As you've now come to realise, you can't go at the same pace anymore when it comes to your usual routine. This can be incredibly frustrating as well as disheartening, so how to solve this :?:

The best way is to use a task list, where you break down all your jobs at home, even work and study, into sections based on the length of time it takes to do them. For instance:

Start off with the jobs that take 10-15 minutes and list those and then the ones that take 30 minutes and so on until you have a complete list of tasks.

When you have a complete list, organise them into the ones that need doing daily and the ones that are say, every other day, once a week and so on. If you can delegate some of them, if you cann't then this is the next step;

Do the jobs that take you the longest, and make notes of how long you have managed on each task before you feel unwell. Do the same with the least time consuming tasks, again note how long it takes before you feel unwell. When you have a record of the jobs and how long you can manage each, that then becomes the guidelines for you work within. This means that you can then split these jobs into increments of time, and this is how you then manage to get things done at home.

Once you have a clear outline on your capabilities, it will make it a lot easier as well as make you more confident, because you now know that you are able to do the things you did before but in a more regimented and adapted way. You will now be aware of how much your body will let you do, and you can work within that.

For example, it might take you an hour to do some ironing but after 20 minutes, you are starting to feel unwell. So instead of doing an hour ironing, you do 20 minutes and then take a break. Give yourself at least half an hour to recover, and then do another 20 minutes. You're still doing the ironing, but instead of going at it full tilt, you've split it into 20 minute segments.

If you do this with all your housework, you may take longer to do it in, but the main point is that you ARE doing it.

It's a very similar process, but obviously work routines are not the same as doing the housework. Again though it is important through your working day, to make notes of how long you are managing to concentrate and focus. How long before you start to feel unwell, and what you were doing at the time.

The key thing to remember is that you are getting to know your limitations and strengths with IIH. Keeping a record of how long it takes you to do things, and how long you were doing a task before you lost concentration or developed headache, is going to be the key to you functioning as normally as possible. As you come to understand what your body can and cann't do and for how long, you can adapt your work/lifestyle to it. In the long run the more you come to know how much you CAN do, and the more you are using the changes you've made, it eventually becomes the norm for you. You gain confidence, you feel in control and most importantly you feel like you!

I learnt to use this method 20 years ago, it helped me to go back to college and refresh my qualifications, it helped me to get a full time job as well as running a home, and bringing up a daughter. If I didn't think it was a good method, I wouldn't be encouraging you to use it. Trust me it will help you have a better life with IIH