fatigue

[spunky68]

Ok I am just going to vent and say WTH is up with this fatigue? I feel like there's cement in my head.
I had 2 coffee's already and I don't usually til later. Thus sucks! Ok I am done. Thank you.

[inmoni5]

I MUST AGREE!!!! All this week I have been soooo fatigued!!! I'm even on Adderall XR for it. It was working until this week. I wonder if it's just the seasons changing?? hmmmm, I think it's naptime again already. UGH!!

[Shashi]

You might try a combination of two anti-oxidant supplements, alpha lipoic acid and acetyl L-carnitine. A lot of folks here, including me, have had a lot of success at treating fatigue with them.

University studies showed that a dosage of 1,000 to 2,000 of acetyl L-carnitine and 200-600 mg of alpha lipoic acid taken every morning on an empty stomach can alleviate the fatigue of MS, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.

Just be sure to check with your doctor before taking them, especially if you're on any types of medications for thyroid problems or diabetes.

Hugs,

Lisa

[valeriem2220]

I am always fatigued it seems...I have very few and very short bursts of energy some days...but not very often anymore.
I had one neurologist tell me that the only illness that makes you want to sleep all the time is depression....WTH??? Seriously??? I'm wondering where he got his degree....

[aprij0908001]

I know how you feel. I'm so tired today I just want to cry. I barely even remember driving to work. I would love to be able to just go home & lay back down. This really sucks! And when people say..."Oh, you just need to go to bed earlier"...I swear I feel homicidal!

[spunky68]

Thanks for your replies. The past few days were so bad I didn't even get online. I feel guilty if I can't at least care for the kids needs. Made it thru for them.
I was thinking about the seasonal changes myself. I want so much to try the supplements but fear taking yet another pill.
Some docs use depression as a cop out because it takes less effort on their part, lazy!
As far as others comments, I am so damn glad I chose disclosure. The few who know truly care and the rest I am happy for them not to know my business.
Not trying to sound snobbish just learned my lessons. LOL.
Perhaps I should read up on side effects of the supplements.

[Toomnyhats]

alpha lipoic acid and acetyl L-carnitine work great for me - I forgot to take them this a.m. and boy am I dragging today!

For me, these do not totally eliminate the fatigue, but they make "normal" life a possibility. I am able to work full-time and take care of DH - no, he doesn't have health issues, he's just a man

Even with them, about once a week my energy level runs into a brick wall & I collapse, but only once a week I can live with!

[Shashi]

I want so much to try the supplements but fear taking yet another pill.
Perhaps I should read up on side effects of the supplements.

The good thing with these supplements is that, unlike taking prescription medications (stimulants) for fatigue, these anti-oxidants are substances that your body need anyway.

And just to show you how well they work, I used to have that bone-draining fatigue that made just combing my hair exhausting. In stores, I'd have to ride the motarized carts because I didn't have the strength to walk.

I haven't had that kind of fatigue in over two years now, not since I started taking ALA and ALC (unless I forget to take them.) And right now, I'm eight hours into the second of two 14-hour days that I work every week. I could NEVER have done that before ALA and ALC.

Just give them a try. What do you have to lose, except the fatigue?!

[Bob698]

Please talk to your doctor first.
There's no magic pill or suppliment out there. Most of the things we use are more like a "best fit" for our needs.
Suppliments are not necessarily as safe as milk. You want to be sure you aren't taking too much and you definately want to be sure a supplement isn't making an Rx ineffective.

[tellnhelen]

Find something you REALLY want to do

Hope my response will be useful...I also feel tired most of the time.....Sometimes if I do something I REALLY want to do...I'm usually happy that I participated even if it takes a day of recovery. . . .This weekend I going to my college homecoming. . .I have made arrangements to accomodate my condition and allow me to have a good time... I'm excited to see some college friends and go out for dinner...We laugh and share until late..... I'm exhausted just thinking about it...but I'M GOING! For some activities in life (like attending church) I'm just not going to allow MS to stop me.

If you think it's the right thing..take supplements..I do. Otherwise it might help to find occassional activities and commit yourself to them. . You might still be tired but you may also be a littler happier.

[billiejeane]

The good thing with these supplements is that, unlike taking prescription medications (stimulants) for fatigue, these anti-oxidants are substances that your body need anyway.

And just to show you how well they work, I used to have that bone-draining fatigue that made just combing my hair exhausting. In stores, I'd have to ride the motarized carts because I didn't have the strength to walk.

