64 thoughts on “What are the best ways of “Fighting Fatigue”? Come round to our latest discussion blog and share your fatigue story!”

1. Does nuvigil have to build up in your system? I used it a couple of times when I felt very fatigued but it was only spotty use and it only seemed to be working for a couple of hours. ~

2. I had brain, neck and spine MRIs and lesions on the brain, but not on my spine and neck. I had to have a lumbar puncture to get a final dx. I hope they can find out for sure for you! Maybe a new doctor would help?~

3. The migraines was the 1st thing my neuro prescribed for me. I’m taking 20 mg of elavil every night and it has not only helped my migraines, but helps me sleep a little better at night, too.~

4. I take an iron pill everyday. ~

5. Oh my gosh, before I was diagnosed, I kept wondering why I never wanted to do anything. I felt so lazy! And now there is finally an answer and it’s NOT because I’m lazy! I was so happy! My diagnosis was actually a relief. Now it’s other people who may think I’m lazy, but anyone who doesn’t know I have MS aren’t important enough in my life to worry about their opinion anyway! ~

6. I think that must be helping me as well. I’ve been on 50,000 mg of vitamin for a month now and the fatigue has lessened up. Of course I started eating better too.~

7. I have found that eating better and drinking lots of water puts the fatigue at bay for a while. Depending on how aggressive the fatigue is. My neurologist gave me a pill to take, but it didn’t really help. Plus taking my MS meds twice a day, migraine meds at night and all my vitamins in the morning, adding another pill was just unwelcomed.~

8. Judy could you let me know about that diet. to ramuvlnd@gmail.com ?

9. Something that does seem to ‘sometimes’ cure a bad fatigue spell for me is half a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in Milk. .It was only because I noticed a surprising lack of fatigue within a few hours after taking a little bit of that to settle a dodgy tummy that I tried taking some when I was only feeling the fatigue….the only trouble is that it doesn’t ‘always’ seem to work.

10. MY FATIGUE IS HOW HAVE STRONG SIEZE WITH PAIN ALL BODY, IMPACT FATIGUE IS MOST IMPORTANT BUT MY ACTIVITIS IS IN MORNING BUT I CANT MAKE AND MY IMAGEN IS BAD,MORE LESS TRATETMENT IS WITH AMANDANTINA 1MG FOR DAY AND TAKE 1000MG VIT.D AND VIT.B12 FOR THE PAIN, I DONT HAVE SUPPORT PROFESIONAL,ONLY MY DOCTOR NEUROLOGIC, I LOOKE WHEN SLPEED 8 HRS IN THE NIGHT AND 2 OR 1 HRS DUIRING TO DAY, AND STAY RELAX AFTER DAYS,,I RESIST MORE THE FATIGUE

11. golferjen I have been dx. over 10 yrs. I have had to lean to pace myself, shopping trip means next day doing nothing,I too take 4000mg of Vitamin D, does seem to help.but them I push myself more.Brain fog when I do,but have learned to live with it.

12. I was diagnosed in 2000.  Over the last year my fatigue has increased but especially over the last 6 mths.  My dr. checked my vitamin D and sure enough it had dropped extremely low.  He put me on a mega dose to raise my level and then tapered off.  My level then began to fall again and now I am on a moderate dose until further notice.  I did not think something like Vitamin D could make such a difference, but happily to my surprise, it did!  My fatigue is so much better.  I still have it to some degree, comes with the territory of having MS, but nothing like it was.  Thank goodness, because it is very difficult to keep up with my 6 & 9 year old girls.  Who would of thought, Vitamin D.

