futurehope Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Okay folks. I'm noticing this big time. I'm sitting/leaning while crocheting. I'm concentrating big time on the directions and what I'm doing. but.....I got really fatigued and sick feeling. Just from all the concentration. Is this POTS??I had just figured out the directions last night on how to crochet a pineapple Christmas tree ornament. I was so happy that I could make one. I was concentrating for about 1 1/2 hours straight making this object.Bam. I'm totally wiped out and done in from doing this. And I was leaning, reclining the entire time.It's as if my brain gets tired. Can anyone here relate? Is this chronic fatigue?I guess I'll have to monitor how long I concentrate because I'll suffer if I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poohbear Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I'm assuming what you describe is chronic fatigue. But, we've talked on this board before about how sometimes it can be hard to tell which is cause and which is effect. I don't understand why those of us with Dysautonomia's have such horrible fatigue but it seems to go with the territory.I too have trouble concentrating and getting mentally foggy and tired. Some days I can work on something for an hour or two and other days I can't focus for more than 5-10 minutes. I am not able to predict what days will be good and which ones will not be and that can be frustrating too. Some days I can get things done but for example, something that used to take me 10 minutes may very well take me an hour. The strange thing about that is I can tell you it took me an hr instead of 10 minutes but I can't explain why. I can only tell you that I spent the whole hour trying to get a particular task done. It's like everything is in slow motion for me sometimes. It can be a weird sensation and I have no explanation for it.Personally, I feel I would have more patience with it if I UNDERSTOOD why this happens.So...I don't have any great suggestions for you but wanted you to know you aren't alone in this!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyYount Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I tooo looooooooooooove crocheting and I have now come to realize I have good crochet days and bad crochet days. Sometimes I can crochet for an hour or two and everything is fine but I am tired after that. Sometimes I want to crochet but no way and sometimes I try and corchet and it all turns out wrong and I have to rip out rows and rows. BAD crochet day. That was a few days ago and am still mad I have to re do all these rows on baby sweater I am working on . But I find if I take a day or 2 off then I can come back and have a good day. But the main thing is that while I am crocheting and I start to get that fatigue feeling I stop instead of pushing on through. I find I can do more later or the next day but if I keep pushing than it could be days before I can go back. Why this happens I don't know but just wanted you to know that you can crochet on good crochet days! It has saved me from going crazy from boredom many a day! I love to crochet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wufflebear Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 My thing is knitting. I love to knit...But Yea, I get sick feeling and get a monster headache sometimes, blurry vision and the works. Some days I can do it and be fine, but most I can't....sometimes I do it anyway though. lolI worked at a wolf research park one summer in indiana and we would go in w/ the pack....wow, you really had to concentrate and be mindful of the wolves body/face language for the time you were in there and it was totally totally totally draining for me. Once I started to feel sick and got out, cause they are smart animals and can tell that about you...and then you can be in trouble. No one else seemed affected by the concentrating and being overly observant...so I figured it was just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jersey Girl Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I have this with reading as well. I used to love to read but have found it difficult in an upright position and will become exhausted. I have even tried lying flat in bed to read but this is difficult. I think sometimes the eye movement is bothersome and different lights, i.e florescent make symptoms worse. Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdomaracki Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 This is what I have been trying to explain to my family. They don't understand how the littlest things make me tired, cause it's not like i'm exerting any outward energy. But I definately think that inside it takes alot more out of us to do the simplest tasks. I get this from reading alot too. The words begin to blur and I end up having to read it all over again, cause by the time I get to the end I have forgotten the rest. lol My memory fog is terrible!!! Watching movies does it for me to, I have to make sure to take breaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted March 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Thanks y'all. This is tough to swallow!!Stacey, you are so right. The problem was, I was having so much fun creating the "Christmas pineapple" I wouldn't stop, even when I could tell that I needed to. I paid for that.You expressed it really well. Don't push through! It's not worth it. How frustrating, though, when you really love what you are doing.How I hate feeling like an old bag even though I'm 54 years old. I hate this!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeykid Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Yes, I get SO exhausted after concentrating. I get more tired faster depending on what it is, the hardest things I usually can't go longer than 20 minutes on before I have to take a break the same amount of time or more. Then I only go downhill and am able to go less and less time from there. Needless to say I don't get much done very fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyYount Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Just had to say thanks cause yesterday I fixed the mistakes I had made the other day and so now at least I am not behind! So it was a good crocheting day and you must have sent some good vibes cause I had been struggling with this part for awhile now! I know it is soo hard to put it down when you have finally gotten something and it is soooo fun! But then I realize well if I want to have fun tomorrow too I better stop and rest for a bit.I can't read either and it is one of my favorite favorite favorite things to do. I will attempt it sometimes but find that I don't enjoy it and again if i push then a headache will surely come. But it soooooooooo frustrating!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganjan Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Dear futurehope,Concentrating hard for a long time can wear me out. One trick I learned is to change focus often. For example, while you are crocheting, make yourself stop every 15 minutes and look out the window or across the room, in other words, focus your eyes and your attention on something far away as opposed to the near and intense focus you have been fixed on. You could extend this to getting up and taking a turn around the room. I sometimes use a timer to remind me it is time for a focus break! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 I love to crochet, but have really begun to time myself. Also with reading. It just seems anything that causes a lot of concentration and eye movement will have me sick in no time. Then the concentration is just gone. It's a bummer. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evie Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 I went from reading for hours a day to not being able to read for 5 mins. This was when i was diagnosed with CFS. It does sound more like a CFS symptom but as others have stated the overlap. Sorry to hear you are going through this, if it helps any i am now able to read most of the time at a level similar to before i was sick. I still have bad days however, of course everyone is different so hopefully you will improve much faster than i did, just letting you know it can and does improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracefulprincess Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 I have the same problems too with feeling sick and completly wiped out, after doing anything that involves concentrating. I just started learning how to crochet a few months ago and i can't do it for too long without getting exhausted and feeling sick. But i love crocheting. So i normally do something for a little bit then take a break and go back to it after my break, otherwise i'll end up getting sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 I get that from reading or anything where i need to concentrate - when your blood flow to your brain is diminished by around 30/40% in the average POTS patients its no wonder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunfish Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 just chiming in with another "me too". it varies in severity with how i'm doing (or not doing) from day to day. and the more upright i am (i.e. reclined versus down flat) the less time i can tolerate.... melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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