• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Low body temperature after giving up aerobic exercise due to PEM...?

Bansaw

Senior Member
Messages
521
Since August I have given up my elliptical trainer aerobic exercise in favour of doing weight resistance exercise. I think thats helped me, although I sense that part of me badly wants to work out. However, the PEM payback is too bad to contemplate that, so I stick to 10-minute walks and weights.

Now its winter here and at night I am feeling the cold a lot more than before, especially in bed at night.
I wonder if this is down to my lack of aerobic, and I wonder if any of you guys have experienced that and what you did about it?
 

ScottTriGuy

Stop the harm. Start the research and treatment.
Messages
1,402
Location
Toronto, Canada
My body temp in the morning was 96.1 until I started synthroid (in spite of 'normal' thyroid test results) - now its improved, and stalled, at 96.7 in the morning.

But my hands and feet and whole body are less cold. I didn't realize how painful it was.

I also just started with an electric blanket last week. I'm in love.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Since August I have given up my elliptical trainer aerobic exercise in favour of doing weight resistance exercise. I think thats helped me, although I sense that part of me badly wants to work out. However, the PEM payback is too bad to contemplate that, so I stick to 10-minute walks and weights.

Now its winter here and at night I am feeling the cold a lot more than before, especially in bed at night.
I wonder if this is down to my lack of aerobic, and I wonder if any of you guys have experienced that and what you did about it?
You may have a correlation without causation there. In other words, it's possible that the two things happened at the same time but giving up aerobic exercise did not cause lower body temp. Maybe both the PEM and the lower body temp are caused by something else (the progression of your ME?), maybe there's no connection other than a coincidence in timing, who knows? So I wouldn't jump to a causality explanation in this case. :)

@ScottTriGuy raises a good point. Low body temp is often associated with hypothyroid. Since many PWME develop hypothyroid as the disease progresses, this might be worth looking into.

Is your measured body temp low, or do you just feel cold more often? The two are not necessarily the same thing.
 

TiredSam

The wise nematode hibernates
Messages
2,677
Location
Germany
I have an eliptical trainer too and used to go on it 2-3 times a week, go cycling, and do weights. I haven't done any sport, or even been for anything more than a short, slow walk, for nearly a year now. Haven't noticed any body temperature issues. Then again, my feet have always been blocks of ice on a winter's evening so it's hard to think how they could get any colder.
 

Bansaw

Senior Member
Messages
521
You may have a correlation without causation there.
Could be correlation. I have a personal steam sauna that does me good. Because I don't sweat now with aerobic, the sauna gets me sweating and warm and helps me detox. I don't overdo it, but after a sauna my body temp feels like it nice and high for a couple of hours afterwards.
This is a nice feeling. I don't want to sauna too often because I might sweat out good stuff I need. (I take electrolytes after to balance up.)
I really miss my aerobic though. I feel like my body needs it, but the PEM ensures I don't give into the craving!
 

Mij

Messages
2,353
Around 12 years ago I was taking my body temperature twice a day for one month because my doctor wanted me to chart my temperature to see if I should start Wilson thyroid syndrome treatment. Back then I was doing ridiculous exercise that was causing PEM, my temperature was always lower the next morning after aerobic exercise.

I did the thyroid treatment but it didn't help how I felt so I stopped. I also stopped high intensity aerobic exercise. Never give in to this.

I don't think your coldness is due to a lack of aerobic exercise with this illness. It's more complex.

Walking and stretching does help with my own body temperature by improving circulation, but I stay within my energy limit so I don't get PEM.
 

xrayspex

Senior Member
Messages
1,111
Location
u.s.a.
Before I had PEM I was a runner, but I didnt really start until I was 20ish y/0 and one thing I loved about it is that it warmed me up in the winter...I felt like I was conquering nature....but I figured it was just because moving around makes you sweat and then it doesn't feel as cold
I still miss running....its one of the biggest losses