13. I really don’t like anyone who has MS or an form of disease calling themselves lazy!  For me fatigue is totally debilitating.  I do love a healthy diet and. Exercising..but when you can’t get out of bed that’s not possible.  I have tried semantics, Nuvigil made me shake….I’m on sidewall but it’s real hard to get here..So I’m going to work on something else..So thanks for all your comments

14. Iron anyone?

15. I was diagnosed with MS in Feb 2003, but who knows how long I may have had it.  Fatigue has been a problem for me for many years.  I feel like I am trying to walk through quick sand and/or that my legs and arms are full of concrete.  every movement is an effort and I have negative zero energy.  no amount of rest or sleeps gets me the strength.  just walking (or shuffling) across a room leaves me completely exhausted.  Being tired is just that, tired.  a little rest, a little sleep and you are refreshed. Nothing seems to refresh you from chronic fatigue, you learn to deal with it.  Brain fog seems to go hand in hand with my chronic fatigue.  I have no upper arm strength any more.  just typing this message has caused me to stop multiple times because my arms feel sooooo heavy from holding them out to type!!

    • SandyJenkinsWinn Odd ( or maybe not ) that you say “full of concrete”. I have used that exact same expression when explaining my symptoms, I “used” to be a pizza delivery driver, and would go so far as to pay someone else to take my run if it involved stairs, always complaining my legs felt like concrete. And would completely wear me out doing it. Needless to say, my symptoms continuelly got worse so I had to resign from my jobs. Neuro said can’t explain why I am having these symptoms, put me on several different meds to no avail.  Because I also suffer with severe migraines and bursitis in my knees can’t give me any pain killer stronger than 400mg ibuprophen, along with other meds, due to it will interfere with my brain, Really????? Come on there has got to be something that will help with all the pain and my neurological problems and Fatigue that won’t mess with my brain!!!!!
      I’m to the point now, where I really don’t care if there is a tomorrow or not, can’t handle this no more.

16. When the dr. Dx’d MS Lassitude i felt like i’d just won the lotto! I wasnt crazy & i wasnt lazy! This was a REAL medical condition. I take 200 mg of Provigil 2/3 times a day and it helps with the mental fatigue, lessens the physical fatigue.
    Best description between tired & fatigued is that with ‘tired’ its like a good workout & ld take a break & put myfeet up to feel better. With ‘fatigue’ its like my body feels like its made of cooked noodles stuck in pudding & maybe about a 4 hr nap will help. I had the fatigue a yr or so before the MS dx. I’ve learned that when feeling ‘sluggish’ & my head starts to spin, i have about 15 minutes to find a bed before i just nod off.

    • TheresaDawnWyland I’ve had fatigue for a little over 20 months now, I know exactly where you’re coming from with the 15 min rule, many times I’ve had to stop right in the middle of what I’m doing in order to lay down for a 4-6 hr nap. Then get up and try to continue what I was doing IF I could remember what I was doing, (brain fog real bad) only to have fatigue hit me again, feels like my body is just going to completely shut down, then it’s another 4-6 hr nap. I’ve had days where only able to stay awake long enough to go to restroom or get a small snack then back to bed. I take 1000mcg injection of vit. B once a month for life now and 650mg of iron a day. And I still fight fatigue.
        Even had one dr. tell me that fatigue was caused by my 2-3 migraines a week that i now have to live with. Really????? Give me a break…..

17. Day 13.  I don’t know what is going on.  MD. Dr. says see MS Dr..MS. Dr. says see MD. Dr…No longer have fever.  But Fatigue is a major factor.  No energy..None.  I am on an iron pill.  I have joint pain, wrists, ankles, hands numbness, feet numb an feel on fire.  He does not think it is MS.  Soreness on the back of my neck along spine.  I have had MS since June 01.  Im just burnt out trying to figure out what is going on.  Urine test is negative, no lupus, no mono…I just don’t know what to do….Linda

    • lkpetzoldt01 I hope you find something out. the nice thing is the doctors are not claiming that since they can’t figure it out you’re faking or delusional; a common tactic to salve their egos.

18. My Fatigue is due to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Fibromyalgia.  I was put on a dose of Provigil 500 mg/Day which did nothing for my fatigue or energy levels.  I had doctors telling me that I just allowed myself to get “Lazy” and my body adjusted to the “Laziness”—I just needed to fight through the Fatigue and “Force myself to do things”…I did as they said which led to more migraines; falling asleep standing up, sitting up, in the shower, driving, etc; more pain; more depression……In April 2013 I started taking Plexus Slim in hopes of losing weight…I noticed my CFS & Fibro Symptoms decreasing before I noticed weight loss…To date it is still doing wonders for me and my symptoms, as well as the weight loss…my quality of life is much better…I still have bad days but, they’re not “As Bad” or “As Often”….

