Just a quick question. So I had optic neuritis that started 9 weeks ago. My sight is about 60% at the mo but hopefully it will improve. My worst ssymptom i have is fatigue. I literally cant stand it. I notice its always worse between about 2-4pm ish. Depends on the day, and level of activity etc. Is the fatigue bad because my eye is still not recovered yet?
I just want to know if other people get fatigue at the same time of day and how and what they do for it??
Been signed off work for a couple of months aswell as i just do not have the strength to work at the mo. I am starting my LDN soon so that shud help with fatigue apparently?
Yep - that’s me to a ‘T’! My worst symptom is pain, but its very closely followed by fatigue, and the times of mine is very similar to yours.
I find my first ‘slump’ is about 2pm straight after lunch - I can hardly keep my eyes open, so I just rest in the chair for a while.
My second ‘slump’ is about 4pm and this time I’m so drained I literally can’t sit upright, so I have to lie down - usually for about an hour. When I first lie down I feel like I’ll never move again - but after the hour I do come to life!
For me - the only answer is to lie down - completely stretched out on the bed. Nothing else helps, so I try to build this into every day.
Ive been so ill since Sunday but today MS gave me a little relife and allowed me to actualy do some chores and cook a meal.
I have come to realise if I get up in the morning at between 6-7 am with a headche I know I am in for a rough ride.
I got up Monday morning before 6 am.Headache from hell.my childs friend now calls for her in the mornings.By time they leave the house at 8-40 am to go to school the fatigue has hit me hard and I spend the day blacking out on the sofa,wake up unable to move,black out again and again.I do this until its bedtime at 10 pm.
I have also noticed that my hearing goes worse than usal.I am partialy deaf in the left ear but some noises can be heard,like I can hear a bus in the distance before anyone else.Yes very strange.Well everything feels loud and fuzzy and seems to hurt my head and ears.
Fatigue followed by pain is very common, I always have to pace myself and about 2 - 3 I have a power nap, this I find helps my eyes when they become blurry and I wake up feeling more refreshed. But fatigue is one of the most common complaints of ms.
Hope you even yourself out and listen to what your body is telling you it needs.
Really interesting responses thanks so mch! I feel like on a bad day i have to lie down at abut 2ish but i never sleep- sleeping in the day is rare for me! Some of u seem to suffer way worse than me though…i really feel for u.
Im lucky in that i dont get too much pain really…just a bit of lower back pain thats bout it.
Have any of u consiered LDN for fatigue? Its meant to really help apparently?!
Fatigue is the most commonly reported MS symptom. There are meds for it, but they don’t work for everyone. Similarly, LDN doesn’t work for everyone either. Arguably the most effective method for dealing with fatigue is to learn to prioritise, pace yourself, listen to your body but also to exercise (when the fatigue is not too bad). Fatigue is often worst during a relapse and some people find that as the relapse recovers, so to does the fatigue.
There are some booklets about fatigue available from here and the MS Trust website - you might get some tips from them.
Fatigue can be a major problem for some people with ms - it’s a case of trial and error to see what suits you best, taking your lifestyle into consideration as well as exercise, priorities and the various medications available for fatigue. It’s something I’m constantly battling with myself so it’s an ongoing learning curve for me too.
I’ve had terrible fatigue this week, it seems to come on whenever, even regardless of how much rest ive had or how little exercise ive done. tues i went for an interview out of town, knackered walking to the station but recovered once sat down then on the train, was on train for about 1hr all told, not really long enough to get stiff, i didn’t feel stiff,came out the station, all good, decided i would take the easier route (better road crossing), but it was up a massive hill haha, my legs were so painful once i reached the top! then after the interview i went to Boots to get some photo’s done, sat for 10 mins, exhausted and pain.thursday , my legs were wobbling just after a 10 min walk to work, it was a really muggy day and when i got home around 1pm, again after little exercise i was amazed i made it, my legs were so weak and i could have slept all afternoon, had a major lie in fri morning! The only thing ive found is to rest when you can, over-rest if possible, but if you are out and about and it hits, just laugh to yourself, i find myself thinking " come on legs,are you joking me? get me home, then you can crash!"
