Monday, June 04, 2012
The study of Post-Exertional Malaise...
Another article from this month's CFIDS Association of America newsletter. This discusses whether Post-Exertional Malaise is essential to a diagnosis of ME:
To PEM or not to PEM? That is the question for case definition
To me, Post-Exertional Malaise is what separates the extreme exhaustion of ME from the mere tiredness a healthy person gets after a busy day. I'm glad the article mentions that PEM can happen after mental activity, not just physical. I get wiped out by simple things like phone calls, reading, and yes, even blogging. And when I overdo it physically, the consequences can last anywhere from two or three days to months. Even things like vacations, which healthy people do to relax, make me ill for weeks afterward. Some aspects of my illness even become permanently worse after a major event, like when I moved to South Dakota.
To PEM or not to PEM? That is the question for case definition
To me, Post-Exertional Malaise is what separates the extreme exhaustion of ME from the mere tiredness a healthy person gets after a busy day. I'm glad the article mentions that PEM can happen after mental activity, not just physical. I get wiped out by simple things like phone calls, reading, and yes, even blogging. And when I overdo it physically, the consequences can last anywhere from two or three days to months. Even things like vacations, which healthy people do to relax, make me ill for weeks afterward. Some aspects of my illness even become permanently worse after a major event, like when I moved to South Dakota.
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