How Do You Crash? An ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Inquiry

I have different type of crashes:
1) Too much activity: this kind triggers the pain and sleep issues.
2) Inmune is overactive: somebody in the family will break a virus a few days later. I can always predict somebody will get sick. This type triggers lymph issues, malaise, flu like.
3) Too much inflammation: my colitis can send me into a crash. This is the type that will leave me paralyzed. Also reactions to meds and foods. This will affect sleep also. Malaise is more burning, tingling, brain symptoms like speaking, dropping everything I grab....

 

There is another kind of crash: When you have life events that are difficult for anyone. I am in a big crash through the death of a
loved older sister, who has been around all my life, she was 16 when I was born. CFS/ME and grief are very poor bedfellows. No chance
of diversion. Yet this grief must be felt, as it is your love, but it takes its toll. Then the flu came as a diversion, and there is an epidemic
in Australia; the thing I don't want to do is go to hospital or have a vaccine. So, face the facts, big crash, not back to square 1 which
would be unbearable, but a big crash of all symptoms returning with a vengeance. Very hard to have any acceptance, very hard to surrender.
It is as it is. I am submitting this to show the diversity of reasons a person would crash, and it is given in good faith, and hopefully to
help anyone else. Billie

 

1) Extra rest like adding a nap at noon, GO to bed earlier, energy boosters increase: like more COQ10 ( I will take an extra 400mg), Increase d-ribose or energy supplement.
2) For this type I back off of all pills, and be very careful on foods, Eat bone broth. Let my immune system settle (do not add log to fire).
3)Eat green and avoid inflammatory foods, worst case scenario, take advil every 6h.

 

Thankyou Molly, I appreciate your understanding

 

My crashes are a kind of aura, like a migraine coming on. If I've only pushed a little too far I can hit the sofa and shut down stimuli and it will hold steady and gradually diminish, maybe later in the day, with residual.

If I have pushed too far the aura starts and progresses to an all encompassing lability, where I need sofa rest when it hits, right after efforts, and lasts from a few days to a week, plus. Maybe on second day I can walk to the mail box - and each day add a little more up time and light activity.

I would venture a SWAG that the affects of a cras are cumulative, such that I don't go back to the pre-crash state of health???

 

It is really hard to know when it's coming but if I am doing more than I normally consistently do and don't slow down, it comes. If I keep track I can predict I think
But I don't feel worse before a crash I feel pretty good
Then
One day I wake up and there is no gas in the tank

 

Interestingly I have noticed that my PEM has followed a pattern over the years. For example currently my cognitive function will start to deteriorate, if I don't rest right away this will also affect me physically in that I become clumsy. Some hours later/during the night I'll get the next stage, the crash proper.

At one time, when I was pretty good at about 70%, the first sign a crash would come later was that my right thumb would spasm; past time to go lie down!

To some extent I can use this to avoid worse crashes. Anyone else get anything like that?

 

I can't speak for anyone else but I know with me that adrenalin will sometimes stop me from noticing that I am slowly crashing and then when it finally happens it is like hitting a wall.

 

That sounds right
Thanks

 

I am sometimes surprised when the crash hits, even though it happens everyday, and worse if I do more. I find it strange that it still comes as a surprise to me that I cannot move. I think there is always some far off hope that I will wake and move and live ...like most everyone else.

My husband and I laugh and when I "over-do" ...sometimes I drive myself real hard to reach a goal so I can feel "normal". He pretty much lectures me...you are gonna overdo...but I don't listen...then I am down laughing at how stupid I am!