Meaning of relapse?

[Tammy]

You would think after having cfs for 16 yrs that it would be obvious to me what you mean by having a relapse......but I'm still not sure.......and have never really thought about asking until now. Does it mean that you are feeling relatively ok in between a relapse?.......Are you basing it on how you have felt for a period of time (like a baseline) and then you get worse for a period of time and return to baseline? The first 5-6 years were the worse for me...........and then I got a little bit better and more or less feel about the same all the time.....with some good days thrown in......and some worse days.

 

[Seven7]

I call a relapse: Lets say I fluctuate normally between 8 and 7, then I am at 4 for more than a few weeks / months, on the good days I don't go beyond 6. Until I go back to 8 and 7 I call it a relapse. Because that was my base. If I am down just for one week or less I call it a crash.

I have been away from baseline for a whole year now. But Slowly I am back at 7 and 8. When I go back to 7/8 then I am out or I declare a new base line If I hold it for Months/years. Every relapse I cannot go back to where I was, So Probably 7 will be the most I will get.

 

[heapsreal]

I have noticed 2 types, one is a viral reactivation where my neck glands are painful and have increased lethargy and body feels really heavy, my brain just feels like cotton wool. This can last a week or longer and dont have the energy to get out of bed. These have been reduced by antivirals and if they do occurr i increase my antiviral dose which seems to speed the recovery process.

The other is the most common for me where i have overdone things or had very crappy sleep or sometimes i have done nothing to cause it, i mostly have that buzzing or sizzling feeling in my head and sort of tired and wired, like brain inflammation. I generally dont have painful neck glands or have the same type of heavy lethargic feeling. It generally lasts a few days or if i can get a good nights sleep it can help improve things alot.

 

[KathySkes]

I'm glad you asked this question, I was wondering about this too. I am having a relapse right now that has lasted nearly a year. I have noticed improvement during this time but it has been slow. The last relapse I had was three years ago and only lasted for 4 months. My baseline is about an 8 and I am wondering if I will ever get back to it. Any guesses?

 

[*GG*]

You would think after having cfs for 16 yrs that it would be obvious to me what you mean by having a relapse......but I'm still not sure.......and have never really thought about asking until now. Does it mean that you are feeling relatively ok in between a relapse?.......Are you basing it on how you have felt for a period of time (like a baseline) and then you get worse for a period of time and return to baseline? The first 5-6 years were the worse for me...........and then I got a little bit better and more or less feel about the same all the time.....with some good days thrown in......and some worse days.

How is your Vitamin D? Have you ever tried LDN? They are both Immune modulators, I have been on the recommended dose of LDN for well over 2 years now, and high levels of Vitamin D for at least 3 years. I don't have the fluish or PEM feeling as much as I used to, actually only when I massively overdo it!

GG

Sick for over 9 years now.

 

[Tammy]

GG.......my Vit D levels are on the low side........according to the ranges that alternative Dr's go by. I've never tried LDN. By what the others have said......I''m probably in a relapse mode............just don't want to face the fact. Thanks for the replies. Sigh...........not giving up.......

 

[*GG*]

GG.......my Vit D levels are on the low side........according to the ranges that alternative Dr's go by. I've never tried LDN. By what the others have said......I''m probably in a relapse mode............just don't want to face the fact. Thanks for the replies. Sigh...........not giving up.......

So take some extra Vitamin D, but have your blood levels monitored, I think my lever was around 20 to 30. I increased slowly, and had blood tests done about every 3 months. I noticed about 1,000 IUs raised my blood levels about 10, on the low range. I aim to keep it at 70 or higher and take at least 5K year round. It's a cheap supplement, and is not a bad thing to keep on top of. Just purchase the gel form, not powdered/capsules, they are not as good.

GG

PS LDN is relatively cheap also, and even cheaper if you buy on the internet, which is what many people do.

 

[taniaaust1]

I use the term relapse when my baseline has actually completely shifted back to towards where it used to be. Im not taking about a crash here, a crash is usually just a "temporary" shift of baseline... for me a crash could last a few weeks at the max (some thou may have longer crashes).. were as a relapse is when things have shifted and one usually has no idea if one will get improvement again or not... its a completely new (worst again) baseline to where one was in the past.

My current last relapse has lasted 3-4 years. I had a relapse on top of another relapse.. which took me to where I are again now.