Over Training and Chronic Fatigue

I had glandular fever as a teenager and after an intensive weight loss program (75kg), three years back, I was diagnosed with CFS. I was put into a university rehab program for 6 months with all activities heart rate monitored closely.

Now, 18 monthe later, I am still no better. 🙁

howierart said:

Has anyone got any experience of the symptoms of over-training or Viral Fatigue? Does anyone have any tips on coping with this and building myself back up to a level of strength beyond gentle walking?

I did not experiment it myself, but I've seen it.

I think that your gp's diagnostic is a fair one.

What I would do if I was you, is to put all mid/long term training/racing goals aside for a while. Use training to rebuild yourself. That is, load (just a tinny bit at first), then unload/compensate. Then load (just a bit) then unload/compensate.

Never load before making sure you've compensate from previous workload. Don't overreach in other words.

In order to monitor the improvement, I'd repeat the same sets over and over, trying to log the improvement. Could be 2 sets on the trainer per week. And a third workout outdoor, low level when the weather permits.

You'll see, at one point things are going to improve at a rapid rate again. And the illness will be behind you.

howierart said:

Last winter I had Glandular fever and was off my bike for 3 months. As soon as I felt fit I started training and by Summer / early Autumn I was at the peak of my form. However about four weks ago my strength collapsed and I have been reduced to struggling to walk to the shop. I am told it is a "post viral fatigue" and it feels like my body has died or aged fifity years in a few days. My dotor tells me I overtrained after being ill and my immune system has been ruined and left vulnerable to all sorts of things. As soon as the weather has turned I have caught whatever virus's have been going around and I have basically been left physically wrecked - he called it a physical breakdown. He says it will pass, though I have to be careful not, by over exercise to make myself vulnerable to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) or the like. Apparently this typically attacks people who push them selves too hard physically.

Has anyone got any experience of the symptoms of over-training or Viral Fatigue? Does anyone have any tips on coping with this and building myself back up to a level of strength beyond gentle walking? Right now four weeks into this it scares me to think how long I will feel like this and when my body will start to feel strong again.

In the middle of high school I had major trouble with chronic fatigue and susceptibility to anything going around. I had to finish high school from home and for a while was very isolated b/c I was too tired to do much and would get sick when I tried. Eventually I found a very good homeopathic doctor in my area. He had a machine that used electrodes and pressure points to find out which areas of my body needed help. After lots of work taking different homeopathic and herbal medicines I finally reached a point where I could really start doing things. Cycling has been a big part of my recovery. I really needed stress relief to help keep me strong. I started out in 2002 biking 2.5 miles a few times a week. After those rides I would be completely exhausted, but I stuck with it. You really have to get in touch with what your body is telling you to figure out how much you can do. It takes a lot of trial and error. A few weeks ago I was able to complete a 30 mile event. And I will soon be starting training for a 100 mile event in March. It was a very frustrating journey. Many times I would reach a good point in my health only to do a little too much and get thrown back down and have to start at the bottom again. Don't give up!

With glandular fever it's very common for it to re-occur for sometime after initial infection - take the doctor's advice on this one !

Howierart, my middle name is Chronic Fatigue. I seem to get it every year around the fall for some reason - probably due to training too much in the summer months. All I want to do is sleep.

I think your doctor's recommendation is spot on. Compete rest is the only thing I've found that works. It's been since September 2nd since I've been on a bike or trainer and since June 28th since I lifted any weights. I'm finally getting the urge to workout again. The problem now is my ears are plugged up on and off so I probably have a slight cold. 😠

Just ask RIc Stern. He knows more than your doctor.

Doctor Morbius said:

Howierart, my middle name is Chronic Fatigue. I seem to get it every year around the fall for some reason - probably due to training too much in the summer months. All I want to do is sleep.

I think your doctor's recommendation is spot on. Compete rest is the only thing I've found that works. It's been since September 2nd since I've been on a bike or trainer and since June 28th since I lifted any weights. I'm finally getting the urge to workout again. The problem now is my ears are plugged up on and off so I probably have a slight cold. 😠

Dr. M, I was wondering lately how things have been going for you. Sorry to hear that you are still trying to overcome this issue.

benkoostra said:

Just ask RIc Stern. He knows more than your doctor.

Your right Ric knows more than your doctor. What you need is some long hard intervals 4 days a week, and the other 3 days some hill repeats. If you aren't continuously pushing at least 300 watts, you'll need some electric shock therapy. Don't be taken Thanksgiving or Xmas either!!

