I overexerted and crashed

[glimmer]

Hi. I'm still quite new and posted a ways back complaining of having to lay down so much. I received some wonderful advice and empathy and sympathy from several of you and I am still most grateful. Anyway I am still in this lengthy relapse period but was doing better in that I could go out and make brief (and I mean brief) trips/ errands. But then a week++ ago I went to someone's house and hung out for to long and talked too long and got overly drained. I behaved in a slipshod fashion and overestimated my capacity to hang out. Or maybe I was just enjoying myself too much for the first time in a long time ago and I didn't want to go home to that bed.

Next thing I went right into a huge crash and I feel worse now than when I first posted here complaining of being so drained. I could use a magic bullet but I don't know of one. I'm afraid of being stuck way far back into a deeper relapse for a long while.

My question is why would such an outing where I was barely doing anything but hanging out on a couch and talking for apparently too long a period of time send me reeling backwards so far? It was my fault. I slipped up by staying out to long and then now I am paying what seems a larger price than I should be paying. Does anybody know why this happens? These crashes? Are there any websites that explain in simple terms the mechanics of crashing? Once I crash big time I seem to stay crashed for a long time. I'm mad at myself for not listening to my body. Because now I can't go on errands which took so long to build up to be able to do. And I feel really lousy and fatigued and totally brain fogged beyond belief.

Do any of you know of any remedies to help boost those of us who crash? One huge thing I'd like to know is: has the medical profession been able to explain this phenomenon?? Why are some of us so fragile? So vulnerable to crashes? What are the mechanics of why we fall so far and then stay there? I would appreciate any information at all about this subject.

Thank you,

Glimmer

[morgan617]

oh glimmer, when someone comes up with the answers to your great questions, we will be on our knees thanking God. I only know about 30% of the time why i've crashed and burned. the rest of the time i'm laying on my couch asking myself how it happened and what did i do. there are just no real answers to why things trigger over the most seemingly minor things. who can't just sit on a couch and hang out. well, apparently we can't. if i talk on the phone more than 15 minutes i'm done for the day. hopefully this will not be a long drawn out thing for you. sometimes if i do absolutely nothing for a few days i will recover a little faster. i think we just have such fragile systems, that as easy as they are to trigger, the harder they are to get better. i guess an analogy would be how long it takes for an athelete to get into shape, and how short a time it takes to get totally back out of shape. i wish i could tell you of a magic bullet. if you do the salt thing and drink the power drinks just some extra and take it slow and easy. feel better soon! morgan

[glimmer]

Thanks morgan617 for your reply. Excuse my naivity but what are the power drinks? I've seen them mentioned occasionally in this forum but don't know what they are. I'd love to know. Also my blood pressure is kind of high so I don't know if salt is a good thing for me. I need to bring that up with my doc.

Glimmer

[JLB]

I think the crashes due to overexertion have to do with the adrenaline output that occurs when we're overextended. The body is fatigued, and the natural response is to secrete adrenaline to compensate - and anyone here can tell you, if you want to induce an episode, take a stimulant. Adrenaline is the body's natural stimulant.

And in autonomic nervous systems which are already stressed to the max by POTS and like disorders, the compensatory effect of the hormones that are secreted to counter the adrenaline output have an impact, as well, and the body can wind up going back and forth between sympathetic and then the reactive parasympathetic responses, in extremes, until balance is regained.

Prayer and meditation, rest, fluid loading, and relaxation techniques can do wonders, but I've found that they must be done regularily. No slacking. Keeping track of what brings on an episode helps, too, but it can occur for no apparent reason. Avoid exposure to extremes of any kind, and try to stay away from sick people.

Power drinks are the kinds athletes use to rehydrate after exertion. I'm not sure about this, but I believe HBP can be caused by dehydration as well as other factors - and a fast heart rate is definitely a result of dehydration, so reconsider taking in more salt and fluids and discuss it with your MD.

[glimmer]

JLB Thank you so much for your reply. I was feeling so all alone and I feel so uneducated about this complex disorder. I've never really grasped the whole thing. It's been hard for to read the scientific material out there and even lesser scientific material because I am so brain fogged. I just can't concentrate. So that's why I was looking for some imput from you all. And you JLB did a nice job of trying to put some of it into perspective for me in an easy to read fashion.

I do meditate at least 3 times per day. And I rest a lot. It's so hard to not stress out with this illness especially when one really crashes in the middle of a prior relapse. So I try to relax and not be so stressed out. I am trying very hard to be patient AGAIN while I climb back out of this worse relapse. I drink H2O. Drinking comes easy as I am so thirsty. We keep a huge jug of water with a tap next to where I lay down and I keep refilling my big mug. I don't know if it goes through me so because I don't absorb it or just because anyone who drinks so much just naturally needs to keep voiding.

Anyway thanks again.

