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Omega point of CFS (warning, may trigger)

Messages
4
Is there an omega point to CFS/ME? By this I mean, if I reach what I believe to be the limit of my endurance and beyond, suffer unprecedented tiredness, and *then* have to get up and do more, what happens? And if I then have to get up and do *more*? I'm asking because I may have had a seizure or two and may have to go to several neurological consults and tests which i consider to be several orders of magnitude above my capabilities.
 
Messages
15,786
Is there an omega point to CFS/ME? By this I mean, if I reach what I believe to be the limit of my endurance and beyond, suffer unprecedented tiredness, and *then* have to get up and do more, what happens? And if I then have to get up and do *more*? I'm asking because I may have had a seizure or two and may have to go to several neurological consults and tests which i consider to be several orders of magnitude above my capabilities.
I've had muscles stop responding completely when over-used. Hopefully this would stop people from exerting to the level that there's potentially lethal results. But major and long-term relapse are certainly possible.
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
I do not know if anyone has ever done that. When you approach the limit of your endurance you may experience extreme cognitive dysfunction. I hope you are going to have someone with you.
 

meandthecat

Senior Member
Messages
206
Location
West country UK
Hi bshark In my experience although there often feels to be a tipping point where symptoms either change or become alot worse, it is a continuum. I see it as a hillside sloping away out of view, the further I slip down the slope the steeper it becomes and the harder the climb back. The more aware I can be, the sooner I can back off and the less ground I lose.

My worst times are when this almost intuitive awareness is over-ridden by 'stuff' like doctors and hospitals. I know it is coming, I try to prepare and it always leaves me floundering and struggling to keep my life on track.

Give yourself as much slack as you can and let the doctor know of your particular vulnerabilities, they can sometimes be really good. I no longer participate in medical activities that will damage me and I make that clear to the doctors, usually they respond well.

I can only wish you well, things are changing and lets face it they can't get worse.
 
Messages
4
I've had muscles stop responding completely when over-used. Hopefully this would stop people from exerting to the level that there's potentially lethal results. But major and long-term relapse are certainly possible.

Thanks for your replies everyone. I guess that ^ is part of my question: has anyone died from exhaustion as a result of CFS or do we just deteriorate and relapse? Can a healthy person die of plain exhaustion and is it the same way as a CFS sufferer but just a different order of magnitude?
 
Messages
15,786
Thanks for your replies everyone. I guess that ^ is part of my question: has anyone died from exhaustion as a result of CFS or do we just deteriorate and relapse? Can a healthy person die of plain exhaustion and is it the same way as a CFS sufferer but just a different order of magnitude?
I think the biggest risk of death would be with heart problems. Some ME patients might develop them as a result of being sick (damage from infection or auto-immunity) or as an underlying problem. But from what I've skimmed, ME patients aren't dying of heart attack or other heart-related problems, so there doesn't seem to be much risk of that.

If your heart function is normal, and the testing is in a hospital, it's probably pretty safe, aside from the relapse issues. That said, the relapse issues would be enough to keep me from seriously pushing myself. People end up with relapses that last months and sometimes years.
 
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4
Yes, I have had such relapses myself and my parents say " but that (the relapse-causing ago event) was years !" which is kind of the point :(
 
Messages
4
Yes, I have had such relapses myself and my parents say " but that (the relapse-causing event) was years ago!" which is kind of the point :(
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
I have gone paralyzed temporarily when I overdo, Cannot even speak or move (or go to restroom). Sometimes I feel I need to lay down RIGHT now (the warning is a thought) other times I barely make it to bed before I crash. By the time I feel both is too late. The early signs are any symptoms, when symptomatic you are doing too much.
 

rosie26

Senior Member
Messages
2,446
Location
NZ
I think we are 2/3/4 degrees (don't know how else to express it)! away from the Omega point when we are in severe ME, which means we are practically bedridden all day long and all night long. Only getting up to go to toilet and trying to get something to eat. Having to go out to appointments is near impossible and distressing beyond words.

The body will knock you down and tell you its important to rest, so you need to listen. (usually you have no choice, but to rest).

So it is crucial that you rest (and I know it is not a comfortable rest, it is an ill and unbearably unwell rest).
There are ME sufferers who go past severe ME into an even worse hellish state of ME.
So it is crucial to rest in severe ME. It took me 7 years to slowly move out of severe.

I think as Valentjin said the omega end point would probably be the heart shutting down or some other organ.
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
Are some of these consults for test results? If so, would the doctor do a telephone consult. Could you start start with the closest or most important doctor/test and see how that goes?