MeSci
ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
- Messages
- 8,231
- Location
- Cornwall, UK
My PEM is always delayed - by 24-36 hours at the moment, but it has been longer. This is the case when I have over-exerted for 2-3 days in a row too. It has never come on during exertion or immediately afterwards as far as I can recall. When I have over-exerted 2-3 days in a row, the PEM can be severe and force me to go to bed, but now that I know the reason for such debility I am careful to avoid causing it. Going more slowly works really well, and using a heart-rate monitor probably helps, although I don't use it often. After using it a few times I started to get a feel for when I was reaching my limit, and I am more aware of needing to stop. It's a bit like having a benign 'Big Brother' that I know is waiting to be consulted if I want to, and I will feel like I have misbehaved if I check my heart rate and find that it's too high!
Interesting about the malaise coming on during exertion, and the other coincidence re the blue skin colour.
How about this possibility - those who get these symptoms are perhaps less able than most to keep enough blood circulating to maintain normal skin colour, which would also make it harder to get oxygen to the mitochondria and to clear the lactate that accumulates due to anaerobic energy production?
So maybe you have especially low blood volume, or low endothelial nitric oxide (so that blood vessels can't dilate enough - and I believe we tend to have this problem in peripheral blood vessels), or poor cardiac function?
Perhaps you have a particular need to boost your fluid levels before activity (not forgetting that fluid intake should include electrolytes)?
Interesting about the malaise coming on during exertion, and the other coincidence re the blue skin colour.
How about this possibility - those who get these symptoms are perhaps less able than most to keep enough blood circulating to maintain normal skin colour, which would also make it harder to get oxygen to the mitochondria and to clear the lactate that accumulates due to anaerobic energy production?
So maybe you have especially low blood volume, or low endothelial nitric oxide (so that blood vessels can't dilate enough - and I believe we tend to have this problem in peripheral blood vessels), or poor cardiac function?
Perhaps you have a particular need to boost your fluid levels before activity (not forgetting that fluid intake should include electrolytes)?