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    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.

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MENTAL EXERTION

Jimbo39

Senior Member
Messages
405
Location
San Deigo, CA
Since I found this forum, I've been devouring everything and anything. I mean like 5 hours a day. Now I've noticed a setback. Less energy. More brain fog. Even my stomach has been hurting more. Any familiar stories?
 

me/cfs 27931

Guest
Messages
1,294
Since I found this forum, I've been devouring everything and anything. I mean like 5 hours a day. Now I've noticed a setback. Less energy. More brain fog. Even my stomach has been hurting more. Any familiar stories?
I do feel your pain. Perhaps the brain fog/stomach pain is simply your body saying you've overexerted and need to rest.

My initial post exertional crash onset indicator is a sore throat. Whenever I get a sore throat, I cancel any plans and simply rest. The other symptoms follow a few hours later.

I too wish I had the capacity maintain mental focus. There is so much more I'd like to research on this website. But the brain fog has been relentless the past 2 years.

My neurologist administered some cognitive testing a couple weeks ago. After the one hour test, I spent the next 2 days bedridden. :depressed:

Personally, payback for mental exertion is significantly higher than for physical exertion. I'm "lucky" to be just moderate ME/CFS: mostly housebound, but able to do light chores and occasional grocery shopping.

Taking stimulants (Vyvanse) does allow brain to function for a few hours, but generally with days of payback. Been there, done that. Taking daily stimulants is a living hell. :bang-head:

To be unable to use a brain is so unbelievably frustrating. Distracting myself from boredom without triggering PEM is a daily challenge.
 

Bansaw

Senior Member
Messages
521
Yes, your brain takes up a lot of the bodies energy. You need to rest that muscles too sometimes! Sounds a bit like me,- whenever I take in new inforamtion, my energy goes down and I start yawning.
I think we need to rest our HPA axis. My advice is, read some, then enjoy a nice rest with deep breathing, then read some again. Take it easy,... enjoy the rests!
 

Horizon

Senior Member
Messages
239
There is a lot of info on here and the Internet as a whole. You can really crash hard if you try to swallow it all in one shot. Do a little as able. You aren't going to find the answers tomorrow, it's a process and hopefully overtime you find helpful tips.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I know! Right? I had to retire early and I'm bored, bored,bored. I'm taking care of my Dad with Alzheimer's but he sleeps most of the time. I can't do a lot of physical stuff and movies, videos, even music are too stimulating.

take it slower with the brain stuff as it an cause worsening of ME and its harder to absorb info if you are overloading yourself with it.

I dont know how long you've had ME/CFS for but its sounding like you havent developed new hobbies around your ME capabilities yet. Try to find some easy things you can enjoy to do whether its photography or whatever. Over the years Ive developed many new hobbies to take over my old ones due to my housebound status.
 

Jimbo39

Senior Member
Messages
405
Location
San Deigo, CA
take it slower with the brain stuff as it an cause worsening of ME and its harder to absorb info if you are overloading yourself with it.

Yes, it did set me back

I dont know how long you've had ME/CFS f

I was diagnosed in 2008 but I feel I've had it much sooner.

Try to find some easy things you can enjoy to do whether its photography or whatever. Over the years Ive developed many new hobbies to take over my old ones due to my houseb

Good idea.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I was diagnosed in 2008 but I feel I've had it much sooner.

It took me over 10 years to develop new hobbies etc around this illness. I used to before this just think about all my past ones and waiting for the day when I could get back and do those, though I was disabled, my brain still wasnt thinking for this view. It just didnt occur to me much to think about trying to develop new hobbies to suit where i was at with my health now.

Im going to a photography course by DVD when I can. I gained also an interest in ponds and then frogs..my latest interest is in terraniums. I would of never developed these interests had I not been homebound.
 

Jimbo39

Senior Member
Messages
405
Location
San Deigo, CA
Im going to a photography course by DVD when I can. I gained also an interest in ponds and then frogs..my latest interest is in terraniums. I would of never developed these interests had I not been homebound.

Nice! Sounds like a cool hobby. For the life of me, I can't think of a single thing I'd be interested in. I'm emotionally flat.

On another note, I think my set back was also due to the stress I had in reading other people's conditions. I was like OMG! Do I have this?
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
On another note, I think my set back was also due to the stress I had in reading other people's conditions. I was like OMG! Do I have this?

Keep in mind while reading these that we are all different with this, some even have got better. I had a full remission for several years about 5-6 years in. You cant predict how things will end up for you.
 

Jimbo39

Senior Member
Messages
405
Location
San Deigo, CA
Keep in mind while reading these that we are all different with this, some even have got better. I had a full remission for several years about 5-6 years in. You cant predict how things will end up for you.

You are so right. Our genetics, methylation pathways, and the myriad other biological processes are unique. It's not a once size fits all.
 

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
Since I found this forum, I've been devouring everything and anything. I mean like 5 hours a day. Now I've noticed a setback. Less energy. More brain fog. Even my stomach has been hurting more. Any familiar stories?

I keep a notepad next to my computer so I can jot down the time I first sit down in front of it. I take a break every two hours, plus I limit my total time. I stay off the computer after 11 p.m to cut down on mental stimulation and light exposure. Spending a lot of time on the computer will definitely affect my ability to function. You have to figure out what works best for you.

This particular forum takes more mental energy than say, Facebook, so spending time on more fun websites might not have the same drain on you.

Nighttime web surfing can interfere with sleep due to the blue light. One way to mitigate some of that is to install f.lux:
https://justgetflux.com/
 

Jimbo39

Senior Member
Messages
405
Location
San Deigo, CA
Nighttime web surfing can interfere with sleep due to the blue light. One way to mitigate some of that is to install f.lux:
https://justgetflux.com/

The screen is so soothing with flux! I wouldn't mind it during the day. This may have contributed just as much to my mental exertion. To instal it I have to "jailbrake" my IPad but to do that, I have to back up my iOS? I'm too brain dead to do it right now.