This is a lot to consider when you are already dealing with being unwell but it is definitely worth while. I keep an energy expenditure diary which records what level of activity I’m doing every half hour and I record my pain levels, nausea levels, fatigue levels and other symptoms three times a day at the moment.
Pro Health recently published this article , summarizing a new study on Graded Exercise Therapy (GET). They warn that patients treated with GET, a widely used therapy for ME/CFS and FM patients, could be more harmful than helpful. While I am glad to see this research being done, and the acknowledgement that physical activity can and will make symptoms worse for many patients, I think this could potentially lead healthcare providers and patients astray.
For me, the question is not should we use GET, but when should we use GET. Implementing an exercise therapy to a patient acutely suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is kind of like starting physiotherapy for a patient with a broken femur bone before surgery- counterproductive. Once the major stressors and causes of the fatigue, pain, and discomfort have been indentified and removed recovery can begin. Starting a recovery plan before this time can and will be harmful…
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Liveken - my chronic life journey 
Thanks for the reblog! I definitely agree it is a lot when you are already feeling unwell, it should only be used once you feel some sense of normalcy and want to safely increase your activity levels! That’s great that you are tracking, I often struggle with getting it down on paper, but when I do sometimes the patterns are surprising!
You’re welcome. Thank you for such a well written, informative post! I didn’t begin tracking from the beginning which would’ve been great to see any improvements early on but the data’s there for at least 3 months. I’ll have to do some analysis when I have the energy.
For some reason, I can’t comment on your award post, but what I wanted to say was:
Awww! Thank you, I’m so flattered! This was an incredibly long and thorough post, I’m impressed. Hope you’re resting. 🙂
Thanks 🙂 I don’t know what is going on with the commenting function on my posts at the moment! I really need some time to work it out.
Today has been one of the busiest days I’ve had in a very long time and I’m absolutely wiped out! I’ve had two doctors appointments that turned into 3 that took up most the day and then calling to make appointments for the referrals I got… All very stressful and overwhelming.
Depending how I’m feeling I may take tomorrow as a rest day, I have a post scheduled to go up by itself so I don’t need to worry about that!