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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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post exertional malaise

  1. SpinachHands

    Why does my bedbound partner have PEM every day, despite doing nothing?

    They are 100% bedbound, and have done no activity in two months now. It's been a month since I was able to brush their teeth, and I was last able to change their pyjamas over a month ago. Apart from that they do absolutely nothing- I feed them liquid food through a straw, they use a bedpan and...
  2. JasonPerth

    Masterbation and PEM

    Hi, i hope this question is okay to ask, i only feel safe asking it here. When my Condition of ME/CFS was very Mild, something like Sex and Masterbation was something that i could do i believe without PEM, but i could no longer run for example or do heavy lifting as that would cause PEM and many...
  3. S

    📊 Poll- What would you find helpful in a meditation created especially for PEM ?

    There is literally only 1 meditation video on YouTube for PEM,yes one ( ) & it’s less than 18mins long! I’d like to see that change. (as a coping tool,not a cure) I’m requesting that some of my favourite meditation creators address this deficit (& encourage you to do the same if you can spare...
  4. RyeRyeBread

    Can we discuss regular PEM vs "Rolling" PEM?

    "Rolling" PEM vs Regular PEM What exactly is "Rolling" PEM? How do we tell the difference? Can we have both at the same time? Tips on how to avoid/get out of rolling PEM cycle?
  5. Pyrrhus

    Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation (PESE)

    Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation (PESE) Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation (PESE) is a term that has been proposed to replace the term Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM). Some say that the use of the word "malaise" in PEM minimizes the seriousness of PEM. Some say that "symptom exacerbation"...
  6. RyeRyeBread

    Waking up feeling like I've crashed [PEM] in my sleep?

    I've been waking up [from naps and general overnight sleeping] feeling like I've crashed in my sleep, and been a little caught off guard because I didn't think I was going to- Anyone else? When I crash/have a PEM episode, I usually have a whole handful of symptoms that occur, as somewhat of a...
  7. RyeRyeBread

    How do you classify your PEM? How does your PEM behave? How has it changed over time?

    I classify my PEM in two main ways - crashes (PEM main "episodes") & flares (the hours/days of recovery/worsening of symptoms and baseline after a PEM crash). Looks like this: I'll do an activity/exert myself >> I crash (for me, usually a few hours after the activity, and lasting for 2-6 hrs...
  8. Pyrrhus

    Exercise Intolerance vs. PEM/Exertion Intolerance

    Exercise Intolerance vs. Exertion Intolerance vs. Post-Exertional Malaise A common source of confusion are the terms "exercise intolerance" and "exertion intolerance", and how they relate to PEM. So here's a brief clarification: Exercise Intolerance is a medical term that refers to the...
  9. TracyD

    What's your first/last sign of PEM?

    To put my data-science lessons to work, I'm trying to develop an early-warning system for PEM. I would appreciate others' input: For some of us, there's a delay between overexertion (or whatever the trigger is) and the onset of full PEM. In my case, it's often 36-48 hours before the huge...
  10. frozenborderline

    Doing buddhist practices with low energy

    Since having severe ME I have done a lot of emotional compartmentalization bc emotions take too much energy to process usually. I dont know if this is emotionally healthy but it seems to be what my body needs This has come into conflict with the buddhist practice I'm trying to do. The...
  11. Pyrrhus

    Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) Methodology for Assessing Exertion Intolerance in ME/CFS (Stevens et al., 2018)

    I don't think this paper has been posted yet, but it's a good review of the studies that look at CardioPulmonary Exercise Tests (CPET) to document PEM/exertion intolerance in ME. Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test Methodology for Assessing Exertion Intolerance in ME/CFS (Stevens et al., 2018)...
    • Pyrrhus
    • Thread
    • betsy keller chris snell cpet exercise intolerance exertion intolerance jared stevens mark vanness post exertional malaise staci stevens
    • Replies: 5
    • Forum: Post-Exertional Malaise and Fatigue
  12. 20somethingspoonie

    How do I recondition after being bed bound?

    Because of the pandemic, I've pretty much stayed in bed for the last year. I want to slowly start to recondition, but I don't know where to start, especially because I want to avoid PEM.
  13. W

    2-day neurocognitive testing to measure cognitive crash?

    We're trying to justify treatment to insurance, but a standard 2-day exercise test doesn't get at my son's primary functional issues. His key items are the fatigue, anxiety, intractable headache, brain fog, bad sleep ... AND the neurocognitive/emotional crash he has after cognitive/emotional...
  14. Pyrrhus

    The development of an instrument to assess post-exertional malaise in patients with ME/CFS (Jason et al., 2018)

    This paper establishes a questionnaire that can measure Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM). (I don't think this paper from 2018 has been discussed yet.) The development of an instrument to assess post-exertional malaise in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome (Jason...