19. I would second what others have said. The best defense against MS is offense. Carefully evaluating your nutrition and eating habits is a great start. Since the majority of the food supply has been either processed or canned, many of the nutrients that your body needs, or should I say craves, are non-existent. I always recommend organic, non-GMO sources, but if they’re not available, I would look in to whole food supplements that have been minimally processed and sourced. Quality B6,B12, magnesium, and turmeric supplements that have a high bioavailability will be your best friend. One step to allowing the nervous system to function better.

    • drbenhill YO TAMBIEN TENGO EM RR Y SI DESDE HACE 11 AÑOS TOMA B12 B6 Y PUES NO ME QUITA MUCHO EL DOLOR Q DIGAMOS MI ALIMENTACION POR 8 AÑOS FUE NATURISTA,,PERO TAMPOCO SE ME QUITO EL DOLOR,,,

    • RosiLaraLara drbenhill Lo que you hago en mi oficina es un poco diferente y evaluo el cuello de las personas. Muchas veces, un hueso en el cuello se ha ponido en un mal posicion. Este prohiba el sangre y los fluidos pasar en una manera normal. Hay bastante investigacion ahhorita que lo verifique. Es bien interesante.

20. I have RRMS and Hatchimotos and both cause extreme fatigue. I tried most of the wake up bills and also Ritalin Effexor and Amantidine. Nothing helped even 50% and the drugs cost lots. When I lost my privat health insurance and received Medicare and SSDI I could not afford these meds anymore. Through research I found Dr Terry Wahls . She has MS and beat it with diet and exercise. Her plan is extreme and not for everybody. After three years I am only on Gylenia and Synthroid and several natural supplements. IMy MRI showed no active lesions at this time. I no longer need a wheelchair or even my cane.  I still get fatigued days but only when I over did it. After 12 years of declining…..today I do yard work, all of my housework again and I even have energy for the grandkids. It took about 6 month on this diet and my family and friends commented on my improvements. My gait, no more loosing control off my legs and falling and my balance improved. My fatigue improved without meds. No more hang over feeling in the mornings. If I break my diet? Within a couple of days I start declining and feel the difference, the heavy feeling in my legs returns. The damage from all the relapses can not be reversed only improved. Seems like more doctors recommend diet and exercise as medicine.

    • UrsulaEHill Do those scarves and vests really help that much! Wow, I’m definitely getting a vest anyway. I suffer from the summer heat even indoors a lot of times, especially at night. Just went on the Tecfidera oral meds and other than the flushing feeling I get after about 20 to 30 minutes after taking it, I seem to be doing some better tolerating the heat. I just don’t spend a lot of time outdoors at once. If the vest could help me work in my flower bed and yard I would be so pleased. Thanks for the information. I too have Hatchimotos, as well.

    • kidd1974 UrsulaEHill Yes the vests work great. Also if you are very heat intolerant and have problems walking try to get on Ampyra it really helps your gait but also helps a lot with heat intolerance with a lot of patients.

    • Judy61 kidd1974 UrsulaEHill Thank you so much for the information. I will have to check those out. Best wishes and good health!!

21. I have MS and fatigue do to heat is a huge issue for me. I feel like I cannot breath and get nauseous, all of my physical symptoms show up (difficulty walking, tripping, mental confusion.)I use to be very active in the summer, hikes, bike riding, softball, fishing, swimming, canoeing. But now I can only go out for a few minutes at a time if it is warmer than about 77 degrees F. I have tries amantidine, and provigil (modonifil). I did not like either one. The amantidine did not help and the provigil made me feel too jumpy. It kept me one my feet but did not help the mental fatigue. The best thing I have found is the artic heat cooling vest. It allows me to stay out at least an hour at a time without symptoms. I also do youga to keep my muscle spasms at a minimum. Does anyone know anything better for heat?

