MS Fatigue or tired?

[meissie47]

Good Morning. Is there anyone here have times when their energy just comes and goes?

I have days, sometimes weeks when I feel great,but then suddenly I'm just so tired. I can function but it takes more of an effort. I'm also not sleepy,just feel sluggish and drained.

Would this be considered MS fatigue although it's not a constant? I woke up like this morning after what I considered to be a pretty good night sleep. Struggling to get out of bed.

This happens to me every so often. (well more often than not). I've decided to start journaling my symptoms and want to be accurate in what I'm feeling and writing.

How can you tell the difference between "fatigue" and just plain old tired?

Thanks
Meissie

[Toomnyhats]

Sounds like fatigue. My energy can get turned off like a switch was flipped.

Two thoughts/suggestions:

1. Are you really getting the quality sleep you think you are getting? I thought I got good sleep but learned my multiple nighttime bathroom trips disturbed my sleep more than I thought. Magnesium solved that problem for me.

2. Try to amino acid supplements Alpha Lipoic Acid (200-400 mg) and Acetyl L-carnitine (1,000-2,000 mg). Without these supplements I'd have a hard time having enough energy to make it to noon each day! Shashi has posted more information about these on Tara's thread.

Even with these supplements I still run out of energy, usually about once a week.

[msm]

Has all the traits of fatigue. I am going thru my 2nd day of no energy, aches, twitches and pains. All we can do is the best we can each day. I have amantadine for fatigue, but it doesn't always do the job. Hope your energy comes back.

[meissie47]

Originally Posted by msm

Has all the traits of fatigue. I am going thru my 2nd day of no energy, aches, twitches and pains. All we can do is the best we can each day. I have amantadine for fatigue, but it doesn't always do the job. Hope your energy comes back.

Do you have cog fog and does the amatadine help? My neuro prescribe it last yr but I could not see where it helped with the cog. It's been a while since I've taken it, so I can't remember whether it helped with the fatigue. Memory is so frustrating!

Guess i need to try it again to see.
Blessings
Meissie

[oso49]

Below is what happens to me...every day...but mine hits me about 1:00 PM in the afternoon...

"...lassitude—that is unique to people with MS. Researchers are beginning to outline the characteristics of this so-called "MS fatigue" that make it different from fatigue experienced by persons without MS.

Generally occurs on a daily basis
May occur early in the morning, even after a restful night’s sleep

Tends to worsen as the day progresses
Tends to be aggravated by heat and humidity
Comes on easily and suddenly

Is generally more severe than normal fatigue
Is more likely to interfere with daily responsibilities

MS-related fatigue does not appear to be directly correlated with either depression or the degree of physical impairment.

Hope you find out what's going on....

[meissie47]

Sounds like me. It comes on me between 4:30&5 when it does happen.I really struggle sometimes to get out of bed. when I do I have to have at least 2 cups of coffee to get going. I am trying my best to not blame everything I deal with on MS. Which is why i posted the question.

I pretty sure someone is going to ask if i excercise and suggest I do.. I do sometimes but not like I should. Anyway......

What you just wrote is very interesting. Can you tell me where you found the information?

I had read somewhere it was because you dont get a restful night's sleep or depression.

Thanks
Meissie

[Cat Mom]

Fatigue was the last "Oh... I get it now" symptom. Personally, this is how I know it's fatigue and not sleep related. When fatigue hits, symptoms start showing me who's boss (fingers flick, balance goes, eyes protest, etc.). There is no second wind if I keep plodding through something, fatigue just gets worse. Sleep isn't necessarily required to remedy the fatigue, sometimes just resting my body will.

MS fatigue has nothing to do with how much sleep I get but regular "sleepy" does.

Does this help at all?

[newbie but goodie]

Sleepy is something I can push through, but MS fatigue is more like a driven-in-stone limit. When my MS fatigue says sit... I sit. That's how I know the difference. Also- a strong cup of coffee helps with sleepy, not with fatigue.

[oso49]

Meissie,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Below is a link to the MS Society. Fish around there and you'll find all the SX and such

http://www.nationalmssociety.org

The best to you!

B

[meissie47]

Thanks!
Meissie

[JayEm]

Originally Posted by oso49

Tends to worsen as the day progresses
Tends to be aggravated by heat and humidity
Comes on easily and suddenly

Is generally more severe than normal fatigue
Is more likely to interfere with daily responsibilities

MS-related fatigue does not appear to be directly correlated with either depression or the degree of physical impairment.

Hope you find out what's going on....

Oh my goodness! That "comes on easily and suddenly" is the part of this that I hate the most. I can avoid it if I'm very careful, but there are times when I feel ok, so I go out to do something, and then right in the middle, bam, I HAVE to sit down and rest.

If I'm at home and I can lay down on the couch for half an hour or an hour, I can usually manage to get some energy back to finish what I was doing, but not always. It's definitely a physical thing, and not sleepiness with me. And it's not always predictable (although there are times when I realize I've just been ignoring how tired I am, and then pay the price for it).

[thewildrose]

I'm not dx yet, but this sounds like what I go through just about daily. I begin to walk worse, talk worse, drop more, eye hurts, tremors get very bad - then overwhelming feeling I need to lie down NOW. I can't do ANYTHING at this point - trying to just makes for a train wreck.

I've learned to not shower in the morning - almost always brings this on - to not sit in the sun EVER - and be sure to always try to at least lie down and do nothing around lunchtime. This helps, but there are still days it hits me before lunch, or still will get me after.

[newbie but goodie]

wild rose- Im sorry you are having all those symptoms! I hope you have a good neuro?

[thewildrose]

Thank you Newbie - I have been going through this on and off for 12 years now - I am hoping to have a final answer on 5/24. I just can't live this way anymore without one.

[katz3bratz]

Hi,
I haven't been diagnosed yet either but have fatigue on a daily basis. It's hard for me to get out of bed in the mornings and everything that I go to do feels like I'm stuck in concrete or quick sand. All my muscles feel weak and useless. I have a almost 2 year old so she really pushes me to my limits and I get exhausted more easily. I hope you find out something on Thursday, I myself am anxious and eager for some explanation.