Wiped Out Cleaning For 10 Minutes!

[Suzanne]

I just cleaned my stove for 10 minutes and I am exhausted, head spins, feel sick etc. I did it just after breakfast which was a bad move as my energy is low in the mornings. It just looked terrible and now I am paying for it. Does anyone else get so tired so quickly? Is this POTS? I am so cranky as I am supposed to take my son to work later and now I will stress about it as I feel so bad that I am not up to driving. Whilst I am venting, I hate the uncertainty of POTS, you just never know how you will feel and I hate letting people down if I have to change plans at the last minute. Anyone else feel this way?

I am going to sit and watch a DVD and try and get over my frustration. Thanks for listening!

[KellyErnst]

Suzanne,

I have learned to let somethings go - when it comes to cleaning - and that was hard for me because I used to clean all the time and I am a neat freak. I've also learned it's OK to ask for help. I just told my husband tonight that the carpets need cleaned. I know he won't come home from work tomorrow and clean the carpets, but he will get to them as soon as he can - and that OK. Maybe you can focus on what you have to get done and possibly you can add one thing a day. I know this is hard - I try to look at what I did accomplish and not on what I didn't accomplish. Boy therapy must really be working for me I sound just like my therapist. If you can't make it for plans that have been made thats OK - but sometimes I find I need to push myself and try something and I usually surprise myself and do fine and feel glad that I went ahead with my plans. But this might not be possible for you.

Just wanted to let you know you are not alone - I hope tomorrow is better for you

Kel

[Suzanne]

Thank you Kel for your encouragement and for your words of wisdom below:

"I try to look at what I did accomplish and not on what I didn't accomplish"

I realise that I only look at what I can't do and I am going to try and focus on what I have accomplished. I try and encourage my kids with that, but don't do it myself!

And yes, tomorrow will be a better day I am sure.

[bttrflyamby1981]

Hi Suzane,

I too become tierd very easy. I wish I could get more help, but my husband (while trying to be supportive) just doesn't help much. I think it's just that he doesn't get how tierd I actually am. Which I can understand considering I myself don't always get it. I ask myself all the time how much of what I feel is normal?

Best of luck, take care,

Amber

[marnian]

I know exactly what you mean! I decided today that cleaning just isn't worth it anymore and called a cleaning service to get pricing information. It means shifting my budget around but I much rather use my energy for something I enjoy.

[relentless]

boy can I relate - I'm a virgo I used to be so anal about cleaning and now I could care less if it gets done. It's amazing how feeling light crap changes your perspective!

I have found if I feel good (rare days) I get a sudden urge to clean. Forget vacumming though. That is too much to handle... but light things like windexing things and some sorting of things, does wonders for my psyche

[Suzanne]

Hey I am a virgo too!! So is my husband, so he expects a high standard, whilst I have let go of most cleaning, he can't cope too well. I have a cleaning lady once a fortnight and he complains that she is not good enough!!!

[relentless]

Hey I am a virgo too!! So is my husband, so he expects a high standard, whilst I have let go of most cleaning, he can't cope too well. I have a cleaning lady once a fortnight and he complains that she is not good enough!!!

I have a cure for that - tell him to clean what bothers him. lol it will do him some good. Virgos hate to be disorganized, so he'll cope better if he just does it NO ONE can do it like a virgo. We get the stinking toothbrush out to get that last bit of dust

I'm married to a retired Leo. Lion bossy sometimes. When I caught on to it after 20+ years of marriage (slow learner) I finally broke him in and let him know what bothers him when he's snitty, is not my problem. He does ALL the housework, shopping, etc.

Retirement did it for the most part though. He decided he needed a 'job' managing the household after years of me taking care of everything. It took some compromise on my part, but I felt so bad physically that I gave in.

Can't say I enjoy it more than when I would do it myself (loved cleaning), but hey it gets done!

Cure for looking/feeling nasty - don't look in mirror

Cure for dirty house - look straight ahead

[relentless]

Whilst I am venting, I hate the uncertainty of POTS, you just never know how you will feel and I hate letting people down if I have to change plans at the last minute. Anyone else feel this way?

I overlooked this part of your post. YES OMG YES! "Commitments" will actual cause me to have panic attacks, because there is so much uncertainty in how I will feel. I can't commit to an unknown. I've become a 'play it by ear' person for the past 15 yrs. People hate it, but that's the best I can do. I avoid schedules like the plague.

[futurehope]

Firstly, never, ever clean a stove first thing in the morning. That's a big no-no. Unfortunately, you've learned the hard way.

Secondly, after years of pushing myself to clean the house, I've finally decided that I'm going to pay someone else to do it and free up the precious little energy I have for something else.

Thirdly, yes we do have to stay focused on what we can do. If we focus on what we can't do, we'll get depressed and feel worse and it won't change anything. But as someone above said, sometimes we can push ourselves and be pleasantly surprised at what we are able to do.

Lastly, I've become a "commitment-phobe". I'm totally unreliable and do not want anyone depending on me for anything unless it's necessary - like kids, grandkids, pets, husband, etc. I really dislike this aspect of POTS, but, unfortunately, that's the reality of the situation.