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Managing Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM): What can help?
Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (67)Comment receiving replies
It’s been about five weeks since I got Covid, and I am struggling with the push-crash cycle of post exertional malaise. I was feeling good over the weekend and foolishly pushed my body too far with a 45 minute walk in the woods. Three days later I am still almost completely incapacitated by fatigue and plagued by muscle aches and headaches. My husband wants me to push myself a bit through the fatigue by getting back into our normal routine of walking the dogs for 15 minutes in the morning (which I had been tolerating), but I am not sure if that is a good thing to do while I am in the crash recovery phase.
I would like to get some advice on whether I should strictly rest until the fatigue subsides, or if it is better to add some light exercise into the mix so I don’t decondition even more. Honestly, I am terrified that I might do something that will prolong the fatigue, because it is having such a negative impact on my ability to work.
Replies to "It’s been about five weeks since I got Covid, and I am struggling with the push-crash..."
I am being treated at a clinic at Stanford. They were very strong in saying dont exercise until you are out of a crash and not to push yourself ,,, but exactly what that means for you you probably can only find out by experience. maybe a 10 minute walk is ok but not a 15 minute walk. Best wishes to you.
I appreciate this comment. I have tried pushing through and basically ended up collapsing. Then I was in bed several days. It was so hard. I do better pacing myself. I know some people on the thread have been able to push hard and get better. It seems to me that each case is so different. Be kind to yourself. You are the only one who can take care of yourself and know how you are feeling. Best wishes.
This may sound strange, but a lot of covid weakness is caused by a low amount of oxygen getting through the arteries / blood vessels that are shrunk tight because of low amount of nitric oxide. You should have foods with nitrates that the body uses to make nitric oxide to allow the arteries to open up.
They say the best way to increase nitric oxide is to have dark greens. The darker the better. When we chew the greens, the good bacteria in our mouth creates the nitric oxide. (Remember, no mouthwash or toothpaste with fluoride that could knock out the good bacteria.)
I try for a type of curly Italian kale, like dinosaur or Lucinato / Tuscan that looks tough but is tender. ( Other choices are arugula or spinach. ) I rinse the kale well and than pull it off the stems and cut it up with kitchen shears.
Beets are a great source of nitrate and you could put some on the greens.
Blueberries are good and could also be added to the salad or have by themselves.
Watermelon is a good source.
If you could find unsweetened cocoa and add honey. I put it in decaf coffee, but you could add or use milk or almond milk instead.
Nuts and celery are a good source, so a nut butter on celery sticks would be good.
Also include some orange slices for vitamin C which is an antioxidant that helps with nitric oxide production.
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At the risk of being redundant, I crashed after doing a 20 minute walk video. This was my first, and I need help. What do you do all day while recovering?
My crash is a feeling of weakness, deeper fatigue. I am able to do the same things but I just feel like moving slower. Any suggestions would be so appreciated.