Don't neglect the emotional aspects of this syndrome. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;63(11):1258-1266 and TJ Psychosom Res. 2006 Jun;60(6):567-73 are very interesting population studies on CFS. I always like population studies as opposed to studies done in specialty clinics, under the premise that if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Basically, even though your bout was brought on by an actual physical illness, CFS is strongly linked in the general population with escape/avoiding behaviors and a history of trauma, usually childhood. At the risk of stating the obvious, many endurance athletes use their training as both coping and escape mechanisms. In many ways it is a much more constructive way to deal with underlying depression than alchohol, drugs, or overeating. But if it is just coping and the underlying issues are never addressed, you will be prone to very deep and profound bouts of depression during periods of inactivity. In your case, a significant physical illness took away what could be your principle coping mechanism, and it is natural you would feel depressed. This can cause a vicious cycle of fatigue and depression followed by a susceptibility to various opportunistic infections, which in turn compounds the cycle. Throw in a course of overtraining while recovering from a physical illness and you are a sitting duck for this type of recurring problem. At the risk of stating the equally obvious, internet chat rooms are also a mechanism folks use to both cope and escape, again a constructive outlet (you're surfing cycling sites not sitting looking at [censored] sites) but does not address the underlying issues.

I have found that folks who recover from CFS, i.e. have the best prognosis, treat both the physical and emotional aspects/triggers to this syndrome. Do a pub med search on CFS because there is a lot of great research going on.

I have MS, which can cause crushing fatigue. I use L-carnitine for it, which seems to work very well. I can tell it does, becuase if I run out, the fatigue starts to return after a 3 or 4 days.

Maybe you could try something like that? It might help.

Thanks for everyone's comments - I did not know it was as common as it appears to be. I was even in a discussion with someone today who knew a cyclist who ruined their health for a year by overdoing it after illness. I think my problem / the problem for most cyclists is that we normalise what for most people would be serious over-exercise. If a freind of mine spent as many hours in the gym as I do on my bike I might be concerned for them. I also find especially resonant the idea of cycling and exercise as a theraputic crutch leading to depression when one is unable to ride. I find that I almost define myself completely by physical exercise and am almost losing a sense of self now the potential is withdrawn. As for my recovery I feel like time has stood still and am only glad it has come in Winter. Does anyone have tips on diet or suppliments I could take to build up my immune system? Also does anyone have any idea how to prevent this in future, I mean I know I wil want to train at the edge of my ability again, but what are the warning signs that one could burn out?

Take turmeric capsules. It's a powerful antioxident, and will lower your cholesterol. The more the better. Do try L-carnitine too. It really helps with alertness and energy.
Man, I know what it means to define yourself completely as one thing and have the bottom fall out. It's very hard, but you're much more than your speed on the bike, or your VO2 or whatever.

Just going to bump this post with this reply because these problems are ongoing and I still fear I might have something else wrong with me after 7 weeks of crawling with difficulty through basic life. Blood tests have revealed nothing and the only current outward sign is enourmous black bags under my eyes even though I'm sleeping 9 or ten hours and not exercising at all. Thank god it is winter, If this happened in summer I dont think I could begin to take it.

Still no sign of any improvment in my health looks like it is going to be at least a year off the bike. If anyone has any more thoughts / ideas or updates please reply or message me.

How is your appetite? Its probably a red herring, but who knows.

My appetite has been fine all the way through, but now my doctor is talking about M.E and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - really scary stuff for an endurance athelete...

CFS is usually a diagnosis of exclusion. In other words, all organic explanations for the ongoing symptoms have been exhausted. I would get a good workup from a neurologist and, if it is negative, seek treatment with a pysychiatrist who has exerience treating well conditioned athletes. Again, most of the literature suggests a very strong emotional component to this syndrome (I already provided some cites). I am not suggesting you are crazy, but most medical based psychiatry accepts that chemical imbalances can cause profound effects on mood and energy levels. Certain antidepressants can help adjust this balance. It can be a viscous cycle. The chemical balance causes fatigue, which affects your typical coping mechanism which may be exercise (which increases endorphins, etc), and depression compounds physical symptoms and fatigue. Good luck.

howierart said:

Still no sign of any improvment in my health looks like it is going to be at least a year off the bike. If anyone has any more thoughts / ideas or updates please reply or message me.

I'm sorry this happened to you. It has been nearly a year since you first posted about your condition. How are you feeling? Were you able to recover from this? Is so, how long did it take you? Did you ever get a solid diagnosis on your condition? Were you able to fully recover?

I'm 2.5 months into a deeply fatigued state and I'm loosing my mind.

howierart said:

Still no sign of any improvment in my health looks like it is going to be at least a year off the bike. If anyone has any more thoughts / ideas or updates please reply or message me.

I'll add something to this discussion. I too have suffered from this for 2 winters. Winter is the key. I don't get sick when it's warm or even scorching hot. For me, I had been dealing with CFS and a large bacterial lung infection that was aggravated by the cold. This only showed up on an X-ray.

I am one of those people who also define themselves buy the amount of self induced, high energy exercise. It's the addiction to endorfins or something? But I will tell you low levels of excercise for enjoyment only, mixed with a healthy diet has brought me back to life. I also am starting to recognize the onset signals of overtraining and will back off and let my body rest. I have learned to enjoy and achieve the high of high intensity exercise, but I also make sure I rest in between. It's like meditating, it takes a lot of slow, careful attention to the body and the mind. Your CFS retreats when you recognize the triggers and don't stress to much about it.🙂