Symptoms After Exercise Poll (PEM)

[Cort]

This is to inform a survey we are working on...

What are your most prominent symptoms after too much physical exercise?

Please pick the top four

Please let me ones that I've missed.

Thanks!

 

[paclabman]

For me, I'd define fatigue as how you'd feel if someone hooked up an energy pump to you and sucked it all out - you'd end up feeling drained.

I used to actually feel like I had flu but without the muscle aches or chills. Now it's more malaise - just not feeling well. Don't know if that should be listed separately from the stuff that's more like sore throat, etc.

It will be interesting to see how the poll goes.

If I really overdo it, I also get sound sensitivity. Wonder if others are more sensitive to light or heat or cold? hehe ... my sensitivity to heat never goes away.

 

[WillowJ]

you missed Ramsay's "general awfulness;" I think this is much better than "malaise"

edit: more symptoms to consider for the list

Oh, yes, like paclabman said, sensitivities, especially noise, light, and vibrations, but also temperature.

Chills, shivering.

Trembling.

 

[WillowJ]

If I really overdo it, I also get sound sensitivity. Wonder if others are more sensitive to light or heat or cold? hehe ... my sensitivity to heat never goes away.

I was intolerant of heat even before I had ME. Also to light and sound, but those goes with migraines. Getting ME have made all these worse and given me a new sensitivity to cold, and brought my sensitivity to vibrations from slight to severe. Anti-inflammatory and migraine medicines help reduce the vibration sensitivity especially, but also the sound and light somewhat.

 

[Sushi]

Hi Cort,

You missed my top one--such a favorite--chest pressure/pain.

Sushi

 

[Snow Leopard]

What about respiratory symptoms? (apart from asthma)
I usually get a cough etc the day after exertion.

 

[Cort]

my chemical sensitivities tend to go up so I'm not surprised about light and noise sensitivity - that would have been a good one. Chest pain too...sorry I missed your 'favorite' Sushi

 

[Cort]

I am so GLAD! I don't get fluey feelings after exercise. It does happen at times and that is just the worst. Sorry to see that is such a common problem.

 

[paclabman]

"general awfulness" is a really good description

 

[WillowJ]

I was going to come back and add cough and I see that's been added. Chest pains and pressure is added as well; very good (I get that).

Shortness of breath and heavy chest could be added.

Feeling cold.

Arthralgias.

I'm not sure if I could pick a top 4.

Can I choose 5?

 

[busybee]

I don't think I can give just four.

My symptoms upregulate, they start with throat/glands, quickly on to coordination/cognitive, pain and gut follows then right leg goes numb and my right arm drives me to distraction. Sleep is affected but I can offset it after small amounts of activity.

I rarely get to the pain stage as I keep activity levels low.

 

[justy]

Just to clarify, ive responded as if you meant increased activity, not specifically what other might consider "exercise" ive included for example a few minutes of gardening or a short walk. Hope thats what was intended.

 

[caledonia]

Like my good doc wrote my SS disability paperwork - "minimal exertion exacerbates all symptoms". So it would depend on what your particular symptoms are, then they would all get worse.

In other words, I don't think you're going to get much out of this poll, or it should at least end up being a list that's comparable to the list of symptoms that people experience not after exercise.

 

[Cort]

Just to clarify, ive responded as if you meant increased activity, not specifically what other might consider "exercise" ive included for example a few minutes of gardening or a short walk. Hope thats what was intended.

Sure- same thing

 

[Cort]

Like my good doc wrote my SS disability paperwork - "minimal exertion exacerbates all symptoms". So it would depend on what your particular symptoms are, then they would all get worse.

In other words, I don't think you're going to get much out of this poll, or it should at least end up being a list that's comparable to the list of symptoms that people experience not after exercise.

I'm looking for subsets and I think there are glimmers of them. I, for instance, do not typically get fluey feelings and it looks like about 30% of the people so far do not either. On the other hand if I really over do it I have really restless sleep - but it doesn't look like that happens that much either.

Symptoms upon standing are lower than I would have thought as well. I get them but other problems are worse......

Combining this with illness duration, illness severity, onset, gender etc. ....could be quite interesting in the big survey.

 

[WillowJ]

Symptoms upon standing are lower than I would have thought as well. I get them but other problems are worse......

I get those, but not as badly as others. I'm guessing using a computer filters out some of the people with the worse OI.

I can't decide if difficulty standing counts as one of the top exercise-responsive signs/symptoms or not... still don't think I can pick just 4

 

[paclabman]

Just another observation, but the meds people are on will also influence which PEM symptoms they now think are the worst.

When I went down to Stockton for the Stevens tests, they had me stop my pain med and nuvigil. I was not a happy person.

Some time back, my Dr thought it was important to start some treatment for pain. It stopped my occasional fibro type flares. It also helped sleep - which is an indication that at some point during the night, pain was enough to wake me up early. And I was surprised that it really helped to shorten my PEM recovery time.

So, as an example, pain in my muscles and tendons next to my joints might have made the list instead of poor coordination problems - but my pain med prevents that.

Edit - guess we could have people stop their meds to get a more accurate survey, but .... ummm ... I'm not sure I'd want to volunteer for that ...

 

[Cort]

Just another observation, but the meds people are on will also influence which PEM symptoms they now think are the worst.

When I went down to Stockton for the Stevens tests, they had me stop my pain med and nuvigil. I was not a happy person.

Some time back, my Dr thought it was important to start some treatment for pain. It stopped my occasional fibro type flares. It also helped sleep - which is an indication that at some point during the night, pain was enough to wake me up early. And I was surprised that it really helped to shorten my PEM recovery time.

So, as an example, pain in my muscles and tendons next to my joints might have made the list instead of poor coordination problems - but my pain med prevents that.

Edit - guess we could have people stop their meds to get a more accurate survey, but .... ummm ... I'm not sure I'd want to volunteer for that ...

Good point we should ask for non-medicated responses! Muscle pain is a big part of my post exercise symptoms....except that its different from my pain from exercise prior to CFS - its a burning pain...not an aching pain...

 

[xchocoholic]

Hi Cort,

I didn't see sleepiness listed here. Because of my OI, if I'm upright for too long, I'll have a day where all I do is lay on the couch and nap every couple of hours. I don't get PEM if I'm just putzing around the house and laying down when I feel the need. Too bad, it's not possible to grocery shop while laying down ... lol ...

 

[*GG*]

I'm looking for subsets and I think there are glimmers of them. I, for instance, do not typically get fluey feelings and it looks like about 30% of the people so far do not either. On the other hand if I really over do it I have really restless sleep - but it doesn't look like that happens that much either.
QUOTE]

Do you take meds for sleep Cort? FYI, I picked 5 and it seemed to work!

GG

PS I don't really push myself hard anymore, perhaps that is why I have gained about 30 pounds in the last year! I hope to get back on my road bike this year, still need to get a HRM and keep my levels low, so should be an interesting year!!