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48-hour PEM delay

I had to take my car in to the town Thursday and leave it there for MOT testing (law in UK).
I decided to walk home as I always have done every year. It's 6 miles but a beautiful place. I used to walk that way often with my dog.

It was a nice day. Sun after rain, with a breeze. A perfect day for walking. And such a lovely place.

I didn't feel too great from the word go that morning, but started the walk. Once I am out there I am committed to the walk. No lifts, no buses, nothing but fields and a track.

So I felt no way 100% but on the walk started to improve a little bit. I sat and took a rest sometimes.

But towards the end of the 6 miles I realised I had bitten off more than I could chew. I didn't know how I was going to make it home. But I am a pretty stoical nature so came up with a plan: to numb my mind thinking about it, and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Simple.

I got back home on that kind of mental strength alone. When I got in I collapsed and burst into tears from sheer deep exhaustion. That's never happened before on a walk.
Had a warm bath, rested, ate food, and the next day I was not so bad at all! I couldn't believe it. 8 hours' sleep had sorted me out. Wow.

But today it was horrible. Real serious PEM. Really bad. And it was true "malaise" not just tiredness. Felt ill.
Well....why not yesterday? I was okay yesterday!

It seems I get a 48 hour delay after exertion. I am sorry to have to call my 6 mile walk (which I did as a regular thing 6 months ago) -"extreme" exertion. But I guess it was.

Now all I have to do is figure out how I am going to get my car when the garage calls me next week to tell me it's ready.....?

Comments

Shoshana
I am so sorry you had that difficult physically, and emotionally disappointing experience! I too, have had delays in PEM, of varying lengths, as well as, sometimes once the PEM begins, for me it can become gradually worse, instead of better, for a while. Very difficult and discouraging. You will definitely need a different plan for retrieving the car, it seems to me. Take extra good and gentle care of all of your needs, in the meantime. You are important.
 
Wolfcub
I get a similar thing, Shoshana. Once it starts it can get worse for a while which is disheartening, yes.
I found a bus! Which only means a two mile walk instead. I think I can handle that. I did that the other day because I desperately needed to buy a birthday present for my brother. I was no worse for the 2 mile walk and bus ride. But no better either. Still getting funny turns but not floored by that shorter walk.
Thank you for your kind thoughts for me. You too take good care of yourself. I will try but life is such an imperfect thing...
 
Mary
My PEM generally takes about 24 hours to hit. We're all different. That's a very common feature of this illness, delayed onset PEM. I think someday they'll find the answer and we'll go, so THAT's what was happening. It's all so mysterious right now but I do think we'll get answers some day. I couldn't even manage a 2-mile walk (not even 1/2 a mile) - I'm glad you can do the 2 miles! I would be lost without my car. I wouldn't be able to walk to bus stops or walk home from bus stops, etc. But I'm grateful I can at least drive! Many can't manage even that.
 
Wolfcub
One thing I am quickly learning is to be very grateful for things I CAN do. A 2-mile walk is about a quarter of what I was able to happily do before this Spring. But true, Mary. I have to see it in perspective. Many people here can't even walk about their house :(
Being able to drive certainly helps.
 
S
Sometimes it has seemed uncanny: 48hours, almost to the hour, I get hit by the bus - I had always done some bad, anaerobic, exertion (one of those where you just press on for far too long, as @wolfcub did, because there is no alternative.) I may have forgotten - though not recovered from - what I did, because I am still exhausted -but at the 48 hour mark, it suddenly intensifies, I feel annihilated, and real PEM starts.
 
T
this is completely normal in ME and what many of us fear the most. The impact which hits some time AFTER we finish whatever we are doing. You need to think about your activity levels so not to be causing that. In my case if I really overdo it, I can find myself basically like hardly able to move and not even being able to roll over in bed.

You KNEW you were pushing yourself too hard at the time! if its taking every bit of your will power to "make" yourself do something with the ME.. it means its too much.

I ended up "stranded' in places when out several times in the past, sitting in a gutter somewhere unable to walk any more. Its horrific :( . I do not now go out anywhere alone.

One time I was about to pass out in a gutter unable to go any further to get home and ended up phoning all the local businesses I knew (country town, no taxi was available) begging someone, anyone to get me home.

I ended up hitching a ride home from a stranger from my point of almost being collapsed in a gutter.
 

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