Stress

A few days ago I asked some of our Facebook groups how they see the difference between tiredness and fatigue.  I have to say that the feedback was so fascinating that I felt that it was worth running a blog to share with you the results.

You can read more of our blogs about fatigue here https://patienttalk.org/?p=239

We should also like to use this as an opportunity for you to share your experiences of fatigue with other readers.

I have to say that one of the commenters describing the experience gave me a profound insight into fatigue.  She describes it thus, “Fatigue, it feels as if I am buried up to my neck in wet cement. Everything is heavy, slow and exhausting. However, it is not only my body that is effected. Thoughts and speech become almost overwhelming obstacles to bear. This does not aid in helping us communicate our unseen burdens to those in our lives. We face a new “normal”, I can not even remember what it feels like to wake up feeling “refreshed”.”  In a similar vein another commenter  mentioned: “ Tired you can still get on with things, fatigue like being weighed down with a concrete slab…hope that makes sense”.

Other commenters offered insight not just into how they felt but also how they felt they were seen by friends and family.  Some examples of comments include:-

• “Fatigue: You feel like you are trying to run under water with weights on your arms and legs, and your mind feels like the plug has been pulled out of your brain as it begins to drain. Tired: You could use a nap, or just a rest, until you perk back up.”
• “Fatigue is always with you it makes you feel you have no energy even after a nights sleep. You have to pace yourself. Being tired is when you have had a full day doing whatever and you are ready for bed in the evening. And you wake refreshed the next day.”
• “Ephedrine, caffeine, energy drinks can’t shake fatigue… Its having so much to do and having every intention to do it and no strength to get it done. Often called excuses and laziness despite your best intentions… I think I could deal with the headaches if the fatigue was gone. I feel like my brain is slowed down. You feel like you’re working so hard but its a snails pace compared to others.”
• “Best word of advice ever came 2 days after my dx from a friend who had MS for the last 25 years. Tired means you can go take a nap and feel better, fatigue means that between sitting there and peeing your pants or taking the 12 steps required to make it to the bathroom, option A does not sound all that bad.”
• “Imagine the most tired you have ever felt that point of complete exhaustion…..ok then multiply it by 7 maybe a bit more maybe a bit less. It stops you in your tracks, you cannot physically move, you’re unable to communicate as you’re mouth won’t open to tell someone how you’re feeling. You’re at work the day has finished your colleague states they are tired so will probably be having an early night. You say yes me too, ok see you 2moro, you have to wait around because you’re too fatigued to move to get to your car. You rest for a while then manage to get to your car but then need another rest before you can drive, you may have to stop half way home and rest again, then when you arrive home you have to rest before you can get out the car and get to the door……..oh and then the stairs!!! Lost count of how many times I’ve thought maybe I’ll just sit on the bottom step for a while til I’ve mustered up the energy to get to the top……oh my that sofa looks inviting but I’m hungry but I’m too fatigued to cook or try to eat it either……….yes just a slight difference between feeling tired and fatigued

So what do you think?  It would be great if you could share a few of your thoughts about living your life with chronic fatigue.   To help frame your views you might want to think about the following questions.

1) What is the main cause of your fatigue?  How long have you suffered from chronic fatigue?

2) How would you describe the difference between tiredness and fatigue?

3) How has fatigue affected your lifestyle?

4) How do you try and deal with fatigue in terms of treatments and lifestyles?

5) If you had once piece of advice to give to another person with fatigue what would it be?

Please feel free to use the comments box below to add your thoughts.  The questions are, of course, only a guide to your responses – so do add anything you think may be of interest or value to other readers.

Many thanks in advance.