[Closed] Bit of sympathy and support wanted please.

Hope you start to feel better soon, sounds like you've really been under the weather recently.

Don't know anyone that's been diagnosed with it before, so can't offer up any stories. But if you want to keep yourself in the bike scene whilst you can't ride so much, how about getting involved in marshalling the races you'd normally have riden? or using the downtime to brush up on your maintenance & repair... cytech course or something?

All the best
Keith

Pretty much in the same boat although not as extreme. My immune system is pants and I get every virus going and then gold plate it, just to make sure I suffer! I spent 18 months going to and from hospital having every test known to mankind to no avail. The last cold got me a few weeks back, very badly. I recovered (sort of) and did the West Drayton off road sportive and suffered big time. Every ride since then has been purgatory so i too got medical advice. I have been told to rest up for a while and then gentle my way back as and when I feel ready. I have had to pass up on an audax this weekend and Bristol Bikefest next week and I am mightily pissed off about it. On the bright side, you will get better and if you are anything like me, when you do get back on a bike, they will be spotlessly clean, perfectly lubed and maybe even have a smattering of new parts on them. Maintenance isn't a total substitute for riding but it is the next best thing. otherwise, buy more music, find something else to do, you will enjoy your bike heaps more when you get back on it.

As for WTFU... as long as you remain generally positive the rest will follow without any misplaced Ozzie machismo! 🙂

1. Don't Panic
2. In fact don't do anything.

I had this same problem last year.
Cough that wouldn't clear up after the winter. Then got really ill for a week, after which every time I so much as looked at my bike I would feel tired and ill again.
Any riding resulted in me need ridiculous amounts of sleep and feeling flu like symptoms for days afterwards. Even doing a full day at work was too much at one point.

My solution was. Stop doing exercise - full stop. Take it as easy as possible even a shopping trip could floor me!
Get tons of sleep, avoid late nights and rest regularly.

I took a couple of weeks off work. During which I watched TV did a little work from home (emails etc). Slept a lot and generally rested.
Then I worked full time again, but had an hour siesta when I got home. 2 months of this and I was starting to feel better.
I then was able to do a little exercise, 2 1/2 hour rides a week. Gradually increasing to an hour.

Rules are if you feel achy stop, if you feel tired stop, if you see a tea shop stop!
Oh and find something else that takes your mind off it. I bought a Camera and got seriously into photography. Occassional walks with the camera were great for rest and recuperation.

Basically I had to take things far easier than I have ever thought possible. By the end of the summer I was able to do the club 10 mile TT (albeit slower than I used to). Buy winter I was doing the ocassional Gorrick XC Race.

This year I am racing again, slowly finding my form and most importantly enjoying the racing after a good summer of rest.

Both can be found in equal measure between Sh1t and Syphilis in the dictionary. 😉

Perk up fella, look at it this way, without lifes downs we would not truly appreciate the ups.

Sorry to hear you're poorly Jojo'

take it easy, look after yourself, keep in mind if you take care of yourself now,you will get back on the bike sooner.

make sure Matt spoils you.

I'll hopefully see you soon.

Debs

I've had it a couple of times, once in school then once during my PhD. The latter time I ended up trying to get through it, then it got really bad and I was sleeping about 18-20 hours a day for two months or so - luckily I was too out-of-it to really notice/care. It's a bit bizarre thinking about it now though.

So the one thing I would say is that you really do need the rest so take it easy for a while. I would go out for walks and often end up catching the bus (the very short distance) home. It's important to get outside though, even if it's just sitting in the park with a blanket and book. I had to have something to do so I took up knitting - at first everyone teased me mercilessly but then they all wanted hats, headbands, wristwarmers etc. This hobby is also useful when you are on crutches for months as I was this winter!

Forgot to add - hope you feel better soon. Unfortunately it is something that takes a long time, but you will get better in the end and then appreciate everything more!

The one thing I and probably everyone else who has had CFS will say is don't underestimate how easy you have to take it.

I was hospitalised with suspected meningitis ten years ago, this turned out to be acute glandular fever and I was left with severe reactive glycaemia and PVS due to lengthy failure to treat me properly.

I manage the condition the same way as a diabetic, asthmatic or any other long term health sufferer might.

Stay calm and LOOK AFTER YOURSELF it's as simple as that.
You've not got cancer, aids, leprosy or any other life threatening disease.

