Monday 14 December 2015

Post-Exertion Malaise ....shown in a picture!

Hello!

I am currently in Northern Ireland. While I am away doing some campaign awareness raising I asked Sally to write down exactly how her body feels after taking Patch for a 20 minute walk. Here goes....

Hi,

I am so used to just saying that I feel tired or can't feel my arms and legs properly I made a conscious effort to note down every symptom that I felt post-dog walk. So I sat in a chair and studied my own body from head to foot. I wrote it all down....in case I forgot how rubbish I felt! Please remember that I am a mild sufferer, Post-Exertion Malaise (PEM) is so much worse in people with worse M.E. than I have.


As you can see, P.E.M affects the whole body. As well as these symptoms, fatigue levels increase immensely and I experience a feeling of not being able to function.

PEM is the reason I have chosen Foggy Does Sport as the next campaign theme. It also seemed appropriate to highlight this element of M.E. as the Institute of Medicine have said M.E. should be renamed Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease. The way our bodies react to exercise/movement are key to understanding the nature of the illness.

Love,

Sally (and Foggy)

2 comments:

  1. I have M.E. or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It is now with me every second of every day. I have to push myself to do stuff, like take my furry friend for his walk, & I always feel worse after doing this & sitting down. I consider my level to be moderate, people that have it sever must be in a very dark place. Just because you can't X-ray it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely agree, this need to validate our illness isn't helping.

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