Hi, Sorry this has probably been posted about on numerous occasions but I’m just curious how fatigue affects everyone and how they cope? I tend to suffer from mild fatigue (I say mild because it’s nothing like what I have at the moment) most of the time but I tend to have a bit of a rest and then muddle through it. However, since Sunday I have slept a lot and have had to take time of work which I’m now worried about. My body feels heavy and aches, my head feels cloudy like a mist in a brain. I do get like this with the mild fatigue but this is so much worse, sleep and rest doesn’t appear to be doing much. When I wake up my body feels like it is buzzing (sorry no other way to describe it) and it takes a while to come round from the sleep. Is this normal.? How does everyone else cope? Thanks, Em
Hi Em
My fatigue has been hitting me hard recently. I think it’s because we’ve had a couple of warm days then the good old nature of British weather takes over.
I get like a heavy feeling in my lower legs, like someone is grasping on tight to them. It’s having an affect on my balance as well as I’ve felt a bit unsteady for about a week or so. Luckily, I’m seeing my MS Nurse on Friday, so I’m hoping she can shed some light on whether it is down to the weather, or the steroids from my last relapse having completely worn off.
Some days by about midday, it’s like what I imagine being shot with a horse tranquiliser feels like, and I could happily go back to bed for a couple of hours until I have to take my second lot of Amantadine.
The best way I cope is just to sit and do nothing until the heavy feeling feels like it has died down a bit. Just a few minutes time out can be the best thing to do. I know some say that exercise can help with fatigue, and an OT I saw about a year ago said to do short bursts of about 10 minutes, but some days, it’s easier said than done.
Hope this helps
Scott
Hi Em, Fatigue with MS varies so much with people. I find I get very unstable and have no choice but to sit down and within minutes I’m sound asleep, often sleeping for a couple of hours. Other times I sleep for about half a hour and ready to start again. My take on it is if your body is telling you to rest, then do just that. Janet x
Fatigue. Hrmmmmmmm.
When I was working I knew I was going to get very tired around 3pm and I would “power nap” at least that is what I called it. Now I’m retired I “sleep” in the afternoon for about an hour. Not sure if it does any good but i can’t help it and so I just follow my body’s natural demands. This is not laziness, it is fatigue.
I once worked all day and all night and into the next afternoon without sleep but was so exhausted I fell asleep for a very brief time on the grass when we were walking through the park. This was well before I was diagnosed but that episode compares with the feeling we MSers get when fatigue sets in.
Patrick
It is a difficult one Em, as it can affect people very differently. All I can add to the above comments is that if this is unusual for you, it may be worth having your urine checked for infection. Even a cold can increase my fatigue dramatically, but because I have cold/flu-like symptoms a lot of the time, I have to wait to see if my son becomes unwell, lol! ;-D
If it carries on, it may be worth asking your GP to test your B12, Iron and vit D levels and/or discussing fatigue meds with your neuro (Modafinil & Amantadine).
Mags 
x