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27 Jul
5:23pm, 27 Jul 2024
195 posts
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lambkin
Hi all
After a virus in April, I noticed that my heart rate was shooting up super high. I merrily ignored it until I hit the wall and realised I was absolutely shattered.
I'm through the fatigue now, but any exercise now and my heart rate shoots up really high. If I go into zone 5, it takes a week for me to recover.
I've seen the GP, tests and ECG are all normal.
Has anyone been through this and have any advice? I've gone from a sub 21 parkrunner to struggling to run under 37 minutes without my heart rate going over 157.
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27 Jul
8:18pm, 27 Jul 2024
11,933 posts
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Raemondo
Unfortunately, it's a really tough one.
I feel like there's a Fetchie who has blogged about their own journey to recover, also, but off the top of my head I can't remember who 😳
My experience, which I fervently hope won't be yours, is that I suffered with chronic post viral fatigue after getting suspected glandular fever aged 9 (GP said it was 'impossible' for someone so young to get glandular fever 🙄 I was also undiagnosed autistic and could have been burnt out, I guess), and it took me *years* to be back to full health.
Bear in mind that this started 30 years ago, so understanding of all the conditions involved was way behind where it is now, and I've interpreted and reinterpreted the things I remember a few times since then trying to understand them better
Patience.
Listen to your body and resist the urge to 'push through' because it will mostly just set you back in the long run, even though it will be *incredibly* frustrating.
Your ability to do things could vary wildly from day to day, so be prepared for a very non linear journey. There was a vogue for graduated recovery plans that expected you to get 'better' at a steady pace and force yourself to meet progressive goals regardless of how you were actually feeling, bit thankfully these have been thoroughly debunked in the last four or five years and officially renounced by the NHS around 2020 iirc.
If anyone tries to push this on you, check how recent their reading on the subject is.
Make an effort to eat as well rounded a diet as possible and you're getting enough vitamins A, D and B12 which are all linked to energy levels/fatigue reduction.
I ate terribly as a kid, but felt a lot better when I remembered to take vitamin supplements like beta carotene.
Good luck!
The understanding of how long it can take to really kick a virus has come on leaps and bounds since COVID, so I'm sure there are other people out there with more helpful and encouraging things to say than my own experiences 
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27 Jul
8:33pm, 27 Jul 2024
11,934 posts
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Raemondo
What I mean by 'be prepared for a job linear journey' journey, by the way, is that is there maybe be days when you feel better and you do stuff and your think 'Ffffing finally, I'm getting passed this' and the next day you feel like utter crap, and you begin to think there's no hope, you'll never get better, everything is just terrible.
There may even be days when you feel fine, but you resist the temptation to do things because you don't want to over do it, and you *still* feel shit the next day, which is even worse and you really think there's no hope, etc.
But there *is* hope, and you get through it by taking each day as it comes and enjoying whatever you can along the way.
Finding some things to do that don't raise your heartrate much will probably help, like reading or crafting, or learning a new language.
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27 Jul
9:24pm, 27 Jul 2024
196 posts
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lambkin
Raemondo thank you so much for your reply. The urge to push through is so strong! Had a little cry while parkrunning today.
Your comments on neurodiversity also chime with me. I am frequently told by my work colleagues that I have ADHD and the combo of being busy brained, working in an emotionally demanding job in mental health and having young kids is probably burning me out. Plus perimenopause 🤣.
I'm sorry you've been through this as well and hope you are back to full energy. I'll get back on the vitamins as well, there are many lurking in the cupboard!
You're so right about finding joy in other things, I'll get back to it.
Thank you again for your response, and if you remember the blog I'd be really interested to read it.
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27 Jul
9:25pm, 27 Jul 2024
197 posts
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lambkin
Raemondo thank you so much for your reply. The urge to push through is so strong! Had a little cry while parkrunning today.
Your comments on neurodiversity also chime with me. I am frequently told by my work colleagues that I have ADHD and the combo of being busy brained, working in an emotionally demanding job in mental health and having young kids is probably burning me out. Plus perimenopause 🤣.
I'm sorry you've been through this as well and hope you are back to full energy. I'll get back on the vitamins as well, there are many lurking in the cupboard!
You're so right about finding joy in other things, I'll get back to it.
Thank you again for your response, and if you remember the blog I'd be really interested to read it.
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27 Jul
9:41pm, 27 Jul 2024
11,935 posts
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Raemondo
I'm pretty much fine, these days, thanks!
I've worked through most of the trauma stuff, and am dealing with the now unhelpful habits I developed to get me through the worst times - although I suspect I still give in a bit too readily when faced with a serious physical challenge.
Perimenopause will certainly not be helping, and disgracefully little is known about both how seriously that impacts people going through it and how to mitigate it.
Thinks like an anti-inflammatory diet are alleged to help, and weight lifting is just a generally all round good call for women getting up to A Certain Age to protect muscle mass and bone density.
There are definitely folks now qualified than me around her who could offer advice, but have you had blood work done as well as ECGs, to make sure your thyroid, iron levels, and blood sugar are all ok?
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29 Jul
12:48pm, 29 Jul 2024
50,559 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
For Long Covid and ME, the advice is *not* too exert too much too early. Just heard that on an ME news article on radio. ME and Long Covid have 2/3 overlap on post viral syndrome type symptoms, apparently. Causes unknown, treatments not clear or effective.
Take care lambkin, horrid position to be in.
AndyS has been battling Long Covid, he might have some insights too? Hope you get recovery or respite soon. G
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29 Jul
1:20pm, 29 Jul 2024
1,484 posts
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RunnyBunny
Perimenopause might be contributing. I wasn't as fast as you, but managed parkrun in just over 25 minutes and a 4:24 marathon in 2016, then from 2017 (age 46) everything went downhill until I couldn't run more than 4 miles without needing a nap, and my parkrun times were 33/34 minutes. I'm coming out the other side now in terms of stamina (I've done 12 miles), speed hasn't improved substantially, apart from a little sub-30 5k phase in late 2020. WAVAs are increasing though. At the worst, I just took the pressure off, did parkruns when there weren't lockdowns and focused on enjoying the scenery and being out in the fresh air. I found a few similar stories online including people who couldn't run at all, but there doesn't seem to be any clear way to sort it, although ferrous sulphate seems to help me a bit. I'm autistic too - not sure whether that's a factor.
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