What has happened is that Mother Nature has taken out the engine block of your 4.8 litre performance car and left a 1.3 that needs a bit of TLC. Not wishing the stretch the metaphor but what you have now is the chance to carefully hand craft a better performance engine out of it, you just need to know it’s limitations.

This won’t last forever, but you need to take your time and work at what is achievable, it might well mean passing on the all nighters for a bit and instead doing an afternoon trail attack type ride for four hours on a Saturday but then know that you’ve got to take Sunday out to watch TV and eat (life’s a bitch isn’t it?) to get your strength up.

The most important thing is to get the right fuel in your body and to give it time to recover and build itself up again.

You have got to be strict with yourself regarding your capabilities and not get angry that you can no longer do the big things you used to, this won’t last forever and you will get better.

Get a good dietician to help and think of it as a long recuperative holiday, take time to enjoy a relaxing summer and think of all the poor sods who have to take time out to get used to lost limbs or other permanently life changing complaints and you will soon put things in perspective.

I still have to be careful now, but my wife knows that when I start to go silent and moody that I need a sit down and sandwich. I spent eight hours in the Natural history museum the other week and had gone mute with tunnel vision by the end of it, I don’t remember but she marched me to McDonalds whereupon I ate two big macs without seaming to even breath or chew whereupon I re-surfaced and felt fine.

The golden rule is (to return to the car metaphor) keep plenty of fuel in the tank, refuel as often as possible and don’t over rev the engine, change gear instead as once you’ve got up the hill you can get up speed without damaging the engine.

Hope this helps email in profile if you want to talk.

Thanks people. It's good to know I'm not alone and that there is hope, and to be reminded that I could be far worse off. Jut feel a bit emotional and detatched and isolated at the moment. It's a wierd half world; off work, but not so ill that I can't do anything at all. Makes you feel desparately bored and a bit of a fraud and feeds into a negative thoughts cycle that doesn't help at all. The advice to take up another hobby is a good one, thanks. I used to do a lot of drawing, so will pick up a pencil and have a bash again. 🙂

As with others on here, I went through a similar experience about 10 years ago, and I suspect it is probably linked with me ending up in hospital with glandular fever almost 20 years ago now...

I tended to do the wrong thing when mine kicked off... I'd feel very bad for a while, but then when I felt better I'd be up and raring to go, manage a night, or a weekend away climbing, before crashing down again afterwards and sleeping for 18-20 hours a day at times.

In the end the only way out was to be sensible and take care of myself, not to try and do everything on the days that I felt okay, and to just learn to take things easy, although I am still pretty bad at that at times. I often know when I have overdone it as I'll start to feel a little fluey, but with some rest that usually passes in a day or so now.

You will get better, however it's unlikely to be a fast recovery, but it will happen and you will be able to get back to doing the things you love.

As others have said, if you need to talk my email is in my profile.

*hugs*

No advice for you, but hope you feel better soon Jo.

Sounds scary as hell, I'd be devastated if I couldn't ride, but I guess the best thing to do is follow all the advice and remember the bike will always wait for you however short or long it takes, there's not a lot of things more faithful!

GWS

Don't know anything about it so can't comment, but some of the advice above sounds great.

This was my favourite bit:

Rules are if you feel achy stop, if you feel tired stop, if you see a tea shop stop!

Sounds like a plan to pick up a pencil & get drawing.

I had similar last year after bad chest infection then post viral myocarditis , that wasn't fun. As above slow and steady, you will feel fine sat doing nthig but wrecked walking to the loo. You just have to go with the flow and build back up really slowly, and it is frustrating as hell. Like Matt I still have periods of being wiped even when I feel like not done much, and my wife carries supply of cereal bars/ chocolate when we out for when I go quiet/ grumpier to emergency refuel, thought was just me!

I've been unable to ride for three years now, I tried to push myself too much during the first year and have suffered for it since, including being let go by my employer last month, so I'm now on benefits with no prospect of a return to work in the near future...
so take it easy, maintain some basic physical exercise routine, ride around "the block~" several times a week to keep your cycling legs active but [u]do not[/u] end up miles from home feeling exhausted. If you don't feel up to something don't do it, and don't let others pressure you into it. Drawing would be a great idea, there is also considerable benefit in doing things like yoga and pilates according to research. Ask your GP for Vit B12 injections, some benefit identified in research for taking Co-enzyme Q10, 5HTP, NADH and St Johns Wort

I don't have any useful advice, but I am sorry to hear and can empathise with not being able to ride. Hang in there and you will be back on the bike x

Sorry to hear you're poorly Jojo.

