Think it's Adrenals. Advice re exercise needed.

[MamaBeagle]

Down to 8mg on 8th October. Yesterday the Deathly Fatigue got me. No PMR pains.Assume this is Adrenals asleep.

I do aquafit 4x45 min sessions a week. Can I still go?

It is doing me sooooo much good, I'm loathe to stop.

Cheers MamaB

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I do my aquafit even when I'd rather sleep - I do feel better after, Try it, adapt if necessary and don't go full tilt at it.

[MamaBeagle in reply to PMRpro]

I was so hoping that would be your response. I've just returned from Friday class. Feel exhausted but better if that doesn't sound silly

[SnazzyD]

It’s a tricky one because you are entering the DF zone, but it’s also vital for your well being. Approaches could be: 1. Doing a much gentler version to what you’re used to in a session 2. Cut down the number of sessions if it clearly hits you reliably after each session. 3. Do the class and do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day. 4. Cut out other things to make way for the Aquafit.

When I was in this zone and feeling like a zombie I had to walk the dogs, but that was all I could do. Solid sleeps in the afternoon took the place of ‘useful’ activities .

[MamaBeagle in reply to SnazzyD]

👍I'll go for option 3 Snazzy 🥰

[SnazzyD in reply to MamaBeagle]

Great. Then keep an open mind because the goalposts move continually in either direction.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Agree with others, don't stop, but adapt...

[Gimme]

I love my swimming and it makes me feel so much better, so when I was going through a bad patch of the deathly fatigue, I carried on having a swim in the morning and then slept for 2-3 hours solid each afternoon when I had been to the pool. I cut down on the number of lengths by a bit aswell. I decided not to sweat about anything else if I didn't have time or energy for them. I've become very good at prioritising since I have been ill anyway. I make a list of what needs doing and anything that can wait until tomorrow waits. I don't get around to 90% of it and the world hasn't stopped spinning yet, so I'm pretty sure it never mattered in the first place.

[Polygolfer]

In my experience, exercise and healthy food intake (including drink) is at the heart of supporting recovery from PMR - but I always listen to my body, it sets the boundaries not anyone or anything else.

[Blearyeyed]

Fatigue breeds Fatigue so actually even though it can feel like walking through wet concrete and velvet curtains when Fatigue hits it is better to do short intervals of gentle to moderate exercise activity a number of times during the day to reduce the symptoms of Fatigue and help to bring you out of it.But you also need to be careful about the time and pace of your activity. Too much and it will have the opposite effect and cause greater Fatigue and Muscle Pain.

Aquafit is ideal , as long as the intensity and the length of a class isn't too long during a period of Fatigue.

So doing four sessions a week could be helpful as long as you take into consideration how the travel and preparation for your class zaps energy too.

I would ,however, suggest that you reduce the length of your session during Fatigue to 50% of the time of your current sessions. And slow down the pace of exercises as well as taking breathing rest breaks and drinking breaks between rotations.

Otherwise , you could end up yoyoing between doing a class then having to recover from it for the time you are back home.

Doing shorter interval exercise or physical activity during Fatigue helps best.

It keeps things moving without pushing the energy depletion over the edge. And sticking to even a few minutes gentle body movement each hour as well as limiting a nap to a maximum of an hour a day is important to help reboot your pacing system until you feel activity and movement is more comfortable again and the constant sleepiness has lifted.

Taking little walks for ten minutes , even within the house, or doing some gentle stretching exercises for 3-10minutes using things like low impact pilates , tai chi or qui gong helps, doing this every couple of hours building to each hour through the day helps the body slowly pace it's way out of a period of Fatigue.

And include movement related daily activities or interests like 5-10 minutes light gardening jobs like repotting or pruning, a little cooking or baking ( can be seated), brushing a pet. playing a board game, reorganising a drawer or putting away some clothes.

And keep yourself at a stable temperature and drink , drink , drink during any activity it helps boost the body response to supply energy to your body to do activity and stay awake.

You get more bang for your buck in water so leisure paced swimming , walking in water or aqua exercises work the muscles with less pressure on the joints and energy expenditure but water based exercise needs to be reduced during Fatigue.

That is because it does require more energy in action and preparation. including taking a quick shower and gentle warming up the muscles before you start and cooling down in a shower and redressing as well as causing loss of water and salts which add to the Fatigue.

You also need to be careful about the temperature. Too cold it will mean any action requires more energy and exertion.

Too warm , as in like a jacuzzi or hydropool, and it causes greater water and salt loss as well as causing changes in heart rate that increase his much energy is used so all sessions need to be 20minutes or less.

So basically as long as you reduce your pace and definitely reduce the length of sessions your aquafit classes could be just the thing you need to prevent the Fatigue becoming too severe and help to bring you out of it as long as you keep gently active through the day as well.

To be honest , my water based exercises are those that they hate giving up the most. Hope you get your Mojo back soon , hugs , Bee

[Bluey-1 in reply to Blearyeyed]

What excellent advice Bee. I’m in the deathly fatigue zone (although think I’m on too high a statin dose - due to discuss with doc next week) so this is timely. I swam/walked in the warm baby pool for half an hour then decided to drive to an independent book shop about 7 miles away before going home for lunch. Too much, I was wiped out for two days. It’s the prep for water based activities I hadn’t considered. You’d think I’d learn by now! Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bluey-1]

It is getting dried and dressed that usually finishes me!

[Bluey-1 in reply to PMRpro]

Ha ha…but the stamina you had with your recent camper van trip and all the driving/visiting was impressive. I don’t think I could have managed that.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bluey-1]

Driving is easy - just sitting in an armchair! It's an automatic with all the bells and whistles, so easy to drive. Knowing I could stop and rest comfortably whenever I wanted helped too.

[MamaBeagle in reply to PMRpro]

Oh. I know. Trying to get clothes on a not quie dry body is truly energy sapping.

[MamaBeagle]

Thanks Bee. I'll definitely slow down the exercises. I'm super competitive, harking back to .my first incarnation, PE, specialised contemporary dance. Taught a lot of netball.The aquafit is really helping recover my muscles, and want to keep them! I'll be sensible