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PEM "nuance"

MonkeyMan

Senior Member
Messages
405
I've noticed that, if I don't exercise for a few days, then I get bad PEM when I do.

But then, if I keep exercising over the next few days, the PEM no longer happens.

Anyone else notice this too?
 

xebex

Senior Member
Messages
840
I’d say consistency is the key. I am unable to exercise at all (and now can hardly do anything at all part from go to the bathroom) but have found in the past if I can keep my level of movement/activity as consistent as possible it helps but I always end up over doing it having to rest more, then dropping in function.

Can’t really explain it other than saying the break and then restart is a shock to the system.
 

BrightCandle

Senior Member
Messages
1,147
I can low level workout consistently but I just gradually feel worse. If I rest I gain energy over time rather than running close to the limit. I only end up exercising when my resting has caused me a problem and my back or shoulder blades are hurting and I have to do some strength exercises to try and reduce the pain. I tried for a long time to maintain a low amount of exercise and I have always been worse off during those periods than I am when resting more. I don't think this condition is just about never crashing, the more you can leave on the table each day the more it seems to compound and give you more space to do more in the future. What I struggle with is keeping well below my limit, as it moves its increasingly difficult to work out where the limit is.
 

xebex

Senior Member
Messages
840
@BrightCandle yes that’s very good description of how to gain more function. I pace way under my limit and it does allow me to build up capacity over time the only problem is I over do it every single time because I feel good and the warning signs always come on too late. Now bedridden because I was feeling good.
 

BrightCandle

Senior Member
Messages
1,147
@BrightCandle yes that’s very good description of how to gain more function. I pace way under my limit and it does allow me to build up capacity over time the only problem is I over do it every single time because I feel good and the warning signs always come on too late. Now bedridden because I was feeling good.

Its also really difficult not just psychologically but on the body too. Today I really ought to be laying down but my back is starting to struggle since I have been laying down too much, I need to exercise it and move about. If I sit too much my right shoulder hurts. If I watch TV and lay down my neck starts to ache. There is no position I can be in that is low energy that doesn't over time cause me a problem, its not that they are bad posture just my body hates every position if I stay there long enough. So the longer I stay down the more I need to put time into some basic stretching and strength training and if I don't I know from experience it is really going to get a lot worse quickly. It limits just how little I can practically do in a day.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
@BrightCandle yes that’s very good description of how to gain more function

very similar here.....

I tend to need my chair which fits my body. I sit up a fair amount. So when I need extra rest, and find myself lying down more, yes then back aches start up. And thats not Ok either.

I"m not doing anything called formal exercise. I do: clean a toilet. Make something for dinner involving standing up.

There are issues here with dirty windows. I am considering how to clean one pane.

Stand properly at the sink while washing these six dishes.

Hold my neck in a correct alignment for a whole minute. Before crumpling back returns.

Try to do some Tai chi alignments. Even tho no way can I do aerobic Tai Chi.

at least try to stay flexible! try to reach up, try to bend down.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
I was fine: then something gut went off Monday around 4 am.

By 9 am EVERY SINGLE yucky ME symptom had blown up. Including I can't bend my finger.

Inflammatory everything everywhere. Kaboom Explode. PEM

what I can't explain is why gut went off in the first place.
 

hapl808

Senior Member
Messages
2,052
I bent my ankle funny while shifting positions in my chair (not while bearing weight, just picking up my feet to rotate my chair). Within hours all my muscle pains flare up worse. Bizarre.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
I think physically-induced PEM is due to immune activation from damaged muscle cells. That damage is likely to be greatest after inactivity of those muscles. I don't know whether the immune response to further damage differs from the initial damage, but my guess is that it's lower.
 

wabi-sabi

Senior Member
Messages
1,458
Location
small town midwest
I'm worse when I "exercise" multiple days in a row. I think of this as crash stacking- Meaning I don't quite recover from one exercise crash before I start into the next one.

Resting allows me to build up a little energy, but never enough. And resting is just so incredibly boring.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
And resting is just so incredibly boring.

its really hard to just stare at beige walls. I take breaks and can sit around in silence or quiet without constant inputs, but still.

I lie down, wiped out. Thrash about, wired but tired. Ammonia, probably. And why can't I seem to get motivated enough to resume chinese herbal protocols?

Beat up self.

what is wrong with me? answer _________________________

I shoved the lap top away. close it do nothing, think nothing.

This bizarre situation in which the main medicine is: try to just do nothing.

I suspect I am just mentally crashing most days as I avoid physical crashing.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
I'm worse when I "exercise" multiple days in a row.

well I sure figured that one out the hard way, during my self imposed GET experiment. The biggest mistake- three days in a row DO this something.

Three months solid crash after my ambitious three days. canceled major trip. Postponed two months. Went on the trip. Crashed the whole three months.

Stay home, do nothing.