[img] [/img]

Read petesgaff thread and stop feeling sorry for yourself (sounds harsh, but try it)...

*Hugs*

*healing vibes jojo*

Got no experiance I can suggest, other than make sure you're properly fixed before you get going again.

I know how hard time off the bike can be, but be patient, you'll be back to maximum attack soon enough.

MTFU

It's a bit tight pretending to pour her some Lucozade with the lid on 🙁 Glad we don't have adverts now claiming sugar can cure things!

Oh, glucosamine 🙁

*hugs*

I have no medical knowledge(Where is TJ?)

Sounds like other hobbies are a good way to go. Oh and start cleaning the house for our visit in July 😀

jo, i had it a few years ago, took about a year to drift away.
i had to change jobs, stop all sport, and generally review my life, and take things easier. work stress was a problem at the time, and i think that really didn't help, the whole general apathy towards everything that i had.
Once i had slowed down, i felt better, i took 3 months off work, and took some good holidays.

It was suggested i carried on cycling btw, albeit at a slower rate, and more for recreation, no racing!

Oh and why not come back to mleh? We miss you!

Al, I was just thinking that.

How about a dose of Schadenfreude:

If it makes you feel any better I snapped my humerus at the end of November and had it wired back together. Spent the next 2 months (not) sleeping sat up. Spent the next two months after that getting my atrophied arm/back/shoulders muscles stretched and working, after that began trying to strengthen the muscles. Oh, and I also got to spend a chunk of the ski season sat in a cabin in Whistler on my own while all around me went riding.

There is a bright side though, despite feeling left out at the time from my biking life, I got back to riding a few weeks back and although I'm a bit out of shape it's all coming back and I'm grinning again.

JoJo - I don't mean to alarm at all- could you also have a test for Lyme's disease?

Blood test- can you request this. JUST to be on the safeside? You may have been bitten previously.

I may be way out- just to add. I received two infected horsefly bites a few years back after I rode through some thick follage. For months afterwards I felt floored- my whole leg went dark red as the infection spread. Awful, with alot of drugs!

wednesday - Member
Al, I was just thinking that.

Lots of sympathy from me - I've been suffering from it from the last 8 months or so. Got a bad cold/virus and never got better - I'd been feeling pretty under the weather and getting a lot of colds etc before that as well.

I suspect that MTFU was what caused it - I was on antibiotics for an infection when I did the Megavalanche - then came straight back to work and did crazy long hours for a few weeks. Think my body just went NO.

Unfortunately the best advice I can give is that you need to not get carried away on the days when you are feeling a bit better - try and learn to take things a day at a time and be patient. My biggest problem has been feeling a bit better then overdoing it and regressing.

This may not be what you want to hear but finding another hobby in the mean time might be a good idea - for me it's been photography. Constantly struggling to get back in to biking again is not going to help at all ime.

Mr whoppit - Reading Pete's Gaffs thread would indeed make most people mtfu or in JoJo's case wtfu, but as a fellow sufferer, it really doesn't help. Infact it could make sufferers more depressed as you can feel a complete fraud at feeling so ill, at the same time apprearing normal.

I haven't time to read the whole thread JoJo but you really do have my sympathy.

Tips; Get plenty of sleep, rest as much as possible, eat small meals freqently, don't try and fight it, as Grum says above, it really will put you back.

Now for some good news: My first bout was 3 years ago, it lasted 7-8 months and gradually I started to get well and back on my bike. When winter came I got struck down again, this time for 4 months, same proceedure, just looked after myself loads and tried not to beat myself up. Got slowly better again and back on the bike. This year has been only 3 months of being ill. I am now back on my bike. Fitness suffers alot as there are huge amounts of time where I'm unable to do any physical activity. If I try to do too much in between the really ill times then I get a mild form.

To anyone who has never felt like this it's very much like suffering continually from flu or a severe virus.

I also got advice from a nutritionlist who was fantastic. Sticking to a diet though without sugar was not helping my moods, as most women love a bit of chocolate.

Get well soon.

