PRESS RELEASE – for immediate release
World ME Day asks you to learn about the broken energy system in ME/CFS
If you’ve never heard of post-exertional malaise (PEM) you’re not alone. But for people living with ME/CFS or long Covid understanding PEM is crucial to managing their illness. World ME Day on May 12 is an opportunity to increase your understanding of this little-known phenomenon.
Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is something that everyone with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis /Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) experiences. So what is it? Put simply, PEM is a debilitating and abnormal response to normal activity.
People with ME/CFS and long COVID have what is called an energy envelope. This is the amount of energy they have on any given day to function. Research and experience shows that if a person expends an equivalent amount of energy to the amount they have available they will reduce the symptom flares they experience.
When people with ME/CFS and long COVID push to do more than their energy envelope can cope with, the severity of their symptoms increase. This period of reduced functionality and exacerbation of symptoms typically starts within 12 to 48 hours after the activity or exposure and may last for days, weeks, or may also be permanent.
When PEM hits, people report existing symptoms increase, and that new ones appear including brain fog (executive functioning), flu-like symptoms (sore throat, muscle pain, increased fatigue); muscle weakness; increased sensitivity to noise, light or touch; pain; sleep problems.
How much and what type of exertion triggers PEM is different for each person. Triggers can include:
- physical (walking around the mall or folding the washing);
- cognitive (thinking, talking, reading)
- processing emotional events (both positive and negative stressors)
- sensory overload (noise, light, touch, smell, temperature, vibrations such as in vehicles)
- physiological processes (digestion, temperature regulation, fighting infections)
- orthostatic (sitting or standing upright vs lying down)
- multi-tasking (even if individually each activity is within their Energy Envelope, e.g. talking while walking, or thinking while in a noisy environment)
Leading ME/CFS researcher Dr Lynette Hodges, Exercise Physiologist, Massey University, says “Individuals with ME/CFS are not lazy or deconditioned. Our research has shown physiological changes for those with ME/CFS. Both planned exercise and even simple activities of daily living can cause PEM.”
PEM is best managed by creating an individualised routine of rest and carefully paced activities within the individual’s current energy envelope. GP Cathy Stephenson states “If there’s one thing to impress upon health providers when it comes to the management of ME/CFS, it’s Pacing. Above all else. Pacing.”
Kate was diagnosed with ME 5 years ago after 20 plus years of health challenges triggered from a viral illness. Before this she was hardly ever sick, a school prefect, and played high level sport representing New Zealand for Water Polo. In 2018 her system crashed after pushing through symptoms for too long when numerous doctors weren’t able to help. She suffered with crushing fatigue that did not improve after a full night’s sleep and had to give up work, sports and her social life. She was mostly confined to her home, except for dropping off and picking up her boy from daycare/school and other activities.
She also experienced constant body pain, fluctuating headaches, neurological problems resulting in impaired memory and an inability to concentrate and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system. Any physical, mental, or emotional effort would cause worsening of her symptoms and she had to learn to work within a very small energy envelope.
Five years on, Kate has made what is known as significant progress in the ME community, with a reduction in symptoms enough that she can work a small number of hours each week. She can attend more activities with her son, however her dreams of dancing and playing masters level competitive sports are not fulfilled and she is accepting that she may never reach these and other dreams she has.
World ME Day: LearnFromME – “ME: the disease where pushing harder can make you sicker.”
Visit the World ME Day information from ANZMES on https://anzmes.org.nz/worldmeday2023/
Follow the Learn From ME page on Facebook on May 12th to follow the World ME Day campaign. This page is a collaborative initiative between the regional and national ME/CFS organisations:
ANZMES (Associated NZ ME Societies)
Complex Chronic Illness Support
ME Support
MECFS Canterbury
MEISS Otago
ME Awareness NZ
Rest Assured Respite Trust
Find out more about ME/CFS or to take action to support World ME Day by visiting: www.worldmeday.org
