Talking / mental fatigue

[Snowdrop]

I do understand. It has happened to me. The family member involved thought I was angry. I just could no longer talk.
I find anything in real time difficult--aat least one aspect of this must be slow processing speed. I notice this even with tv programs sometimes I have to go back (not watching live aired programming) if too much goes by too fast.

It is very frustrating.

 

[BruceInOz]

I find that, if I am not in a PEM crash, I can manage face-to-face, one-on-one small talk OK. But I can't manage conversations where I am trying to convey an idea that I am still forming. Such as describing to a doctor how I've been or relating a complicated story I heard on the radio to my wife (it happens with both strangers and close family so can't be stress related). Such talking makes it extremely hard to just put the right words in sequence and get them out and usually triggers immediate PEM. (If I am in a crash, even trivial conversation is difficult.) It seems like either some parts of my brain are more affected than others or some types of conversation have a higher energy requirement than cells in my brain can supply.

 

[frog_in_the_fog]

I find that the best thing to do in situations of extreme inability to communicate is to say, "I feel fatigued." People usually understand and don't get too annoyed at me. One of the greatest tools for us is email, we can write to our doctors and share our accounts of our misery when we are able. Getting a reply from said doctor on the other hand is another matter. At the very least email gives us a way to record our thoughts in a way that will not be lost in the fog of our forgetful minds.

 

[Hell...Hath...No...Fury..]

Talking has always been one of the worst for me, not that anyone would guess as I'm so bubbly.

I haven't chatted on the phone for maybe 15 years. I live alone so can spend whole days without needing to speak.

I can chat to my partner on and off all day long with minimal effects as we just talk utter bollocks; but chatting to my mother when she visits twice a week wipes me out so completely, I'll start doing housework and cleaning which normally kills me, just to escape the conversation as that is the lesser punishment at the time and the only way i can rest my brain for a while.

Talking to people i dont know well finishes me off in a matter of minutes. I feel exhausted just thinking about doing it :thumbdown:

 

[Unim]

I get this too. Often when it happens, my eyes suddenly become extremely dry so I have to blink constantly while struggling to pay attention.

 

[BruceInOz]

Talking to people i dont know well finishes me off in a matter of minutes. I feel exhausted just thinking about doing it :thumbdown:

I know exactly what you mean. It always seems to me that this sort of detail (i.e. the difference in response to different sorts of conversation) should be a clue for someone who understands the brain to help decode what's going on with us. Maybe the right people are just not listening/interested.

 

[u&iraok]

Talking has always been one of the worst for me, not that anyone would guess as I'm so bubbly.

I've never been described as 'bubbly' but I want to be myself even when being myself is tiring! I don't want to appear to be monotone, lackluster or cold just because a regular level of engagement is too tiring. I've gotten dizzy and mini-crashes from laughing and talking. I'd probably get along better if I gave up my personality in order to save energy!

 

[Rarnik]

I've read this thread before but forgotten about it. Was searching again after bumping into my auntie, and a friend of hers, whilst in town today. Short three minute conversation, mostly them talking and boom...extreme mental fatigue.

Glad to hear others have this problem...if you know what I mean.

I still have insulin in the fridge from the last time it was really bad. Intranasal use helped tremendously but if I back off, the tiredness came back very quickly. Eventually used a liquid thyroid (like ndt) which helped even more but as I don't need thyroid, it seemed to have some negative side-effects eventually. Both insulin and thyroid were low doses.

When I came off the thyroid, which I was only on it for a week or two, I didn't have a backlash.

Probably more to type but bleh...

 

[Grigor]

I still have insulin in the fridge from the last time it was really bad. Intranasal use helped tremendously

Hi,

That's interesting. Where did you buy it??? Or what did you buy?? I really want to try it.

Thanks

Grigor

 

[Rarnik]

Feeling zombified so quick post.

Bought actrapid insulin from India. Bought insulin pen injectables and used a pair of pliers to take the top off and put in a nasal spray bottle.

If your in U.S then you can follow advice on following link. (just seen your not)

http://www.lostfalco.com/intranasal-insulin/

I saw a post by lostfalco on this site or healthrising. I know there is definitely a thread on healthrising.