[sally]

Hi,

I don't know about anyone else but it usually takes me almost 2 days to recoop for 1 day of excertion, depending on what you are doing. Especially if you are pushing yourself beyond the limit. That could mean just shopping or running errands regular stuff that every one normal does and doesn't give it a second thought. Not to mention I always have to try to do any activity in the afternoon or evening when I have more energy. Even when you are doing something you enjoy it can zap the energy out of you afterwards.

Good luck. I think what you are feeling is a pretty normal response for dysautonomia from what we experience and from what I've read so far, not sure on the reason why though.

[blackwolf]

I have to add, just the "thrill" of getting out of the house can be to much for me, especially lately. All I did yesterday was go to my mom's house to talk and do some set up for quilts. It really floored me today. I've already been going down hill, but this was too much.

I do think you should consider adding salt to your diet as it will help you maintain some extra water in your system. As to "sports drinks" be careful not to get drinks with lots of sugar, this too can over load your system.

Blackwolf

[JLB]

Glimmer, one more caution: If you don't have adequate salt in your system to hold some of that water in your body, the fluid loading has the potential to act as yet another diuretic. Talk with your doctor soon about adding the salt to your diet.

BTW, everyone, WalMart sells purified water under the label Sam's Choice Purified Drinking Water (it's only about $2.50 for 12 bottles), that's enhanced with magnesium and potassium - just the minerals we need.

Blackwolf, don't you hate it when that happens? I'm feeling pretty good today, and I'm going to take advantage of it - hope I don't pay for it tonight.

[Michelle Sawicki]

The thing that helps me the most when I crash is Motrin. Pedialyte helps as well, as does wearing compression hose and getting lots of rest.

I'm sorry to hear about your crash. I know it can be both frustrating and scary. Hang in there...

Michelle

[glimmer]

Thank you all so much for your help. Your help and advice and kindness and support in itself HELPS BIG TIME. It helps my spirit. I don't exactly have a lot of support in person. My family is not exactly "available". They don't really get it. And so it helps to communicate with others who get it.

Glimmer

[beala]

Blackwolf

Do you think you can drink too much gatoraide ?? My son perfers that because of the sodium in it but now I wonder if the sugar is bad for him. He continues to have brain fog and feel crummy 24/7. ??

[Mary]

Hi,

You have all said everything here, so I just want to add a personal comment. I crash frequently. I know it's due to work and mom stuff. It can take days to recoupe and is depressing but I just need to go with the flow until I can get going again. For me, stressing over being down with POTS symptoms just makes it worse. My therapist is such a helping boost. Chronic illness is hard to adjust to but remembering if we do everything we can to take care of ourselves then we need to leave the rest to our higher power. I find filling those down times with inspiring reading makes me feel alot higher when I finally get up. Mary

[DancingLight]

oh glimmer...

i am sorry i didn't respond sooner. are you feeling any better yet from your outing?

everyone said great things. i really like what mary said that the end too about how she is forgiving to herself and tries to give herself time to recuperate.

i read your email and just thought, yes, yes, yes...i hear you!

for me, anything social, emotional, intellectual or physical is draining.

some days i can talk on the phone 15 minutes before crashing and some days an hour...but a phone conversation is my project for the day.

also, when my friends come home over the holidays...(i'm still a townie...so folks are always passing through) or when someone comes to visit...even if it is just for a couple of hours, it takes absolutely all of my energy just to lie on my sofa and engage in conversation.

i have to know that if a friend comes from out of town and stays here, that i will crash for up to a week afterwards.

although, there really is no timeline for the crashes b/c it depends on how i was feeling before thye came, etc.

it is very discouraging to me...that something that is "fun" like that, results in such tremendous physical payback...and emotional for me. it makes me so sad that visiitng with a friend makes me sick afterwards. that joys are as hard on my body as sorrows. ugh! ooops, don't get me started.

i read your post a while back, but am just getting to respond now...but i wanted to say...i picked up on you feeling guilty and beating yourself up and blaming yourself for overdoing and that you shouldn't have done it....

well, that is such a hard call. for me, social opportunities are rare...so if i know i have recup time later, i will push longer than i know i 'should' b/c i want more to be with my friends...and i'll deal with the crash later. plus, when you are getting a moment away from being sick and enjoying yourself, there is nothing more difficult than having to say...well, i better go now, b/c i know if i don't i won't feel well later! ugh!

it is a constant balancing act, at whihc i am still no expert that is for sure! but i do hope you can be more forgiving towards yourself. we all do this stuff...it is part of the whole experience i guess. i don't know...

i think i am getting sleepy...and will have to stop here in my quest to catch up on old posts!

hang in there. i felt your pain though....it's like seeing friends is an emotional "high", so it only makes the crash afterwards seem even lower! good grief!

emily

[JLB]

Glimmer - have you been feeling any better?