Every time I exercise I pay. Most people feel good after they exercise—they’re invigorated…but not me. I feel worse. This challenges my motivation but I persist because I really want to get back to doing the outdoor things I love.
Since my forced discontinuation of Surmontil last fall (it is no longer manufactured) and the cessation of most of my fibromyalgia symptoms, I am not home free yet. Surmontil did keep my insomnia at bay and without it my sleep problems are back. And the one fibromyalgia symptom that did not go away is the mysterious post-exertional malaise. PEM is a period of intense, debilitating fatigue in reaction to seemingly harmless activity from which it takes an inordinate amount of time to recover. It is also known as exercise intolerance. I don’t have it all the time but I have recently experienced a particularly bad episode.
So between insomnia and occasional post-exertional malaise it is no wonder that I am tired all the time. I fear that in addition to my already reserved disposition my fatigue only makes me seem more aloof. Perhaps I should wear a button, “Please excuse me, I’m not a snob, I’m just very tired.”
However, in my constant quest for answers I have found hope. It comes from a book I’ve discovered, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fighting Fatigue by Nadine Saubers. The book describes exactly what I’m going through. It provides good, practical advice about pacing, graded exercise, and maintaining a healthy energy bank account.
Good health is such a glorious thing. For those who are blessed to have it, it is easy to take it for granted. Some of us have to fight for it but it is worth the battle.
So between insomnia and occasional post-exertional malaise it is no wonder that I am tired all the time. I fear that in addition to my already reserved disposition my fatigue only makes me seem more aloof. Perhaps I should wear a button, “Please excuse me, I’m not a snob, I’m just very tired.”
However, in my constant quest for answers I have found hope. It comes from a book I’ve discovered, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Fighting Fatigue by Nadine Saubers. The book describes exactly what I’m going through. It provides good, practical advice about pacing, graded exercise, and maintaining a healthy energy bank account.
Good health is such a glorious thing. For those who are blessed to have it, it is easy to take it for granted. Some of us have to fight for it but it is worth the battle.
2 comments:
I'm sorry. But considering all you went through, you've come a long way back.
Hi Jacqueline, it's Nadine Saubers and I wanted to thank you for mentioning my book and your kudos. I so agree with you about the value of health. I've got a blog in case you want to read more without the filter of a publisher:
http://healthosity.blogspot.com/
You can also listen to me talking about fatigue recovery in one of the links I have there. I sincerely hope that your PEM improves and I have to say I understand how frustrating and even painful it is, very well!
STRENGTH!
nadine
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