• 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.

Post cooking pain and fatigue

Messages
27
This is something a bit new and really annoying. I made dinner for my housemates a couple of days ago. I was feeling fairly energetic so I went to a couple of stores to get food and supplies, came back and cooked a complicated new recipe. I started getting fatigued towards the end of cooking. About and hour afterwards I was in full body pain, stiffness and my muscles felt weak. Like I'd just hiked for 10 hours. I really need to make money/get some work and occasionally think about working part time outside somewhere. But this kind of reaction worries me.
 

rel8ted

Senior Member
Messages
451
Location
Usa
My hub does a lot of cooking because my body started reacting like this all the time. I used to LOVE to cook. I still enjoy it, but I either buy veg prechopped or use the food processor for most of the chopping. We have found ways to make things work so we can stay away from restaurant food as I also have Celiac & it's just a bad idea to eat out. This means most of the time, I get the prepped ingredients together & he finishes the process & cleans up.
 

RYO

Senior Member
Messages
350
Location
USA
My hub does a lot of cooking because my body started reacting like this all the time. I used to LOVE to cook. I still enjoy it, but I either buy veg prechopped or use the food processor for most of the chopping. We have found ways to make things work so we can stay away from restaurant food as I also have Celiac & it's just a bad idea to eat out. This means most of the time, I get the prepped ingredients together & he finishes the process & cleans up.

Same here. I loved to cook and bake. I am trying to teach my kids how to cook. We do our best.

I have a rolling stool in the kitchen. However, many days I feel like I can't even sit up unassisted in the stool.
 
Messages
27
My hub does a lot of cooking because my body started reacting like this all the time. I used to LOVE to cook. I still enjoy it, but I either buy veg prechopped or use the food processor for most of the chopping. We have found ways to make things work so we can stay away from restaurant food as I also have Celiac & it's just a bad idea to eat out. This means most of the time, I get the prepped ingredients together & he finishes the process & cleans up.

Yeah I love to cook too! This was a new and more extreme reaction. I usually get fatigued but not seized up like that. grrr. But yeah I think smaller more manageable meals may be better. :) I was fine tonight making roasted potatoes and salad. Eating out is usally bad for me as well
 
Messages
27
Same here. I loved to cook and bake. I am trying to teach my kids how to cook. We do our best.

I have a rolling stool in the kitchen. However, many days I feel like I can't even sit up unassisted in the stool.
A rolling stool would help a lot! But yeah sometimes sitting is hard for me as well!
 

PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
I react badly from cooking too. It's the concentration plus the timings all need to be right - you can't sit down whenever you need to for as long as you want, it's ruled by what the food demands with the cooking times. Can't let things burn.

I hope the food was good and your housemates enjoyed it :)
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
There are so many nonos for me in your post!!
1) never buy and cook same day.
2) I use a high office adjustable chair ( no arms)in kitchen so I don’t stand too long.
3) I devide the work prep one day and as much ahead it can be done.
My cFs was mild but the More you go over treshhold, the more baseline you loose. You can do all you did just in a divided way. CFs and spontaneity do not go well. Everything has to be plan to the amount of chunks of time that will not cAuse injury ( that varies per person).
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
1) never buy and cook same day.
Yes, its a good rule.
Everything has to be plan to the amount of chunks of time that will not cAuse injury ( that varies per person).
It also varies over time in the same person. If I have been pushing too hard a few times then my capacity will be low for some days. I also choose recipes that I can pause or do in stages, or use much lower heat so burning is less likely, and so on. This means many recipes are out, and others have to be modified.
 

PracticingAcceptance

Senior Member
Messages
1,858
A rule that I've just started:
No new recipes.
If it's a familiar recipe, I can do it.
Whenever I try a new recipe, something goes wrong (undercooking, burning, even a fire...!)
In fact, I don't follow a recipe at all, I just cook what I know how to cook without having to refer to anything.
 
Messages
27
I hadn't thought about not buying and cooking the same day. Makes sense though. This particular state of being is new to me. And I keep hoping I'm getting better so I can do more. But yeah doing too much in one day I can see that sometimes it has a big impact.

I usually don't do new recipes, but I do like cooking.
 

E.man

Senior Member
Messages
196
Location
Bega Valley , Australia
I hadn't thought about not buying and cooking the same day. Makes sense though. This particular state of being is new to me. And I keep hoping I'm getting better so I can do more. But yeah doing too much in one day I can see that sometimes it has a big impact.

I usually don't do new recipes, but I do like cooking.
I hope you can return to an active life soon. In the meantime be careful not to push things beyond an easy level.
 
Messages
27
I was cooking again tonight. This time easier and something I knew. Plus already bought. I was cleaning up a little and mentioned I was tired. Cause it hit me just then. My friend Bill was like "you're tired?!!!" as if in utter disbelief. It was a pretty strong response. His wife, who's my best friend, came to my defense. And I also said. I have that CF thing! It's a bit frustrating that people don't get it. I don't blame them, but I was like....did you not hear me talk about the whole exhaustion thing!? lol! sigh
 

E.man

Senior Member
Messages
196
Location
Bega Valley , Australia
I was cooking again tonight. This time easier and something I knew. Plus already bought. I was cleaning up a little and mentioned I was tired. Cause it hit me just then. My friend Bill was like "you're tired?!!!" as if in utter disbelief. It was a pretty strong response. His wife, who's my best friend, came to my defense. And I also said. I have that CF thing! It's a bit frustrating that people don't get it. I don't blame them, but I was like....did you not hear me talk about the whole exhaustion thing!? lol! sigh
Seems some of us can spend years really sick and someone close still seems surprised we're not well.
The Unrest film might be useful getting the message through.