Fatigue explained?

[MMMMS]

Do any of you know why I feel great when I wake up in the morning but need a nap after 3 hours, even when I do nothing in those hours? I could set a clock by the pattern.

[MSW1963]

Fatigue is a sx of many diseases of the CNS, but it is not well understood what causes it.

There are a few Fatigue theories, but none that as yet have been proven as far as I know.

[its2much]

Most Days I'm Tired

in less than after three hours that I've been awake.... Many days I'm tired when I wake up!

[hunterd]

I have this same problem. My doctor has me taking Provigil for it. Talk to your doctor about this, there may be something he/she prescribes for you.

There are also minerals and vitamins that help with this, but as I am not not knowledgeable about this I will not comment.

[journeyman]

Good advice Huntered. / "My educational rant"

This is an educational rant that I survived and would like every one to have. I have found it invaluable in my work before MS took away my RN degree six years ago.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR was the best advice. When I was in RN school I made the mistake of explaining something and I gestured with my hand and arm indicating... "the doctor..." (hand and arm held high.) "The RN... (hand and arm to indicate the middle." And then "The patient..." (my hand and arm held in a low position.)

At that point my instructor was on me with a fierce expression. " Just what did you mean by the set of gestures."

I said, "The doctor with his education up here, the RN with their education in the middle and the patient with his limited education down here..." I could tell that was the wrong answer and I was about to get educated.

After about a ten minute lecture in front of all my classmates I was given this tid-bit that I feel needs to be passed on to everybody.

There is no such thing in medicine as LEVELS. We are all the same and should be all on the same team and that is to achieve - health. The patient comes with a lifetime of education about his own body and his percieved changes.
The RN comes with an expertise of standing in the gap for the patient to the doctor and interpreting the doctors education and lingo to the patient. The doctor comes with a wealth of education and unfortunately all too often an elevated ego. We are a team.

So if you can't feel like an equal on your team then the RN or the doctor are not doing their job..

WE need to all be able to talk to each other about the enemy we face in our bodies as a team or the team is dysfunctional.

Please do not be intimidated by your RN or your Doctor. You are an equal. If you don't understand a word, phrase or lingo ask for an explanation. The Dr. and the RN are YOUR employees and it is YOUR body.

I pass this information in honor of my beloved instructor who has since passed on. My most important lesson.
Dave Tampa FL
"Journeyman"

[hunterd]

This is an educational rant that I survived and would like every one to have. I have found it invaluable in my work before MS took away my RN degree six years ago.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR was the best advice. When I was in RN school I made the mistake of explaining something and I gestured with my hand and arm indicating... "the doctor..." (hand and arm held high.) "The RN... (hand and arm to indicate the middle." And then "The patient..." (my hand and arm held in a low position.)

At that point my instructor was on me with a fierce expression. " Just what did you mean by the set of gestures."

I said, "The doctor with his education up here, the RN with their education in the middle and the patient with his limited education down here..." I could tell that was the wrong answer and I was about to get educated.

After about a ten minute lecture in front of all my classmates I was given this tid-bit that I feel needs to be passed on to everybody.

There is no such thing in medicine as LEVELS. We are all the same and should be all on the same team and that is to achieve - health. The patient comes with a lifetime of education about his own body and his percieved changes.
The RN comes with an expertise of standing in the gap for the patient to the doctor and interpreting the doctors education and lingo to the patient. The doctor comes with a wealth of education and unfortunately all too often an elevated ego. We are a team.

So if you can't feel like an equal on your team then the RN or the doctor are not doing their job..

WE need to all be able to talk to each other about the enemy we face in our bodies as a team or the team is dysfunctional.

Please do not be intimidated by your RN or your Doctor. You are an equal. If you don't understand a word, phrase or lingo ask for an explanation. The Dr. and the RN are YOUR employees and it is YOUR body.

I pass this information in honor of my beloved instructor who has since passed on. My most important lesson.
Dave Tampa FL
"Journeyman"

that was great Dave! FANTASTIC WISDOM!

[Tomjadg]

You are 100% correct Dave.

I have always said that you are your best advocate.
Nobody knows you better than you.
I educated myself about my disease, and once my Neuro saw that I knew what I was talking about, he was very good with discussing options with me, but I made the final decision.
I can talk to my infusion nurse about things also.

It truly is "teamwork".

[MMMMS]

Fatigue is a sx of many diseases of the CNS, but it is not well understood what causes it.

There are a few Fatigue theories, but none that as yet have been proven as far as I know.

Is there a site that has the info?

I can understand being more easily fatigued by activity, even activity that wouldn't cause the slightest fatigue in a normal person. But when I've done nothing more than eat (and my husband made the food and brought it to me) that's not so easily understood. It's unrelated to activity and sleep, and it's like clockwork.

I would love to read the theories.

[MSW1963]

The fatigue theory I recall is based on disruption in neuro transmission caused by MS lesion damage requires the brain to use more energy to conduct neuro transmission.

Try this link if it will post:

http://nnr.sagepub.com/content/22/1/91.short

If not, add http:// to URL address:

nnr.sagepub.com/content/22/1/91.short

[Dsdickinson]

fatigue

Know it all too well. I can sleep 10-12 hours at night, get up do nothing and take a nap 3 hours later. I am on modafanil which I was encouraged to take 2 a day before 10:00 a.m... Due to insurance reasons... they only prescribe max of 30, won't do 6 and copay is 100.00 for both counts!! So, I take 1 when I have things to do, right now, I have to stretch them out. I do know that my treadmill is calling me to come walk, I know walking will do my body/spirit good. I just can't let my body dictate to me when it comes to doing the healthy things, I have to be in control.

[bree2013]

high.)
There is no such thing in medicine as LEVELS. We are all the same and should be all on the same team and that is to achieve - health. The patient comes with a lifetime of education about his own body and his percieved changes.
The RN comes with an expertise of standing in the gap for the patient to the doctor and interpreting the doctors education and lingo to the patient. The doctor comes with a wealth of education and unfortunately all too often an elevated ego. We are a team.

Thank you Dave.

Sometimes I feel very confident going in to meet with my doctor, and then "take a back seat" while going over things. This may be because all this is still so new to me and I'm a bit shell shocked.

I will go armed with your words empowering me.

Bree

[bree2013]

MMMMS,

I can't give helpful insight into your fatigue question, but wonder if you have had your B-12 level checked?

Others on this forum have found B-12 vitamin and other meds especially helpful.

It is interesting that yours is so predictable.

Bree

[kelm10]

spoon theory

google spoon theory and ms

Even exhisting at times is enough to drain you. Hopefully it will get better with time.

Even though you are tired, do leg lifts, arm lifts. Keep at it. It is very hard to understand. Usually, some form of exercise can help.

What you eat or don't eat can play a role. Medications along with B12 might help. The worse thing that you can do is fight it to exhaustion. Give your body the rest that it needs with some minor exercise. Water is very good for your body.

[JerryD]

if you read this site, enough, you will see that knuckle has a thing about endorphins. I believe there is something to that theory.
I consult with a 'naturopath' and he has prescribed 'hydrocortisone' 5mgs as needed not to exceed 6 pills daily. i rarely take more than 3 daily. I think this is of some help. I would ask your doctor if this is possible for you. Also, vitamin D, vitamin B-12 and magnesium are really important. If you don't have these levels, you need them (from blood tests). I take 5000iu's vitamin D, 2000mcgs vitamin B-12 and 400mgs magnesium daily. I was low on all of these levels when I was tested. Good luck