Have I Been Overdoing It?
To answer my own question. Yes. All the amazing energy I've had for the past few weeks seems to be waning a bit. It's my fault, though. As my energy increased, I took to doing more chores and food preparation. I even went grocery shopping by myself a couple of times. (For people with ME/CFS, grocery shopping can be like running a marathon -- exhausting.)
I think I got reckless in my activity level because I hadn't felt that good in many years. A little part of me (ok, a big part) also thought I might be healthy enough not to be susceptible to my nemesis, Postexertional Malaise. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
For the past few days I've been plagued by my other adversaries, Low-Grade Fever, Sore Throat, Cold Sores, and Constant Fatigue. Boo! On the upside, this setback does not feel nearly as bad as my typical crashes.
While I'm not thrilled about my enemies revealing themselves all at once over the past few days, I'm glad they didn't put me out of commission completely. This incident serves as an important reminder to me that I still have to be careful. I'm not Superwoman, after all.
I Hate Bug Bites
To add insult to injury, I woke up yesterday (or was it the day before...) with bug bites on different parts of my body (head, ear, wrist, leg, ankle). I have no idea what kind of bug bites they are, but they are so itchy that they woke me up the night I got them and kept me up much of last night.
I am paranoid that we have fleas or bed bugs, though we have not been able to find any evidence of either type of infestation. I've been surfing the web looking at detection and extermination options for both types of bugs. Some of the photos are disgusting, and the horror stories will make you think you've got bugs in every crevice of your home.
We washed all the bed sheets, blankets, mattress cover, and allergy covers in hot water. After inspecting our mattress, we wiped down the bed frame with damp paper towels looking for evidence of bed bugs (none found). We then vacuumed the room just in case there were any bugs or eggs hanging around the floor. Luckily, we don't have carpet, so it's harder for bugs to hide from us.
My husband has not gotten any bites and I haven't gotten any new ones, so I'm hoping the bites were an isolated incident. Cross your fingers for us!
3 comments:
I know exactly what you mean about taking on a bit more as soon as you feel better. On the other hand, sometimes I figure - how will I know if I'm improving if I never try to do a bit more?
Sorry to hear you're suffering a crash...and all those itchy bites!
Yes, PEM is our arch-nemesis. Life would be so much simpler without it.
Have you tried using a heart rate monitor to avoid crashes? I started this in January and it has been very helpful. I know you were absent from blogging for a while, so here is my post on it in case you missed it:
http://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2011/02/heart-rate-and-post-exertional-crashes.html
Also, my use of beta blockers in conjunction with heart rate monitoring which has allowed me to be MUCH more active (don't know if this is an option for you but just in case):
http://livewithcfs.blogspot.com/2011/03/treating-mecfs-with-beta-blockers.html
Hope the itching lets up soon and you are back on your feet before too long!
Sue
Hi upnorth -- You are so right. It is hard, though, to find the right balance.
Thanks for the good information, Sue. I've never tried a heart monitor. It's something to consider.
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