I do recall 3 years ago on this very site you gave me some advice, however you also said you had worked with a doctor who didn't believe in this syndrome and thought it was mostly in the mind - I hope he never has to experience it.

Get well soon JoJo, what they all said about a hobby or you could look after your children.

cynic-al - Member

wednesday - Member
Al, I was just thinking that. ❓

🙄

I had a similar, but probably less severe, malady after contracting a bad chest infection just before the 2007 Puffer. Couldn't walk the length of myself for weeks and then had an almost constant cold for months. I still got out on the bike, but I wasn't really enjoying it as things were really hard going. I remember doing a Kinlochleven circuit that year and was in constant pain with the coughing. Looking back, it seems obvious that I should have rested properly but I couldn't admit that I was weak as I felt like it would be a failing. It's not. Get your self well and it'll all soon be a memory and you'll be back on the podium again.

Oh - how about a photo-a-day type project while you're off work?

wednesday - Member

🙄

😐

You obviously need to take up a new hobby.

How about baking? You could start by getting some scones ready for me next Wednesday.

Hi Jo.

Does this mean you won't be racing at K'tree? 😥
Was looking forward to cheering you on! Still, you are guarenteed a podium place,even if you only do one lap, as the last time I looked you were the only female vet entry. 😉

Deffo get the pencils out...you can lose hours doing a bit of drawing.
I've recently taken up the guitar again after a 32 yr break and it has done wonders for me.
Hope you're feeling better soon.
FCxx

Don't WTFU...

I came back from Holiday with a Gastric Flu bug, wiped me out for a few days. Tried to MTFU coming out of it and ended up with Viral induced Pericarditis and Myocarditis - basically swelling and inflammation around the heart presenting itself with heart attack like symptoms and responsible for 20% of sudden death cases in young people - epic!

One ambulance ride, more xrays/ECGs/scans than I can remember, a few nights in hospital, a lot of powerful pain killers, 2 weeks stuck at home later - I'm only just almost better. I'm only 27 and never been ill in my life.

So yeah, WTFU might not be the best approach if you're body is crying out for a break!

Practical Matt - you have written so well the very way I feel, thanks.

Anyway JoJo does your other half mtb? If so, have you considered a tandem. I was so desperate to ride a bike again that we borrowed one. It was so beneficial to me that we've now bought our own off roading tandem from a guy off here. It's good fun and being the stoker I can sit back a bit and just enjoy the ride. Mind you there is quite alot of energy used up in my screaming on the downhills.

I hope everyone (above) who is still suffering starts to feel better soon.

Bunnyhop - Member

Anyway JoJo does your other half mtb? If so, have you considered a tandem.

Now thats a great idea - you can have a shot on ours if you want!

I suspect that it might not go well 🙂 It would be fun to watch ( from a distance!)

You have got to be strict with yourself regarding your capabilities and not get angry that you can no longer do the big things you used to, this won’t last forever and you will get better.

This was the biggie for me - took me a long time to stop being really really angry and severely depressed about it. I just couldn't see a future for myself.

Getting a lot more philosophical about it now but it's still hard sometimes.

I would not stress about not biking, just find something else to obsess about for a year! You body remembers so when it's ready, you'll be riding again and your fitness and skills will come back quickly, so don't worry about it. May I recommend learning electric guitar?

Hope you feel better mentally and physically as soon as possible.

Good luck jojo. No experience of this, just listen to your body and stay upbeat. Optimism rules!

My sister had this when she was a teenager. Life got put on hold for 2 yrs while her body caught up, sort of repaired itself a bit. She's a School Governor, wannabe Councillor and Green Party activist these days, no flare ups that I know of for years. It takes different amounts of time but like someone else said, don't WTFU, please. Your body is trying to say something to you, listen just for a bit, and find something pootly to do like kniting, cross stitching, making pin cushions out of silly material, baking, painting, drawing, XBoxing...anything low impact where you can drift off for a bit and it wont matter.
Oh and *hugs* which is the retro geek way of conveying much sympathy.

Hi Jo - hope you feel better soon. Get a good rest!

WTFD seems to be the advice of the day then!!