    • Judy61 I have MS as well and the heat is my worst enemy. I have found that forcing myself to drink more water is a plus and also, for the mental fatigue…I found a B-12 supplement at Sam’s Club that you dissolve under the tongue and then swallow it. It has helped my mentality quite a bit especially my concentration and ability to finish things I start. This may be something you want to talk to your Dr about. My B-12 level is low and I was taking the injections; however, this supplement works quick and much better for me. I hope this helps you and I want one of those vest myself. Is it really worth the money to spend on one?

    • kidd1974 Judy61 I forgot to put in that I take all the vitamins…especially B-complex. It does make me nauseous so I plan on asking my dr if I can get a script for the shots. Do you get sick to you stomach with those that dissolve under your tongue?

    • Judy61 kidd1974 No, not at all and it’s 2500 mcg. It is a cherry flavor and where it dissolves it is not bad at all and doesn’t sit in you stomach to make you nauseous. I cannot take any of the other “yellow” b vitamins cause they cause me a lot of stomach issues. The shots just don’t seem to last long enough, maybe a couple of weeks. My dr was impressed with this supplement. Be worth a try I believe and very inexpensive compared to the other vitamins. You can get a twin pack for under $10.

    • kidd1974 Judy61 When my neuro said I was vit B def. she put me on 1000mcg by injection once a day for 5 days, then once a week for 5 weeks and now once a month for the rest of my life. I really don’t think it has helped with fatigue at all, I started trying the tabs that melt under ur tongue, 2500mcg, once a day, but usually forget to take them on daily basis, have noticed a small decline in my fatigue, but then again if I get stressed or overdo an activity fatigue will hit me real hard for the next 2-3 days.

    • Have your tried the Weil’s diet? I think I will go for it….but I really like my meat 🙁  It will be difficult for me.

    • Judy61 What exactly is that diet? Vegetarian? I like meat too! Let me know if you try it. I will research it and consider 🙂

    • kidd1974Judy61It’s not vegetarian but allows for seafood only and only x2/week. It’s very well known and works very well for most people. Some also go gluten free….that’s tough. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet

    • Judy61 kidd1974 Thanks!

    • Judy61 I have several cooling scarfs and put them in the freezer. I live in the South and love to do yard work.   I use a vest and a scarf around the neck and it allows me to spend up to an hour in the yard. At that point I need a break anyway and exchange my gear . I hope this helps. cooling scarfs are also good for headaches and nerve pain with MS.

22. I have cns hypersomnonia. I get tired all the time but I find if I exercises little or go outside in the fresh air the helps. Sometimes just moving around and getting a change of scenery helps me.

23. I would often be yawning throughout the day but not always feel fatigued, I asked my doctor about this and he told me that Sometimes yawning and day time fatigue is your body trying to tell you that you need water. Drink a couple large glasses of water and your yawning may stop. The reason for this he said was that when we yawn we are drawing in extra oxygen from the air, and we get a quick burst of oxygen from the water we drink too. The lack of oxygen is what causes the fatigue in this situation.

24. I have rheumatoid arthritis and type II diabetes. I also suffer from a depressive disorder and adult attention deficit disorder. I always feel really messed up when I write it all out like that but the truth is it is all being managed very well and I don’t feel too bad. I am tired a lot but found that if I make myself go outside once a day it helps. I go to the stores and walk around with the cart as my walker until I start to hurt too much. Getting some fresh air and some exercise seems to help me with the sleepiness. Stimulants don’t work for me because they effect me backwards. They slow me down instead of speed me up. I take concerta for my AADD. It forces my brain to use its natural junk folder instead of being hit by so much data that I cannot concentrate on one thing for very long. This was effecting my memory pretty badly and why I started to seek help. It is also part of my exhaustion. I was mentally tired because of my busy brain. Getting treatment helped me with being tired, helped my memory, and with my depression. My body still hurts like crazy but my mind is happier. I decided to bring this up because of those of you who said the wake up pills didn’t help. It could be you also suffer from AADD and the upper didn’t wake you up but actually contributed to being tired. Sugar or too many carbs make me tired too. I am very over weight because of not moving around much and med side effects. I do not take prednizone anymore unless I have to because I cannot walk, it has to be that bad. I started just making myself move over a year ago and it does help. I have a treadmill, but I am more likely to move if I leave the house. I also live in an upstairs apartment which forces me to do the stairs twice a day when I drive my son to and from school even though the bus picks up where we live. Maybe this will help you, I hope so.

