Exhausted from Christmas

This Christmas was a touch one for me. I went to one family gathering in the morning for about 3 hours. Went home and took and nap, then went to a gathering with my daughter for dinner. A few hours after I got home I went straight to bed. Except for a few times to eat, I have been in bed now for 29 hours. I woke up a few times but was so exhausted that I went back to bed. I never thought that just doing a little traveling would wear me out so much. If I get so worn out from a little traveling, how would physical therapy help?

[Fibrofoggiest]

Hi Mark, it sounds like you are in the grip of a big flare at the moment! and sleep is what your body needs to recover. You ask how physical therapy might help, it may be that by the time it comes for you to do this, that the flare may have eased it's grip. In my very humble opinion, physical therapy could be good as I believe to a degree in the 'use it or lose it' philosophy, I know I push myself to walk and be more mobile, because I am aware if I didn't I could end up not being able to, if that makes any sense.

I'm sorry if this hasn't been useful, I only go by what my own experience is and has been.

Take great care of you Mark

Foggy x

[Hidden in reply to Fibrofoggiest]

Hi Foggy, I too believe in the use it or lose it concept. It's just that anytime I do anything physical I get exhausted.

When you say I'm in the grip of a "flare", are you saying that the fatigue comes and goes? Also Is this like adrenal fatigue?

[Fibrofoggiest in reply to Hidden]

Hi Mark, I think most of us here realise there are times when our pain and fatigue are more overwhelming than at other times, which is what made me speak of being in the grip of a flare. It isn't normal to suffer fatigue at the level you are experiencing at the moment for a prolonged period, if this fatigue were to continue with no respite for a long time you would definitely need to speak with your doctor. In your circumstances as they are at present I think if I were you, I would be contacting my doctor and explaining the situation to them, so that you can have a proper medical assessment of what is going on for you.

We here can only give advice coming from our own experience, we are not medics and therefore my advice is always to check with your own doctor.

You have had a busy time, as many people here have, and you may find you've just overdone things, but needing to be in bed for the best part of 29 hours seems to me to be a cause to investigate a bit further, even if it just a call to your doctor to run what is happening past him/her and get their professional opinion.

I wish you the very best

Foggy x

[Hidden in reply to Fibrofoggiest]

Hi Foggy, I will contact my rheumatologist. I'm not sure what more she can do because I just got all my test back last week and they were normal.

After I replied to your response earlier, I again went back to bed again. The only time I have ever felt this tired is when I have had the flu or was in the hospital.

It's crazy that 5 doctors so far can't find anything wrong with me, yet I feel like crap. From my test results, I should be running marathons. After my last doctor visit I feel like they have run out of test to run which leave me with nowhere to go. Their only suggestion is pain management and pool therapy. If I’m this tired after just visiting my family, what will pool therapy do to me?

Sorry to be complaining. I know many of you have had to deal with this for many years. My symptoms (pain and exhaustion ) started at the beginning of this year. It’s a hard adjustment. Thanks for your advice everyone.

[Signlady in reply to Hidden]

Me again Mark, I just wanted to add that because you started with this earlier in the year, you are still in the 'this can't be happening to me' stage and I remember it well, but you will go through many emotions & letting go was my breakthrough, loving my new self eventually made things easier, let's face it the pain & exhaustion is enough to deal with without fighting yourself!

I only found this site a couple of weeks ago and everyone's amazing, we all understand and don't judge so if you want a good moan, this is the place! We can all listen & support you

We're all in this together!

Take care xxx

[Fibrofoggiest in reply to Signlady]

Well said sign, I agree, coming to terms with the fact that you have something which doesn't have an instant fix, is a big step forward to adjusting your life around what you can do with fibro, and what you can't too !

Foggy x

[adapting]

hi mark, i know its no consenation but i also went to bed after a little get together on christamas day this year. i don't even feel bad about it. the way i dealt with christmas mentally was i just didn't have any expectations...then i can't feel so sad (i did a little) but i was too tired to be bothered to do anything and i knew if i pushed myself i'd end up ill. on christmas day i drank about half a glass of beer and went home, put heating on full and feel asleep. i think this cold affects us badly aswell. x

[Aura1 in reply to adapting]

Hi mark .. I have now been in bed for 32hours following the christmas celebrations, not even getting up to eat . This is pretty normal for me . I have had fibro 25yrs and like adapting I had no expectations of what would happen . I just planned and paced prior the the celebrations .. Now another time I may sail through it all without repercussions .. Nature of the illness I am afraid. You my find the same with any kind of therapy but you really must try it . Sometimes you may need to reat after another time you may not xxx

[Signlady]

Hi Mark,

I'm so sorry you are experiencing such exhaustion

I don't know if it's any help but I'll share my story so you don't feel alone in your frustration.