Jo I can't imagine how difficult it will be for you to get used to doing nothing and really letting your body recover, but it has to be worth it for however long it takes to be rid of it properly doesn't it? Really, time goes so fast befiore you know it you will be back on the bike again, and staying back on the bike. I'm sending healing vibes and a blatant girlie hug up from Penrith 😀

Sorry to resurrect, but I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their messages, even the ones that suggested I should think myself lucky I don't have cancer.... I'm in no way complacent about my relative health compared to some. It's just nice to get some 'warm fluffies' when you're feeling rotten; and that's exactly what I got. Sunbathed in a sleepingbag this morning, not quite warm enough on the Moray Coast for a swimsuit yet... Thanks again 🙂 x

Jojo we thought something was wrong with you when Everlong and myself 😯 managed to finish above you at ten under the ben. Keep on going you will be back to your lighting fast pace soon.

Cheers Jordie, I should never have ridden. I knew I wasn't well, but was too pigheaded to retire and let my team-mate down.

Only just seen this, but I Had this a couple of times, when I was in College and again when I was at Uni. Just take it easy, and don't get frustrated at yourself, it will get better in the end. And don't let anyone make you feel guilty for feeling rotten, CFS isn't a trivial little thing, [url= http://www.meassociation.org.uk/ ]the me association[/url] can offer support or advice if you need it.

Get plenty of sleep, and if you are doing something and you feel tired or achey, stop doing it and take a breather for a while. You don't need to give up cycling, I didn't give up kayaking when I was suffering from it at uni, at times it was the only thing got me up and out, and it gave me something to look forward to.

You might need to cut back though, maybe a couple of short gentle rides a week or something, the important thing is not to force it, take it very easy, and just enjoy getting out on the bike, rather than doing anything big and long and tough.

And get well soon 😉

Hey Jojo,

hope you are on the mend asap!!

I missed you riding past at warp-factor-big-ring during ten under calling me a 'Jayboy' this year!!

A few months a easy pedaling is better than gubbing yourself now and suffering for even longer!

Take care dudette!!

I've a friend who had this or something similar. He's a doctor who didn't go along with ME/Post viral fatigue diagnosis and in the end a blood test showed up antibodies to an adenovirus (or Ah dunno virus as we called it). The advice was to rest and when feeling a bit better start exercising but expect to be absolutely knackered afterwards but not to be put off by this. Then gradually build up back to normal fitness. This is a guy who could run half marathons in 1.15 and marathons in 3hrs.

In the end it took about 1yr to 18 months to get back and now he's as fit as ever. He does seem to get every cold going though and when I clear old text messages off my phone they're mostly him saying he thinks he's starting with a cold, etc so can't come out for a run. In other words he's ultra cautious about ignoring possible viral infections. Trouble is he can have six weeks off and still skip up the hills leaving me and the other one like asthmatic steam trains in his wake!

Hope that helps. Best of luck. Enjoy the rest!

bunnyhop.......its very clear that youve never ridden with jo.......she would be on the front of the tandem !, hang on in there jo, youll be back stronger than ever 😀 p.s. can i borrow a tube ?

Never ridden with Jojo, but have seen pictures of her jumping off mahoosive rocks and descending stuff that some of the guys I know would struggle with.

Being captain on a tandem is fine as long as the stoker pedals for dear life, she can just steer, brake and shout out the orders.

Bunnyhop - Member

she can just steer, brake and shout out the orders.

No change there then 😉

Want to borrow a tandem Jojo / hairyscary? go on - it would be good entertainment for the rest of us!

IIRC Jojo had a very short spin on the back of our tandem and screamed like a girly

I'd be up for it. I'm sure it would be 'good fun'

seriously? e mail me if you want a shot with it.

Steering a tandem is not like steering a solo bike, you (well, I) have to work bloody hard to muscle it round the route I want to take, perhaps not the best option for someone trying to recuperate!

I think the advice above is pretty sound. Listen to your body and stop when your body says, not when you think you should stop based on how you used to be able to do this.

Keep your fuel levels up - rather than 3 square meals a day, eat four or five slightly smaller meals at more frequent intervals.

Above all, don't beat yourself up about how you should be able to do this or that or the other, just relax, enjoy the change, and things will perk up.

No hugs, 'cos Mrs NBT will kill me if I hug another woman 😉

I reckon hairyscary needs the hugs more. Can you imagine what life must be like in the jojo/hairy household at the moment - and what it'll be like after a couple of months?

so = we recommend the valium for hairycary and a large dose of wtfu for Jojo?

Get well soon JoJo.

Rest and keep the mind active.