25. I TOKE WAKE UP PILLS THEY DID NOT WORK TIRED  ALL TIME TRY TO STAY AWAKE BUT SOMETIMES I JUST CAN’T I TOLD MY DOC BUT HE WON’T GIVE ME NOTHING FOR IT NOW NOR THE PAIN I GOT IM IN HELL

    • LauraSmith1 Couple things that might help. First is easy – magnesium supplement!! 250 mg twice a day really helps a lot of people.
      IF that doesn’t work, I take a drug called Amantadine. Between the two, I am rarely tired anymore – I finally feel like I have my life back!

26. I get through fatigue with bloody-minded stubbornness! I usually take a painkiller with caffeine in as my fatigue is related to chronic pain, but it’s not always effective.

27. i’m so tired like LL THE TIME I TELL MY DOC BUT HE GAVE ME THESE WAKE UP PILLS THEY DID NOT WORK AND NOW NOT TAKING ANYTHING  SLEEP ALL THE TIME NOW WHAT

28. I have had MS 8 yrs mine comes and goes..I use to be so active managing  a convenience store working 90 hours a week then type 1 diabetes stepped into it with what i have gone thru with the diabetes they put me on disability..But now the fatigue is here more so being not as active,My legs hurt more then before so going out any where is something i can’t seem to do..but i do not take much of anything for fatigue i can not take the pills makes me sick..so what do you think i should do for fatigue??

    • veronica p I have MS too, same story. Try yoga for the leg pain it helps. If you do not like yoga do stretches every day. I also use the artic heat cooling vest available at articheat.com it really helps a lot on those hot days,. You will get wet but it is worth it. I always wear a tsirt under it than another over it if I am going out. If I am staying home just one shirt. I also take lots of vitamins includine a multi, vita D3, vita C, Mg, Ca, B complex, and fish oil. I also could not do the meds for fatigue. Good luck!

29. My fatigue comes and goes depending on how much sleep I obtain the night before, or how much stress I’m under.. Its usually worse when my MS Symptoms are mostly under control (Weird, right?!) I take Nuvigil which gives me a little kick.. it works in your hypothalamus and doesn’t speed my heart rate up or make you gittery like energy drinks do. 
    It stops me from going to a restaurant/bar with friends, going to the gym, shopping or doing any outdoor activities during or after work. 
    If you just started suffering from Fatigue, go see your Neurologist ASAP, and get on something.. it may help.. Or change your diet, but starting off slow with something like Nuvigil will help. 🙂

    • FSUreed why does nuvigil stop you from going places,bars restaurants?

    • AngieGonzales FSUreed have you tried to help your insomnia with behavioral therapy. It works for me some, but I have to keep going thru the process every 2-3 mos to keep sleeping ok. MJ is legal in MI so I use that sometimes to help me sleep.

30. Wecan CURE ourselves.  We don’t have a healthcare system we have an illness managment system, if you want to stay sick,,,you can.   or not,   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwgFm0SY4zw

31. with me it is the lingering, perhaps permanent, result of untreated black mold illness heaped on top of poor kidney and liver function. Having been refused treatment or tests when I went to the hospital (Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center in Houston; avoid it like the plague; it has a corporate culture of EXTREME abuse and coverup toward anyone it identifies as “mentally ill” in my case solely because I was talking fast and couldn’t sleep at night, despite the lack of sleep being from respiratory distress from the mold), and having called a lawyer about that, my celphone was “jammed” and I was assaulted, arrested, and spent 80 days in the Harris County Jail with its sick building syndrome, getting reinfected with no medical treatment. Given the fact that my experiences of them specifically as an autistic (not just in this instance; again and again) have caused me to conclude I’d rather die peacefully than have any dealings with medical personel, no matter how badly sick or injured I ever am I have no idea what, if anything they could do for me if they cared. Since then I wear out after only a few hours, and often take days to recover if I push it beyond that. People insist excercise would help me, but I typically get plenty, and it really doesn’t.

