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MrMacPhisto
Veteran
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Joined: 20 May 2007
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,187
Location: Chatham

09 Jun 2018, 12:47 am

Twice a week I have to help my mother do her shopping. But I am finding this very tiring now. All I need to do is take her there and back and carry the heavy bags. Whilst she is shopping I can sit in the supermarket cafe and get a drink. But I am noticing that doing this activity is making me feel fatigue. Is there any technique that can stop this. Bare in mind I also have high blood-pressure which I am currently taking meds for.



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Hummingbird
Hummingbird

Joined: 3 May 2018
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 18

09 Jun 2018, 4:06 am

You might not want to hear this, but especially because you said you have high blood pressure, you could spend that time taking a nice walk around the aisles of the store or outside the store in the sunshine. Alternate a brisk pace with a leisurely pace for variety. You might be invigorated. Some people's cognitive functioning improves with exercise so it could be a fatigue antidote as well. Maybe some B12 and D/K vitamin supplements if you're not already taking a good multivitamin.

Is it mainly THIS task or tasks that have certain things in common?
Do you have to take her twice a week? Why not just once? Can the one or two items that MUST be bought more than once per week be something you pick up by yourself quickly and drop off to her? If it's bread, bread freezes. Fruit can be put in the fridge. You could spend that time together if she's worried about less time with you. I'd feel absolutely spoiled if someone took me grocery shopping twice a week! How does one person eat that much?

Yes, sometimes I feel fatigued after errands too. It could be if it's something i don't like doing or something that has many steps to it and requires a lot of control or planning. There are the uncomfortable social and sensory aspects to it too like getting dressed decently, seeming polite if I'm cranky and the item isn't there, and the overwhelming aisles of crap and people, depending on the store.

I dislike leaving the house for errands most of the time. It's rare that I'm "in the mood" to do it, and I often use a delivery service like instacart, farmfresh, safeway delivery, google express, doordash, etc. Sometimes the pleasure of browsing or a stroll around certain shops is worth it to go out.

Maybe different times of day could be less fatiguing? Good luck.