Re: Suggested General Outline for Dealing with Cases of CFS

[Guest guest]

Rich,

As always, I think your suggestions are very useful, but the section on

" exercise " concerns me. I wouldn't want any doctor of mine to read this, as I

don't think it addresses the exercise issues of the most severe patients. For

most of the time I have been severely ill, I haven't been able to do even the

most minor forms of exertion without severe relapses. For example, a friend of

mine studying yoga tried to put me in supported yoga poses, and I crashed for

days. I have tried 1-lb hand weights, just using them to work my arm muscles

while lying down, and those have always caused major relapses. Walking around

my house causes major relapses. Stretching exhausts me. I haven't been able

to find any form of exercise -- from brushing my teeth to walking to the

bathroom -- that hasn't been detrimental. Every time I have attempted to start

doing any form of " exercise " -- from stretching to hand weights to supported

yoga

to walking a few houses down from mine -- it has ultimately led to a severe

crash of many months' magnitude. Don't you think there is a class of CFIDS

patients who just get worse from any exertion? This seems to be my experience.

I always want to try simple exercise but it always backfires. It concerns me,

though, as my muscles are so nonexistent at this point, after twelve years of

this.

Peggy

[Guest guest]

Hi, Peggy.

O.K. On the next revision, I will put stronger cautions in the

exercise section. Yes, I think there is a complete range of degrees

of exercise tolerance and intolerance within the PWC population.

Rich

> Rich,

>

> As always, I think your suggestions are very useful, but the

section on

> " exercise " concerns me. I wouldn't want any doctor of mine to

read this, as I

> don't think it addresses the exercise issues of the most severe

patients. For

> most of the time I have been severely ill, I haven't been able to

do even the

> most minor forms of exertion without severe relapses. For

example, a friend of

> mine studying yoga tried to put me in supported yoga poses, and I

crashed for

> days. I have tried 1-lb hand weights, just using them to work my

arm muscles

> while lying down, and those have always caused major relapses.

Walking around

> my house causes major relapses. Stretching exhausts me. I

haven't been able

> to find any form of exercise -- from brushing my teeth to walking

to the

> bathroom -- that hasn't been detrimental. Every time I have

attempted to start

> doing any form of " exercise " -- from stretching to hand weights to

supported yoga

> to walking a few houses down from mine -- it has ultimately led to

a severe

> crash of many months' magnitude. Don't you think there is a class

of CFIDS

> patients who just get worse from any exertion? This seems to be

my experience.

> I always want to try simple exercise but it always backfires. It

concerns me,

> though, as my muscles are so nonexistent at this point, after

twelve years of

> this.

>

> Peggy

[Guest guest]

Peggy,

Was this extreme response to exertion part of the picture from the beginning?

Thanks,

Adrienne

Re: Suggested General Outline for Dealing with

Cases of CFS

Rich,

As always, I think your suggestions are very useful, but the section on

" exercise " concerns me. I wouldn't want any doctor of mine to read this, as I

don't think it addresses the exercise issues of the most severe patients. For

most of the time I have been severely ill, I haven't been able to do even the

most minor forms of exertion without severe relapses. For example, a friend

of

mine studying yoga tried to put me in supported yoga poses, and I crashed for

days. I have tried 1-lb hand weights, just using them to work my arm muscles

while lying down, and those have always caused major relapses. Walking around

my house causes major relapses. Stretching exhausts me. I haven't been able

to find any form of exercise -- from brushing my teeth to walking to the

bathroom -- that hasn't been detrimental. Every time I have attempted to

start

doing any form of " exercise " -- from stretching to hand weights to supported

yoga

to walking a few houses down from mine -- it has ultimately led to a severe

crash of many months' magnitude. Don't you think there is a class of CFIDS

patients who just get worse from any exertion? This seems to be my

experience.

I always want to try simple exercise but it always backfires. It concerns me,

though, as my muscles are so nonexistent at this point, after twelve years of

this.

Peggy

This list is intended for patients to share personal experiences with each

other, not to give medical advice. If you are interested in any treatment

discussed here, please consult your doctor.