Many have used the Buffalo Protocol. It helps with increasing exertion levels.

When you say fatigue, what kind of fatigue do you mean ? What are your symptoms ?

You don't need the ear plugs for the whole time. Just long enough to sense if you have a hard foot plant. You want your foot plant to not rattle you brain. Many don't realize how hard their foot plant is. Walking with more toe in the foot plant can soften it. Or, just a better shoe.....

The stress to the upper neck from a hard foot plant can be inflammatory.

What kind of fatigue do you mean?
It's really just a sense of that my legs are tired. When I feel the onset of being a little tired in my legs, the tiredness gets gradually more intense as I keep walking. I tried walking without listening to anything today and one main advantage of this was that I was able to keep more of a focus on how I was feeling: I could feel anxiety coming and thus acknowledge it which in turn allowed me to let go of it to some degree. This resulted in that I could feel tiredness coming (from anxiety) and then feel it go away when I managed to let the anxiety go.

I'll try the earplugs and get a sense of the foot plant tomorrow.

In another thread, you recommended vestibular therapy. I found a video from a physiotherapist/PT at my university that proposed some exercises. I am thinking of trying these out until I get a chance to find a PT who can guide me, what's your thoughts on this approach?


Oh and yeah, I meant Buffalo.

It sounds like you are experiencing an anxiety reaction. Your ability to relax out of it is good. Your legs are not getting fatigued. Instead, your heightened sensation to anything is taking a small sensation in your legs and magnifying it. This is a very common problem.

It might help if you could listen to something that does not require cognitive effort like an audio book and is not stressful or intense like thumping or other aggressive music is. Uplifting music can be good. Then, maybe you can just go for a walk. No goal oriented walking. Just a walk. Reduce the intensity.

I had a collection of music I could use to distract and refocus my mind. For me it was Dianna Krall, The Look of Love and some Sarah Brightman CDs. I also used Celtic Woman videos to grab my visual focus and auditory focus.

I was not getting triggered by bumps or impacts. I was being triggered by over-stimulation and over-attending. I had to find my own rescue systems. I had nobody helping me. All they did was offer drugs.

With some experimenting, you should be able to learn your own rescue skills. A therapist may be able to help you.

My bets to you.

That makes a lot of sense. I've never been able to put my finger on what caused the fatigue response from the anxiety, but your reasoning is spot on. I've gotta say, I'm left a little affected from your music recommendations, I really appreciate them.

Thank you for your advice and support, friend. I'll see you around.

Smutsik,

What did your heart rate get up to and for how long?

I ask because I can exercise for a decent while as long as my heart rate doesn't get up into the higher aerobic range for extended periods without experiencing any anxious symptoms.

Bud

I hadn't bought a heart rate monitor when I posted this thread, but I suppose the anxiety could have elevated it to pretty high when walking. I think it's mostly the fear of doing something that will set me back that triggers the anxiety.

I'll do the Buffalo protocol test tonight, and if all goes well I should have a sturdy indicator of what my body can actually handle (unless the anxiety caps my performance and introduces symptoms earlier, of course). Then I should be able to feel more comfortable in exercising below the threshold I come up with.

Did you do the Buffalo protocol thing?

I don't think one can self-administer a Buffalo Protocol test accurately, especially if one is experiencing problems with anxiety. The usual threshold for exertion is based on headaches and dizziness, not a sense of fatigue.

I think everybody should have a home blood pressure system, either wrist or upper arm style. They are only $30 to $40 US. A PulseOx finger tip monitor can also be useful to check just pulse, without BP. Learning to relax to lower pulse and BP is an important skill, especially with PCS and anxiety.