Effect of Melatonin Plus Zinc Supplementation on Fatigue Perception in ME/CFS: A Randomized, Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled Trial,2021,Castro-Marrero

I find that these complicated tasks do become a challenge and I need to build myself up to do them, particularly when you have to sacrifice a larger quantity of smaller easier tasks that would make you feel more productive. In part its about feeling rewarded for the juggling that you have to do. I also wouldn’t call it will power, just a normal reaction to having more stuff to do than you can manage without crashing. It’s natural to only choose enjoyable things to do if you know they will make you crash. I don’t think this is about motivation or will power (these are psychologically contrived terms anyway) ...it’s more about practical priorities.

I guess I can be overwhelmed more frequently when all I really do is cognitive stuff and being overwhelmed with the enormity of the task ahead is different for us in terms of scale as you mention. This is something I encounter at work all the time (unrealistic deadlines etc). I need more thinking time for some tasks and often this is in part to work out how to break it up to be productive. Stopping and starting a task can be unproductive if you have to repeat steps to remember where you left off etc. (My short term memory and recall is still shocking).

I actually find physical tasks simpler to manage since heart rate is easier to track than cognitive load. Perhaps I’m kidding myself and all I a, doing is enjoying the change from work?

 

Why are you diagnosed with ME then? Muscle problems are literally in the name and in every definition as well.

 

I fit the Canadian and International criteria for ME. I did have neuropathic pains (still do when ME is worse). I definitely had PEM. My ME might be non-standard, but I've read other people's replies about not having physical limitations, so I'm not the only one. Muscle problems might be a common downstream effect of ME, but it's not the core problem.