I haven't had that kind of fatigue in over two years now, not since I started taking ALA and ALC (unless I forget to take them.) And right now, I'm eight hours into the second of two 14-hour days that I work every week. I could NEVER have done that before ALA and ALC.

Just give them a try. What do you have to lose, except the fatigue?!

do u get this stuff at a health food store? its amino acids,no? tell me more!!!!!!!!!!!! if i am taking fatigue meds can i take that at same time for the transition? tell tell tell more more more.

[charmed1199]

Always feeling fatigueds and it gets to me. I hate this feeling. I do wish there was a miracle pill. I want to do things I once used to do.

[Shashi]

do u get this stuff at a health food store? its amino acids,no? tell me more!!!!!!!!!!!! if i am taking fatigue meds can i take that at same time for the transition? tell tell tell more more more.

Juliebrush, I get my supplements from an online store, Puritan's Pride, but Walmart does have a combo bottle of about half the dosage that I take, which I would recommend trying until you determine if they work for you. They're anti-oxidant supplements that help your cells metabolize nutrients more efficiently. You can do a search either here or on Google to find a lot of information about them. There have also been studies which suggest they may be useful in treating MS as well.

I always recommend talking to your doctor about any supplements you may want to try. I told both of my neurologists (MS specialists) that I was taking them and the results I'd gotten from them, and they agree that they have heard a lot of good things about them in the treatment of MS fatigue.

While they may not be a "magic pill" and while sometimes some folks don't get results from them for whatever reasons, to me and others that they have worked for, they are nothing short of a miracle. They gave me my life back.

[Spydre]

Please talk to your doctor first.
There's no magic pill or suppliment out there. Most of the things we use are more like a "best fit" for our needs.
Suppliments are not necessarily as safe as milk. You want to be sure you aren't taking too much and you definately want to be sure a supplement isn't making an Rx ineffective.

That's certainly the truth - especially if you have multiple medical conditions, and in over the counter supplements, there is no FDA regulation, so the dose you are getting is not guaranteed, it can be inconsistent from pill to pill.

[lamcdowell]

JUST CURIOUS FOR THOSE OF US ON AVONEX, ONCE A WEEK..I WAS DIAGNOSED CHRISTMAS OF 2010 AND STARTED TAKING AVONEX IN FEB 2011...THE SIDE EFFECTS OF CHILLS, ACHES, PAINS, MIGRAINE HEADACHES WAS HORRIBLE, AND EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT WAS RUINED BY ME HAVING TO STAY HOME, CURLED UP IN BED AT LEAST UNTIL AROUND 6:30 SATURDAY MORNING WHEN THE SIDE EFFECTS WOULD GO AWAY....MY DOCTOR EARLY ON SUGGESTED A MOTRIN AND BENEDRYL ONE HOUR BEFORE SHOT TO HELP WITH THE SYMPTOMS, BUT IT DID NOT DO ANY GOOD...

.LAST WEEK I HAD A FLARE UP ON TUESDAY AND ENDED UP HAVING STEROID IV THERAPHY FOR THREE DAYS...STILL HAVING STEROIDS IN MY SYSTEM LAST FRIDAY NIGHT WAS THE FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT IN SIX MONTHS THAT I ACTUALLY GOT TO SLEEP AND HAD NOT SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE SHOT....I CALLED MY DOCTOR AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THIS REVELATION AND HE AGREED TO GIVE ME A PRESCRIPTION FOR PREDNISONE 20MG TO TRY WITH THE MOTRIN AND BENEDRYL FOR THIS WEEK AND SEE HOW I DO.....I HAD THE SHOT AT 1:00 THIS AFTERNOON..TOOK THE MOTRIN, BENEDRYL, AND PREDNISONE ONE HOUR BEFORE SHOT AND HERE IT IS EIGHT AND HALF HOURS LATER...NO SIDE EFFECTS AT ALL AND I AM ABOUT READY TO GO HAVE ANOTHER FRIDAY NIGHT OF SLEEP...

IF YOU READ THIS AND YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME SIDE EFFECTS, PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR DOCTOR BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE A GREAT BREAK THROUGH IN STOPPING THE AVONEX SIDE EFFECTS AND OTHERS MIGHT NOT HAVE TO SUFFER....I HOPE EVERY ONE IS DOING WELL AND I WISH YOU ALL THE VERY BEST...GOD BLESS...LAMCDOWELL