Exercising after illness

[rubyslipperss]

Hi all , I wonder if anyone can give me any advice on the type of exercise to do whilst recovering from illness with Post viral fatigue. I'm seeing improvements in my energy very slowly and don't want to get to the chronic fatigue stage ( I've had PVF for 2 months already . ) the GP is worried about me becoming deconditioned and has suggested Pilates videos at home . I do have palpitations on exertion and waiting for results of cardiac tape which could take a while . ECG was normal and normally go to the gym 3 times a week , weights , swimming . Not incredibly fit but I've always kept myself in reasonable shape and consistent. I've started swimming again once a week once to add in some other exercise apart from walking ( I'm only managing 5000 steps daily ) .

Can anyone recommend anyone I can follow on YouTube to give me a reasonable daily exercise without being too strenuous? Thanks

I wonder if you can find a local in-person Pilates teacher? I know there are physiotherapists who specialise in Pilates for recovery - I should think after COVID, there’ll be people who specialise in post- viral recovery.

Good Pilates is best learnt in person with hands on corrections so you really get the correct alignment and your body learns and creates the correct muscle memories.

Editedto add: walking is medicine in my experience. It conditions your whole body and gets your lungs and heart working too. One way would be to gradually increase your steps - gently?

Thanks @YellowAsteroid for your reply. I hadn't thought about post recovery specialists, I'll have a look locally . I'm increasing my steps slowly but I have to be careful, I did 2 days of 8 k steps this week and on day 3 I couldn't do anything , delicate balance , but I do try and get out everyday for a walk .

I'd say 5,000 steps a day consistently, will take you slowly up to 6,000 steps a day consistently, and so on.

It's slow, slow work. I remember the 2 years it took me to recover from glandular fever. I was 3 weeks in bed, and could hardly walk for weeks. I then went to try to lift a winter canvas rug off my pony, and couldn't do it!

It could help to keep a record of your progress. Sometimes recovery is very dispiriting - but to see numbers climb, however slowly, can give you a boost.

Following as I'm in the same boat. I've been told not to do yoga or Pilates yet, only swimming and walking. And really not keen on swimming. Do you mind me asking what virus you've had, out of interest?

Yoga and swimming, you can't hurt yourself and can go at your own pace.

I had a bacterial infection actually not viral but the GP keeps calling it viral! - campylobacter- was in hospital for a short time , had IVs etc , it was horrible. I thought I was getting better and went back to normal then fatigue set it with gastro problems and palpitations/ high heart rate . At the same time, I also had a throat infection. EBV came up on my blood tests but as a past infection. I'm not sure if it can re-occur. The GP thinks it's all comes from my original infection.
How about you?

@YellowAsteroid wow two years how did you manage to get through it? Sometimes I feel like I want to push myself but then I get scared about what might happen if I do. I do love swimming and actually makes me feel better.