Post Exercise Malaise (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
I've had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for about 15 years. It's main bothersome symptom for me is post exercise malaise. I can do anything physical that I ever could, but after doing it I am totally exhausted for days at a time, requiring bedrest and pain medication just to exist. I feel this is due to a build up of some chemical in the muscles from exercising that must be flushed out before feeling normal again, but what it is, I do not know. I would love to be able to exercise and get back into shape, but if 20 minutes at the gym means 4 or 5 days in bed, it's not worth it. I'm just trying a new avenue for getting information. The doctors don't seem to know much about exercise physiology and I thought this might be a place to ask.
Thanks,
Alice Campbell
Post Exercise Malaise (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
After exercising you get a build up of lactic acid (waste product)-don't know if this is what is effecting you. After exercising you should do a cool down and not simply stop all movement. A cool down reduces the build up of lactic acid and reduces DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness) Also the more you train the higher your lactate threshold becomes (amount of lactic acid your muscles can take before you fatigue) I don't think that this is the cause of your problem but could be adding to the tiredness. Is it muscular fatigue or just general in the body where you can't do anything or mixture? I don't really know much about it but would like to.
Re: Post Exercise Malaise (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Yes, lactic acid buildup is what I'm talking about. This is NOT a cause of CFS, just a result, i.e. one of the symptoms. (I do think if the doctors would study this symptom seriously it might lead to finding a cause, which so far has eluded them.) I'm just trying to figure out how to treat this symptom.
I do do a cooldown, but so far that hasn't helped at all.
Tell me more about DOMS.
Training to build up lactic acid tolerance would be impossible I think. Some experts feel that graded exercise training will help, even cure, CFS. It's obvious to people with CFS that these experts do not have the disease themselves, or they would see the absurdity of the suggestion! I can do exercise today. I just can't do it again the next day or the next week or sometimes more.
It's hard to describe the fatigue. It was very sudden in onset. I woke up one morning feeling very tired and knew something was very wrong. I thought I'd go to a doctor instead of work. I ate breakfast, dressed and went out the door to my car which was parked right in front of the door. About halfway to the car I realized that I could either turn back and fall into the bed, or continue on and fall into the car seat. I didn't think I could even drive. Up until that time I was very active and in reasonably good shape.
The post exercise malaise is just a deadening fatigue (lifting a finger is difficult) that descends after exercise of any kind. No loss of strength or stamina. Sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing any 'exercise' until I crash the next day. It's definitely a muscular thing, with soreness and stiffness, but it's so overwhelming that the whole body is involved.
Any suggestions welcome!!! :)
Alice
Post Exercise Malaise (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
Ok here's some information on DOMS:
Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness is characterised by tender and painful muscles often experienced in the days following heavy exercise. The explanation of this soreness is simple and results from the damage to muscle fibres and connective tissue surrounding the fibres. The soreness is usually temporary and goes away within a couple of days as the muscle fibres repair themselves. DOMS are most likely to occur following eccentric contraction and can result from weight training, plyometrics or even just walking down steep hills. Eccentric contraction is the lengthening of the muscle as it works to resist gravity, e.g. running downhill. Plyometrics most commonly take the form of 'bounding' and 'depth jumping' in which you drop down from a height, land and immediately rebounds. You aren't supposed to do plyometrics often (just 2-3 times a week max to stop prevent overtraining) but I'm sure you aren't doing this if you feel tired after exercising! However I would avoid all kinds of plyometric training and weight training as they are quite intense.
Something I've just thought of is energy systems. We're doing them at the moment in Alevel PE. When you first begin to exercise you use a system called the ATP-PC system. When you exercise ATP (adenosine triphosphate) becomes ADP (adenosine Diphosphate) which releases energy, in order to maintain enrgy levels for muscle contraction Phosphocreatine (PC), which is found in the muscle, is broken down which gives an immediate source of energy to resynthesis ATP. The breakdown of PC is catalysed by the enzyme Creatine Kinase, which responds to rising levels of ADP. Perhaps- and this is just a thought I could be completely wrong :? -after you exercise your levels of PC take much longer to build up again or you have naturally low levels of Creatine Kinase meaning that there is nothing to trigger the breakdown of PC and therefore the production of ATP and so energy- which is why you feel so fatigues for days after you exercise?! Just a thought. I know that you can get Creatine supplements as some athletes use these as physiological aids and performance enhancements. Not sure that it's what you need though. Hope some of what I've said is a help.
My brains aching now from all that thinking!!! :D
steph
Post Exercise Malaise (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)
Forgot to mention but I think that you use the ATP-PC system in everyday things such as getting out of bed (or as you said earlier lifting a finger!)
chronic fatigue
Hi Alice, I think the DOMS is a red herring.
I suggest you go to see a Cognititve Behavioural therapist to help you come up with practical solutions to your problems. There is a definite overlap in symptoms between CFS, Underperforming Syndrome and depression. It is important that you see a GP who has an understanding of this so that you get a correct diagnosis and then are able to move on.
I have had experience of working with athletes who have had all 3 of these problems, there is no easy fix and I empathise with you about how debilitating it can be.
The good news is that everyone has managed to cope withthe symptoms and resume exercise to some extent.
Good luck
Post exercise fatigue
Approx seven years ago agter a 1.5 hr session at the gym I felt exhausted and on reaching my home immediately went to lie down and slept for about three hours. It took me approx. 3 days to recover - before another gym session. If climbing stairs my legs became exceptionally tired and after 5/6 stairs out of breath. I had to sit down. Occasionally the mere action of getting out of bed would make me breathless and a short walk to the bathroom necessated my having to rest again. Having to stand in one place for longer than a minute or two also made me sit down. These episodes can last up to three months (i require extra sleep) and then become less for a couple of weeks and so it goes on.
Any help out there, I,m desperate.