Fighting Fatigue

[Ojibajo]

What in the heck can you do about fatigue? I am still going through testing so I don't have a formal diagnosis yet but my biggest issue is fatigue. If my husband and son call me lazy one more time I just may muster up enough strength to slap the crap out of both of them! My son is 8 so he just repeats whatever my husband says. I CAN'T take this fatigue anymore! Why can't they understand I have a to do list longer than Santa's Christmas list and I would LOVE to get even a few things done, but between the extreme fatigue and fighting migraines it all seems next to impossible. My house is a mess, and completely disorganized and I feel like a complete failure. It used to be that I didn't have enough time. Now when I get home from work I almost immediately fall asleep.

I keep trying to WILL myself to make it happen but it just isn't working? Occasionally I will have a day when I feel pretty decent but those days are few and far between. Honestly I can handle the weird things going on with my leg and my arm. While I don't like them, I have had them for so long, I just sort of got used to it. I CAN'T take the fatigue. I can't talk to my PCP because he will tell me that I'm depressed. Well I am NOW, because I can't get anything done! I don't have another neuro appt until the end of the month and I don't think she will do anything yet without an official diagnosis.

Are there any herbs or anything that I can try? I am really desperate!


Amy

P.S.

I am so sorry for sounding like such a big crybaby. I know that many on here have it so much worse than I do.

[tremors10]

Amy - I completely understand what you mean. I've lived in my house for six months and still haven't unpacked some boxes or hung a single picture. I am not a lazy person and used to be very focused on getting things done. Now, I have to psych myself up to move around. It has had a severe effect on my social life because I never want to go anywhere. Driving is stressful because of my vision and tremor problems.

Hang in there - the worst is being in diagnosis limbo. I am there too...my neurologist asked me if I was an agoraphobe (person afraid to go outside) just because I told them that I was too tired to do anything.

I live alone am very sorry that your family is not more understanding. I hope things get better for you.

[cainer]

yeh that fatigue is bad, i take american ginseng, it helps -try to pace yourself through out the day. that  helps too!  tick   oh  and vit-d3  helped me alot-

[jensequitur]

Hey, I talked to my neuro about fatigue, and she recommended an over-the-counter supplement: acetyl-L-carnitine.  I've been taking it for a couple of months now, and I do feel a little more energetic.  It's not the ultimate cure-all.  I still have to be careful not to do too much.

She also mentioned amantadine.  Amantadine was originally an anti-viral, given to people who had the flu.  It helps improve muscle control and reduces muscle stiffness for both MSers and Parkinson's sufferers.  I may opt for that as well when I see her again.

But acetyl-L-carnitine is something you can get over the counter.

[Ufrustrated2]

a lot of very good information given here.

being in diagnosis limboland just makes the fatigue harder to deal with as you don't know its cause ... yet. and your pcp is tossing you into the pre-dx mental black hole most everyone on this forum can relate to

so now you have the psych and physical elements of this harsh fatigue draining you.

just by getting a few seeds planted from the help/advice from this forum will begin to take root and help a little. it will take some practice though, which is ok.

i hope your doctors find the root to your medical symptoms soon and help alleviate some of this frustration. almost all here can empathize.

hang in there

[coach291]

I have been taking nuvigal for three months now. It is a miracle drug for me. I suffered from awful fatigue before this. It helps me get through the day now. It makes the fatigue somewhat tolerable. It is an expensive drug but my insurance covers alot of it and my nero gave me a card from a  drug rep that made it even cheaper(free after insurance)

[Sumanadevii]

You can't fight fatigue.  You must join it.  Fighting it takes energy and that is less energy for YOU!!!  Call a family meeting.  Have your son serve Oreo's and milk for everyone.  Be honest with how you are feeling and what you need.  You need rest when you come home.  Period.  Not to be questioned.  Now what do we do as a family to help?  Maybe one night your son prepares sandwiches?  One night your husband cooks?  Maybe a Saturday as a family prepare meals to freeze?

Housework.  Get a contract out on the table.  Ask each of them which room they will take for a week.  Yes, at eight your son can clean a kitchen.  Yes, believe it or not your husband can clean a bathroom.  As a family what chores can be done in two hours working TOGETHER Friday night or Saturday while the cooking of meals is taking place?....I can tell you this, most!!!!!  If they are willing and get moving!  

Also, we had (and I didn't have MS when I had young children) a nightly "ten minute" put away.  I called the time and started a clock.  During that period, I could diret so and so to put this back here or there and I ran too.  You would be surprised how the clutter disappears with everyone doing that for just ten minutes in the evening.  Sounds too simple but watch and see........Your husband may decide to pitch in when he sees the tension going down because you feel better.

I wish you the best.  I always feel for young mothers fighting this MonSter.  However, I am a firm believer in those family meetings...especially serving a favorite snack.  It seems to put everyone in the mood to listen and I always found help and understanding...but those meetings have to be called weekly for updates as other family members may have needs not being met that have to be addressed.

Thinking of you...Hoping some of our suggestions are of help.

[Ojibajo]

I was on Concerta which is a form a Ritalin once before and it made me feel like a space cadet. I already have cognitive problems, so I don't want to go down that path again. On one hand I don't want this live altering diagnosis but on the other had if I had one at least I would have some sort of explanation.

I am trying to do whatever I can to simplify my life so that I just have less to do. Eventually I will have to find a less demanding job and I am already sending out resumes, because not working is not an option. I need the income and the insurance obviously.

I wish they had some sort of magic energy pill.

Amy

[mandymary]

hi
i am undiagnosed too but suffer with the terrible fatigue you describe too.

there doesnt seem to be any let up at all and i have had it for the last couple of years but i do know that heat makes it much much worse.

eating hot meals is a big thing for me because after a nice meal i cant even get up from the chair and my bowels go into overdrive which means i have to run back and fore to the loo, which is not good when im trying to preserve my energy.

it helps to  keep my body temp down by eating ice cream after food.

i guess now, i am able to manage it better that i first could, but i know i wont ever have normal energy levels again unless some miracle drug comes along that the doc will actually let me have.

lots of people swear by ldn but i think you need diagnosis to get that too.

best wishes
mandy x

[Lulu54]

Hi Amy and welcome to the family here.  I think I missed you joining us in December.  I'm sorry you are going through this diagnosis process and it certainly doesn't help to also be battling fatigue.

MS fatigue is a very real complaint and it often is hard to get those people around you to understand this fatigue.  This really fits into the "but you look so good"  comment that is often heard.

People don't understand fatigue until it has hit them personally.  

Alex is so right about withdrawing energy where necessary - we unfortunately can't deposit into that bank, and only make withdrawals.

Is you husband willing to learn more about MS?  If so, there are many excellent resources for spouses.  but he has to have an open mind about this - perhaps educating him with something other than a good whack with a frying pan would be a good plan.

The diagnostic process can be tiring - but it should not cause the type of fatigue you have described.

take care,
Lulu

[HVAC]

You have to think of your energy like money in the bank you only have so much and when it is spent it is spent. Therefore you have to budget. Decide what has to be done and do that first. Take breaks. Do not get upset if you do not get some things done. There are drugs available such as Ritalin to help with energy. I personally hated the way it made me feel, but some people like it. Everyone is different.

Alex