I have been like you for many years and I wish with hindsight I'd had a label or diagnosis in the beginning as it would have freed me up to be kinder to myself ( as I would have been towards someone else feeling the same way!).

My symptoms went undiagnosed for 6 years, I had 1 young children at the time, running my own business & became run down, got shingles & just blacked out whilst driving one day

Somehow, being the control freak that I am, I managed to drive home ( not advisable) it wasn't far & by now I'd gained a small amount of tunnel vision( my sight went).

After much begging the GP did tests & NOTHING came back. I was in bed for weeks, every time I went to loo , it was like I'd run a marathon. Ears ringing, heart pounding, fighting for breath, migraines& sheer exhaustion. I was scared, this couldn't be happening to me, I'm the carer, I'm the do'er!!!!

I grieved for the me I was.

Bizarrely I was told to skip !!!!( I tried it & made it worse), I'd have stood on my head with a light bulb in my mouth if I thought it would release me from this 'thing'

The point I'm trying to make is this, don't rush yourself Mark , you're very important not only to family & friends but to yourself. Be kind to you & listen to your body, allow yourself time to rest & heal. This is probably what your body is telling you to do

I'm experiencing a relapse at the moment and in exactly the same place as you, I've been like it for 4 weeks now & know it's going to be at least another 4, possibly more of almost full bedrest just pottering enough not to 'lose it'.

Eventually I got diagnosed with ME / fibro & it helped just to be able to say I had something!

I've deleted most if my message so I didn't wear you out but if I can help more let me know!

Take care Mark, hope you recover your energies soon xxx

[justmai]

Hi Mark I totally understand where you are coming from I pushed myself and overdid it on the run up to Christmas if I hadn't nothing would of got done. No tree decorated no presents made for family, no food for Christmas dinner, no delivering presents I spent past few months making and now I have stopped and I,m stuck in bed sleeping been here since Christmas night and still here.

Sleeping for 29 hours or more is normal for me after I have overdone things its part if the chronic fatigue (me) associated with fibro traveling often makes it worse. Worst bit is for me I should have been on bed rest during all this with my back but as I said if I didnt do things nothing would get done as all my husband does is sit in front of his PC

[Signlady in reply to justmai]

Hi justmai,

I am with you on the rest, it's not a choice is it, it's just that there's no reserve to draw on energy wise when you've expended so much in the Christmas run up?

Sending you hugs through the airways xx

[justmai in reply to Signlady]

No reserves left think I was running on adrenalin on the run up and everything has gone now although bouncing back quicker than I usually do I know I,m going to end up crashing big time soon just keep resting and hoping I don't we can wish

[Signlady in reply to justmai]

I really hope you don't crash justmai! You certainly don't deserve to after all your hard work, but then no one deserves to!

I wish you much strength & health, keep pacing yourself, you're obviously doing the right things!

Take care, hugs, sign xxx

[bobchewie]

Isolation has always been the biggest problem for me...Ive done ten xmases on my own where i live...only knoe a few ppl and they are all busy at that time...and what with this movin problem to involving which location should I concentrate on....

[bobchewie]

Isolation how do you cure that one ?

[adapting in reply to bobchewie]

that is the crux of the problem!!!!

[Hidden in reply to bobchewie]

I know it's not the same as friends or family, but have you thought about volunteering?

[bobchewie in reply to Hidden]

Funny you should mention that because that is tied up with my problem over moving house ..if you read my other posts about a catch 22 situation where a charity wants my help providing I move there but council won't move me there cos they claim I have no connection there. But add if I volunteer and contribute to community ie volunteering it would add housing points. Problem is me trying to get back on housing register there as they took me off it..

[Ginsing]

Hello Mark, I am so sorry to hear you adventures have led to such exhaustion, a sever flare can lead to this inability to rise oneself . THE KIND OF EXHAUSTION THAT TAKES US TO BED is in itself very tiring and time is consumed faster than the speed of light, you know what I mean time just disappears one minute it is 8.00 the next 12.00 nothing done nothing achieved. Dont worry about it time will soon come back your way, and you will feel slightly restored and more able to do something anything and ehrn you do something do not forget to reward your self in some way!

aS SOON AS EVERYONE HAS ENJOYED THERE cHRISTMAS 'S they are trying to punish themselves , why I cannot imagine - haven't we got enough problems?

I hope you feel more restored?

xgins