Found it.

https://www.healthrising.org/forums/threads/the-benefits-of-intranasal-insulin.4820/

 

[Grigor]

Feeling zombified so quick post.

Bought actrapid insulin from India. Bought insulin pen injectables and used a pair of pliers to take the top off and put in a nasal spray bottle.

If your in U.S then you can follow advice on following link. (just seen your not)

http://www.lostfalco.com/intranasal-insulin/

I saw a post by lostfalco on this site or healthrising. I know there is definitely a thread on healthrising.

Found it.

https://www.healthrising.org/forums/threads/the-benefits-of-intranasal-insulin.4820/

Ok I now understand haha. Man that's some work. I will think about it. And yes I got it from Cort's blog as well. Super. Thank you so much.

 

[Billt]

I know this is not a new topic. Too mentally fatigued/overstimulated to do search. Does anyone else feel most worse just when trying to talk (especially while sitting upright), process images, compose a paragraph than doing menial physical tasks?

It is not just the brain fog but complete meltdown, agitation, achy feeling, complete overstimulation and mental fatigue. Golstein once wrote of a patient that had to quit school because of mental fatigue but could still run the marathon. This greatly exagerates my condition as physical fatigue and OI are disabling. But it often easier for me to do some laundry, wash dishes, or walk around block and sometimes even more than just have a normal conversation or process images, etc. i don't know how a healthy person can understand this and I still have to try and describe it to family, doctors, disability.

This describes my son pretty much to a T . He still is very limited to physical activity maybe 10 - 15 mins.
But the mental fatigue is overwhelming. It is so hard for him to be in a conversation for more then 5 mins then he just seems to go blank and needs rest.
He doesn't understand it, much less any healthy person. He looks very healthy so when someone sees him they just don't understand his illness.

 

[Grigor]

This describes my son pretty much to a T . He still is very limited to physical activity maybe 10 - 15 mins.
But the mental fatigue is overwhelming. It is so hard for him to be in a conversation for more then 5 mins then he just seems to go blank and needs rest.
He doesn't understand it, much less any healthy person. He looks very healthy so when someone sees him they just don't understand his illness.

As far as I understood it has to do with lactic acid building up in the brain just like with doing physical exertion.

 

[Billt]

As far as I understood it has to do with lactic acid building up in the brain just like with doing physical exertion.

I wonder if there is a way to test for this and fix it !!

 

[Grigor]

I wonder if there is a way to test for this and fix it !!

I don't know if there is a simple way to test this. But I will be getting IV fluids which will hopefully result in more blood to the brain and more oxygen in the brain....
I'm housebound too and barely see people cause having someone in the room especially talking is torture.

 

[Grigor]

Maybe this blog is helpful

https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2017/04/15/saline-pots-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

 

[Billt]

Maybe this blog is helpful

https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2017/04/15/saline-pots-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

Thank you, I feel your pain through my son...

 

[Grigor]

Ur welcome. I hope it helps

 

[Hell...Hath...No...Fury..]

It is so hard for him to be in a conversation for more then 5 mins then he just seems to go blank and needs rest.
He doesn't understand it, much less any healthy person. He looks very healthy so when someone sees him they just don't understand his illness.

Many people over the years have treat me like i'm a complete idiot when this happens. Its so embarrasing. 5 mins used to be my limit too and still is on a bad day, but i can comfortably talk to people for up to half an hour now before i have to leg it. (Unless the person is very quiet and I have to make the convo, then time is reduced to as quickly as humanly possible)

I've been mixing with lots of strangers this past month to test myself on informal relaxation courses for 2 hours a week. Different types of people definitely have varying time limits i'm learning

 

[Billt]

Many people over the years have treat me like i'm a complete idiot when this happens. Its so embarrasing. 5 mins used to be my limit too and still is on a bad day, but i can comfortably talk to people for up to half an hour now before i have to leg it. (Unless the person is very quiet and I have to make the convo, then time is reduced to as quickly as humanly possible)

I've been mixing with lots of strangers this past month to test myself on informal relaxation courses for 2 hours a week. Different types of people definitely have varying time limits i'm learning

He does get very embarrassed as he knows people look at him like an idiot ! When the lawyer was confrontational and down right mean, he just spaced out. Quiet and calm he can last longer maybe 15 mins before needing rest