POLL: Do you still read books and newspapers now that you have ME/CFS, or do you read much less?

[TiredBill]

@Hip

Great question and great poll. It is also well timed as yesterday I was in my home office/library looking at the thousands of books on my shelves (while thinking it was time for a good vacuuming) when I started thinking just how much my reading life has changed since getting CFS.

I got sick in 1984 at 26. To that point, I was among the most voracious of readers. I always had a book in hand. Great literature and interesting non-fiction works were devoured. Multiple books a week. Reading was my passion from a very early age.

Since CFS I no longer devour books at a prodigious rate. I still love great literature (and have a penchant for more "difficult" works) but often fatigue and brain fog move me towards easier "internet" material.

So as far as I'm concerned, you hit the nail on the head. I still read, but it's not the same.

Bill

 

[Stretched]

I mostly read non-fiction, on an iPad. This gives me the ability to jump around within the book, e.g. correlating or expanding on ideas. In the end, my iPads are fairly loaded with books which are mostly partially read. There are some exceptions. Too much reading leads to fog; then I stop short of a crash coming on, usually with aching eyes.

 

[tudiemoore]

It's comforting to know that the changes I've seen in my reading are shared.
It's been a real lose and a rather puzzling one.

I don't know anybody in the "real" to compare notes with--nobody knows what "brain fog" means or has the odd talent of reading and thinking about something else at the same time--
I feel better now--I think
tm

Off topic--but is this the Real World or is that?

 

[alex3619]

I used to be a voracious reader. My library used to include way over 6,000 books, that was just the number at my last count about two decades ago. Recently I got rid of a lot of them.

Most of my reading now is info related, and typically ME related. Occasionally I dust off a favourite book. Even more rarely I buy a new one. Instead of reading a half dozen books per week, I am down to a few a year.

 

[Sean]

I used to chew through books. Went from a book every day or three (not including study and work stuff), down to maybe a dozen a year.

Audio books and text-to-speech have been quite helpful, but only up to a point, it only fixes the immediate visual problem with trying to track text on a page. Still run into major concentration and stamina difficulties.

 

[Wonko]

Audio books and text-to-speech have been quite helpful, but only up to a point, it only fixes the immediate visual problem with trying to track text on a page. Still run into major concentration and stamina difficulties.

Yep - I've tried audio books, don't get on with them, even harder to maintain concentration/awareness than with ebooks.

 

[daisybell]

I can't read anything where the print is too small... and nothing which requires lots of concentration. So lightweight books only and I forget the plot very quickly. I can now get a book out of the library and g4t several chapters in before I realize I've read it before.....

I used to read loads, and now I hardly read anything. My mother sent me a book for Xmas and I'm not even 1/4 of the way through it because it needs concentration.

Another favourite pastime down the pan...

 

[alex3619]

Just a further comment on reading. One of the reasons I do much reading at all, though ME related, is I use a large computer screen, and increase the font size.

 

[Mrs Sowester]

Just a further comment on reading. One of the reasons I do much reading at all, though ME related, is I use a large computer screen, and increase the font size.

I do that, my laptop is plugged into the flatscreen tv, I read (mostly PR) off that. It stops me having the tv or radio on at the same time as the internet which helps to avoid the dreaded headfog.

 

[MeSci]

Difficult to reply the way the question is put. I can still read magazines and similar, but I think a book would be unmanageable. I would soon forget what I had read! I used to be able to, even in the early years of M.E.

 

[Wonko]

I do that, my laptop is plugged into the flatscreen tv, I read (mostly PR) off that. It stops me having the tv or radio on at the same time as the internet which helps to avoid the dreaded headfog.

Hmmmm......I am currently browsing on a computer, which is using a 42" curved tv as a display. this tv is never used for tv, in fact I have 4 IPTV tuners on my network, along with a network attached storage device (for films, tv series, books etc). The computer handles controlling the IPTV tuners, effectively giving me the ability to timeshift/record up to 16 channels at once (as if there was ever 16 programmes worth watching on UK TV at the same time lol).

The computer outputs the resulting video, from either the NAS or the tuners, to the TV, so my TV is never actually used as a TV. just as a monitor to a media centre pc. The NAS and IPTV tuners can also be accessed wirelessly from a tablet, laptop or RPi, in cases where I am bed bound or the mains electric is off (for a while anyway - battery backup only last so long).

So I can browse, order shopping, watch tv, media etc. all from the same place, without needing to move - it'd be fantastic if my current sofa wasn't so uncomfortable (or I suppose, if I could actually do something, anything, else)

It's taken me about 15 years to gradually acquire the kit to do this, pity I can't use it much these days.


edit - none of this may be considered relevant to this topic, sorry, it seemed so when I was typing it, but it's relevance seems a little missing when I read it back.

My advice regarding books and technology and any problems using them is.......get a cat, entertaining, a fraction cheaper, and rarely fails to work coz of wiring issues or because it hasn't been charged.

 

[Wishful]

Audiobooks just don't make sense for me. I can't just sit and listen, I need to do something else, such as read.

 

[Subtropical island]

For me:
The purpose of an audiobook (read well by someone with a smooth articulate voice) or a gentle TV show now is not the same as before ME/CFS. It is not entertainment.
It is a way to stop my brain from thinking (which can lead to doing or wanting to do or just exhaustion from thinking). Sort of an enforced meditation. And it takes effort to get into. It's important that it's a bit boring, or at least not overly engaging. Comforting is best.
I have found that if I don't rest, entirely, for long periods, I don't get as much time when my mind and body will function enough to do a few things each day. But I'm not tired in the sleepy, relaxed sense. I'm exhausted but passionately keen on getting something else done. "I'll just..." and so on until I'm shaking and unable to get words out (I can ignore all the pain, gut issues, cold etc so LP is the opposite of what I need but cognitive stuff is most awful, because it's who I am).
So I don't see it as an issue that I can't follow the plot in the audiobook or that I miss whole conventions or threads of interest in a TV show. It is literally a pass time. To stop myself injuring myself further.
Sometimes the audio is too much, too harsh, even on the softest shows and audiobooks. Those are the hardest times, but I remind myself that it is an exercise in strength to wait through them.

I thought this was on topic when I wrote this but now I'm not so sure. Posting anyway, going to rest, and I'll edit or remove later if it proves OT.

 

[Kenshin]

It is not entertainment...And it takes effort to get into...
...So I don't see it as an issue that I can't follow the plot in the audiobook or that I miss whole conventions or threads of interest in a TV show. It is literally a pass time. To stop myself injuring myself further....

I can relate to that, I watch a lot more low grade forms of entertainment these days, stuff that doesn't require too much brain power but can also retain interest, like all the 6/10 comedies on IMDB that hollywood churn out.

I think your post is on topic btw, it's about cognition.

 

[panckage]

I've been reading The Complete National Geographic starting 1888. I'm at 1911 now . I find this great as I have a lot of trouble figuring out what I'm going to read as well as constantly forgetting what the story is about

CNG is a great default choice for me. It's ok if I have to read the same sentence 5-6 times then don't remember it 30s later

The simplicity of life back then makes me really jealous as someone with ME!!!

 

[Little Bluestem]

I am still capable of reading books. I do have some problem remembering all of the details. I take notes on the characters to help me along.

I read much less than I did before because of lack of time/energy. I have been ill so long that I cannot say what percent less.