    • ThomasRaphaelHyle I am right there with you ~ I would rather die peacefully at home than under a pile of bills for services that did nothing to help me recover. I think that mold might be part of my problem but can not get it tested. I wish you well… figuratively and literally.

    • DianeGrieb ThomasRaphaelHyle thanks

32. progressive MS presenting in a 50 year old male.  Booooo! MS SUX.  fatigue for me, doesn’t go away, I develop new symptoms and change my diet, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”― http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/248774.Hippocrates    diet is EVERYTHING and I take the essential oil of cannabis for pain. I am a Canadian federal cannabis patient. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQTiIltWtdg   I am disolving the plaque spots in my brain, the doctors say that’s impossible I say, look at the mri and you count for yourself.

    • JeffNemeth oil of cannabis, do you rub it in or do you ingest it?

    • Judy61 JeffNemeth  1 lb of quality cannabis flower or ‘buds’ (indica is best) makes 1 ounce of essential oil. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIaA6N9dELY   this is the only food safe method to make the oil.  You build up dosage starting with an amount the size of a grain of rice before bed then 3x per day.  You can vary the times you take it, some like to take it before bed because it helps sleep and some like the relaxed euphoric feeling.  You ingest or eat the oil as you feel need. Tolerance should go up to taking 1/2 gram per day for 60 days was recommended to me.

33. With my Ms. I seem too go in spurts. I am so tired an fatigued at times that I can hardly get out of bed. When I do. I’m up for an hour or so then am so tired and sore I have to go back to bed. I do this several times in a day because I can hardly keep my eyes oped when I’m up. I find that my shots of bit. B 12 Help for a few days but wear off quickly. I let it run its course then I’m ok again for a few months.

34. I have fibro, cf, chronic migraines and arthritis in my left hip. I was fired from my last job (I worked for 39 years and had NEVER even been reprimanded, much less fired!) bc I had to come in late too many times mi certainly don’t blame them either! It was when I realized that I wouldn’t hire myself that I applied for disability. After a 2 year process, I was finally approved.
    I can remember back in 1994 when my fibromyalgia was finally diagnosed that I felt such a sense of relief. I wasn’t crazy. I wasn’t lazy. I wasn’t a hypochondriac!! Which is what all…and I mean ALL… of my family and friends thought.
    Now I lie down to rest every day. Some days I sleep and some days I don’t but I give my body that rest time. Like dev71 wrote, if I know I have an outing planned, I also know that my body will pay the price. Some things are worth the price and, quite frankly, some things just aren’t. I have a relatively new Dr who’s treating my migraines with Botox (GREAT results!) but he’s told me that getting a good nights sleep is IMPERATIVE!! He’s changed my sleeping meds but I still have many nights with little sleep. My hobby is machine embroidery and sewing so when I simply canNOT go back to sleep, I get up and stitch. Seems like these nights come in cycles, then for a week or 2 I’ll sleep pretty well. One thing that has definitely helped is that I sleep in a separate room from my snoring husband now. And I listen to quiet hymns (and other music) to relax me all night. My hubby can’t sleep WITH music or TV and I can’t sleep withOUT them.
    My best suggestions are: find a Dr who really LISTENS and them is willing to work with you to find a solution. (unfortunately they’re few and far between!). Have a plan for when you can’t sleep, i.e., reading, writing, sewing, etc. Get the rest during the day that you’re unable to get at night. Do NOT let family or friends make you feel ‘less than’ bc of your illness!!!!!!!

