can do...and it can save you from a lot of pain in your life. Neck injuries and disk problems can be excruciatingly painful.
My sleep in (stage three tired) (crashed for me ) is unproductive, and I really will heal quickest it I stay quiet, lay down most of the time, drink a lot of water, eat at least three small meals, walk the stairs...no matter how hard it is to do that, and then keep to a schedule. I eat at the same time, sleep at the same time. etc..
I also don't get on the puter for more than fifteen minutes, and I do not talk or skype on the phone. People get it. I'm resting. If they don't get it, I tell them.
I asbolutely get out of a crash a bit faster if I pace and follow my my "stress free" schedule!!