With any form of Chronic illness, and particularly with conditions like fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, it is hard to keep within the boundaries of a very limited energy supply at the best of times. A quiet weekend at home for most people can still be an effort for a chronic-lifer so what about when something special comes along? A wedding, an important work event, a special celebration, or just something super awesome.

Well, here’s the thing. Truly participating in special events and social occasions will always exceed the energy restrictions of spoonie-dom and it becomes a trade off between the payback; the flare afterwards and the time to recover, and the overall personal benefit of taking part.

Choosing when to overdo things is not easy but here are a few tricks I’ve found help me in deciding whether or not to take the plunge:

Do you have a choice? Sometimes you don’t and all you can do is try and prepare ahead and plan for recovery as best you can. A lot of the time there will be a choice and you need to decide whether its sensible to take part. And even if it isn’t and you desperately want to, then maybe you should anyway. You know what the consquences will be and if that isn’t enough to put you off then maybe the right thing to do is do it anyway. Its kind of a “just because you could, doesn’t necessarily mean you should” situation.

Sometimes you don’t and all you can do is try and prepare ahead and plan for recovery as best you can. A lot of the time there will be a choice and you need to decide whether its sensible to take part. And even if it isn’t and you desperately want to, then maybe you should anyway. You know what the consquences will be and if that isn’t enough to put you off then maybe the right thing to do is do it anyway. Its kind of a “just because you could, doesn’t necessarily mean you should” situation. Can you plan for extra rest in advance? So choice or not you’re going to have to plan ahead to give yourself the best chance of being well enough to participate. Rest is just as important before as it is after. Eat and drink well, don’t neglect yourself and be kind to your body.

So choice or not you’re going to have to plan ahead to give yourself the best chance of being well enough to participate. Rest is just as important before as it is after. Eat and drink well, don’t neglect yourself and be kind to your body. Do you have time for recovery after? So your body will most likely enforce this on you anyway, whether the day after or three days after (cheers PEM*). Don’t fight it. Give in and let yourself rest. You may have to postpone other plans, and some tasks might not get done for a few days. That’s ok. Your health is more important.

Exit plans? So, you’re definitely going to get involved but there are some logistical considerations that might help reduce the payback you face afterwards. Plan in case you need an early exit if you start to feel bad, and don’t be afraid to use them.

So, you’re definitely going to get involved but there are some logistical considerations that might help reduce the payback you face afterwards. Plan in case you need an early exit if you start to feel bad, and don’t be afraid to use them. Coping strategies? Think about how you can manage your energy too. Maybe you can sit somewhere quiet to recover a bit, get outside and breathe some fresh air. Take pain relief and any other accessories that help; TENs, heat patches, anything that helps keep things bearable. And tell some trusted friends who will be with you if you’re struggling.

Think about how you can manage your energy too. Maybe you can sit somewhere quiet to recover a bit, get outside and breathe some fresh air. Take pain relief and any other accessories that help; TENs, heat patches, anything that helps keep things bearable. And tell some trusted friends who will be with you if you’re struggling. Savour the memories Most important of all, make the most of the occasion. Savour the memories, soak them all in and put them somewhere safe so you can call on them when you’re struggling later. No matter how bad the payback is, as long as you had the best time it won’t feel quite so bad.

* PEM – Post–exertional malaise (PEM) is one symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), but is itself more complex than a single symptom. Patients experience fatigue, pain, cognitive difficulties, sore throat, and/or swollen lymph nodes after physical or mental activity.

How do you decide when its worth overdoing things? What coping strategies would you use to make the most of a special event?

This post is also available at the following chronic blog link ups:

A life well red – http://alifewellred.com/cfl/

Chronic illness bloggers – http://www.fibrobloggerdirectory.com