Hi, I’ve jsut been reading the fatigue thread, and wonder if there is any medication to help ease it? My daughter spends her life totally shattered because of the fatigue. Bby the time she comes home from college she can do nothing but rest. She’s only 18 so she ought to be out having fun!
Any suggestions as to how she can ease it? I was wondering if there are any medications she could take?
Thanks for any suggestions.
V
Hi Vicky, Sorry I cannot help with fatigue meds as I don’t take them myself. But I think they do exist and I’m sure someone will be along to help soon. However, I just wondered how your daughter was doing? I’s she getting her head around her dx yet, at all? Teresa xx
There are two meds: amantadine and modafinil. Neither work for everyone though. Amantadine is easy to get, but modafinil can be hard to get for new patients. I found amantadine to help a bit in the beginning, but then it started to make me feel worse. Modafinil has been a godsend. However, it doesn’t do much for motor fatigue - it’s more about keeping me awake & alert mentally. That’s just me though - we are all different and I know that some people find neither med helps. You should have a read of the booklets on fatigue on here and on the MS Trust websites. I’m afraid there are no easy answers to fatigue though 
Karen x
Sorry predictive text changing is to i’s Teresa xx
Thank you for those replies - Karen, we have an appt to see the MS nurse at half term, so I can go armed with those ideas. Thank you.
Teresa, that’s lovely of you to remember my daughter. Sadly, no, she isn’t really getting her head round the diagnosis at the moment - we have lots of tears, lots of panicky moments. Luckily, college distracts her a lot, so that’s a big help, and I think the tearful moments are coming a bit less often. She still hasn’t started the CBT which I think will make a big difference. I looked in to having private sessions until the NHS therapist can start - but it apparently wouldn’t be helpful to switch therapists once she’s started - and it costs £50 a time, so it would very quickly mount up.
I think it is such a massive thing to take on board, knowing that she has a diagnosis that might have such huge implications for her future. I try to make her see the irony in being miserable now, when in fact she might never have her life impacted by it at all - but she doesn’t find that very helpfu! I think it’s still quite early in the path of acceptance for her, though - and it was sprung on her quite dramatically when she had no idea it was even a possibility, so she had the shock to contend with. A few years in limboland might have helped her maybe - but who knows, eh?
V
Thank you for those replies - Karen, we have an appt to see the MS nurse at half term, so I can go armed with those ideas. Thank you.
Teresa, that’s lovely of you to remember my daughter. Sadly, no, she isn’t really getting her head round the diagnosis at the moment - we have lots of tears, lots of panicky moments. Luckily, college distracts her a lot, so that’s a big help, and I think the tearful moments are coming a bit less often. She still hasn’t started the CBT which I think will make a big difference. I looked in to having private sessions until the NHS therapist can start - but it apparently wouldn’t be helpful to switch therapists once she’s started - and it costs £50 a time, so it would very quickly mount up.
I think it is such a massive thing to take on board, knowing that she has a diagnosis that might have such huge implications for her future. I try to make her see the irony in being miserable now, when in fact she might never have her life impacted by it at all - but she doesn’t find that very helpfu! I think it’s still quite early in the path of acceptance for her, though - and it was sprung on her quite dramatically when she had no idea it was even a possibility, so she had the shock to contend with. A few years in limboland might have helped her maybe - but who knows, eh?
V
Hi Vicky, It is a massive thing for q girl of her age to take on board. Lots of things like college and friends are great to try to distract her but I guess acceptance will help her to find the whole thing less scary. My niece is 8 and has a severe peanut allergy. She has recently been found to have a phobia to talking about it/dealing with it. She needs to see a psychiatrist to help her deal with it. My point is that the fear in a person’s head grows and grows until it becomes unbearable. Only talking about it reduces it down to manageable proportions. I know that is not easy but necessary I think. I am sure you know this anyway and I bet the CBT will really help. It doesn’t help when you really have to wait for treatment. When we are older I think it is much easier to cope with such things as this. Your daughter will get there though but I guess it may take a while. Can she be persuaded to talk to some of the young people on that part of the forum? They will know exactly how she feels! Please keep in touch with us as this is hard for all of you and hopefully we can help to allay some of your worries. If you really need to vent please do, all of us do to each other at some point. Thinking of you all, Teresa xx