35. I have pretty bad fatigue due to MS.  I take two drugs to help with it, Provigil and Amantadine.  They do help for a few hours, however I still have issues.  The biggest help for me has just been planning.  Realzing that I will need to rest and lay down if I do so much activity.  Knowing there is a price to pay for any activity I do, wether it being trying to do laundry or even trying to hang out with friends.  I know there will always be a price to pay to my body and I try to plan for it.  and sometimes caffiene pills are nice.

    • dev71 I forgot to put planning in my blurb, but you are right planning is very important. And there is always a price to pay, so you have to weigh the consequences when you choose to do something. Unfortunately I couldn’t handle the drugs.

    • dev71 I don’t have a dx of MS yet I have 19+ symptoms, one of biggest problamatic is fatigue, drs have pretty much pushed that aside instead of trying to resolve the problem. Had one dr tell me I was tired because I was having migraines (2-4 a week ) and to take 2grams of tylenol a day. Really???? Give me a break..I follow what my body tells me, if I have an activity planned for in the afternoon I will take a 2-3hr nap in the morning, and then another  2-3hrs nap after activity. Most times that works for me, but not all the time. There have been days where I would get up in morning drink a cup of coffee and return to bed for another 6hrs, wake up eat a sandwich, back to bed, another 6hrs wake up eat another sandwich, ( because I don’t have energy or strength to cook) and then bed for the nite. I hate those days .  Yes heavy price to pay to have fatigue, have lost most all my friends due to it. But I manage to keep my spirits up, and do get out and about when  my body allows me to.

36. I have fatigue as a result of my Rheumatoid Arthritis. Looking back on the progression of things, the fatigue was really the first indicator that there was a problem. I was a teacher, so I had been used to living on 4 hours of sleep a night, getting up at 5:30AM and getting ready to be at school before my students to open the classroom and prepare for them. I was usually at school until at least 3:30PM, or on after school days until 5:00PM. By the time I got home, and finished my day, it was usually midnight or later before I got to bed, and I would fall alseep right away. When the fatigue started, I increasingly had problems getting up and getting ready fro work. I would be late. People accused me of sleeping all the time and being lazy. I could no longer wake up with the alarm clock. A family member would have to wake me, and would have an extremely difficult time getting me awake. It wasn’t only on work days, but also on days off if I slept up to 10 hours, I would still be extremely difficult to wake up. It was like having the flu all the time, when all you want to do is sleep. Usually, once I got up and got going, I wouldn’t be tired for the rest of the day, but the whole thing would start all over the next day. 
    All of the other symptoms of my RA have improved with treatment. I rarely have pain, and no more joint damage since I have been on medication for RA, but the fatigue does not go away. My Nurse Practitioner told me the fatigue is one thing they have not figured out how to treat. I have found my Nurse Practitioner to be very supportive of my fatigue issues, but my rheumatoloigist; not so much.
    My advice to someone who has just started to suffer from fatigue is to get medical advice right away. Do not wait! If you are having difficulty getting up in the morning, even after 8 hours of sleep, there is a problem. You are not being lazy, and do not let people get away with telling you that you are. People who have not experienced it do not understand, but do not let them judge you. They do not define who you are, so do not give them that power. Seek medical treatment. Be tested for auto-immune diseases. Do get 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night. Best of luck to you!

37. Dx Fibro&CF & Hashimotos Thyroid 20+ years ago. First it was “just” mind racing, couldn’t fall asleep/stay asleep, so I kept pad & pen at bedside. I found writing down racing thoughts sometimes helped to let it go & fall asleep. Later, fatigue worsened. I did a sleep study & dx sleep apnea. A CPAP machine now helps me sleep through the night.
    I was still falling asleep during the day & just recently began testing my blood sugar levels because I became pre-diabetic. I found that the things I was eating early in the day allowed my sugar levels to go really high! In essence putting me into a sugar “coma” for two hours a day, & even if I didn’t fall asleep, I was still so drowsy I couldn’t function enough to do anything. And even tho I told Drs. for years about this, neither them nor I connected the falling asleep with what I was eating.
    I still have other issues, ie., fibro fog, and depression, medicine side effects, etc. but I hope I helped someone with this info.