I'm just curious how others cope with the fatigue from RA. If I don't wake up with pain to deal with, I am usually energetic and can keep going all day til the evening. Then I just feel to exhausted to do anything major and if I do, I pay the price the next day or rest of the week. I get plenty of sleep.
I'd love to hear other's testimonies on this....
good morning Matthew, I drink a lot of coffee with caffeine (add the instant even), which isn't good for yu I know, but that's the beginning of my day. Then several cups during the day. It doesn't completely change the way I feel, still kinda groggy, and my head doesn't feel right, but that's what this stuff does to you.
everything gets much harder to do, and I keep making mental lists of things I need to do but don't feel like it. Going through life sorta half asleep isn't good. I try not to do much promising to other people in case I can't do them, I don't plan too much in the future (don't know how I'll feel in a week, 2 or a month!)
It follows you around, Lynda
I find that if I drink a lot of water during the day it helps. I've noticed when I don't I tend to feel worse. (It may have to do with the MTX and that hungover feeling?) I also try to keep moving with little breaks in between. If I sit all day, it makes me feel more fatigued than usual. I have to find a sort of balance between moving and resting though, if I overdo it I'm out of commission for the evening. You guys know how that goes. Hope you have a superfantastic Thanksgiving!
Dotti51
If I'm in a flare, my friend knows that I need to do things at a slower pace and she's on my case if I try to keep up with her. So I do the easier stretching moves, rest for awhile, then go for a very slow walk around the track while my friend carries on with her routine. She'll do a number of fast laps, then catch up with me at the halfway point and walk with me. On my really rough days I stay home and rest, read, watch tv, take my pain meds and have hubbie and kids do the fetching and cooking. Matthew...this has been huge for me! I used to be too energentic, but I have watch my energy dwendle into just a spark. I like Jaz find that if I take some vicodin...even a half...I can take a half an hour snooze and then get up and get a couple of things done, and really concentrate on doing them. I also try to stretch, lift five pound weights or spend about twenty minutes on the bike(usually when I have pain meds on board). This usually helps the energy. I do try to stretch out on my yoga mat and stretch every part of my body....gently releasing pressure. Also, I try to assist my toes in cracking....the center of your energy supply is in your toes....that can help in making me feel better. Most times I cannot get them to move the fluid...so shucks on that one.
Sleep! I catch naps when I can, and tack on extra hours of sleep when I can. Especially if I know I'm going to be doing something the next day that will wear me out. And I agree that drinking lots of water helps. The one "not so good" thing that I do........is sugar binge..
I guess it's the "overdue it one day" and "pay the price the next" that really gets me. Having to tell my firends that I have to slow down or I'll be in a wheelchair the next day gets old really fast.
Laker Hi matthew I do a bit of what Punkie and Katie both do. I'm fine until wednesday of each week then my energy levels just drop through the floor. By Friday I'm dead on my feat, I do as little as possible on Saturday and Sunday to recharge my batteries for work the next week. I have an underactive thyroid to deal with too. That said I do find that going for a walk every other day makes me feel better. I thought I knew what tired was having the thyroid challenge but then I got RA and bone weary doesnt touch the surface of how tired you can feel. Laker is right too, acceptance of what you can and cant do helps deal with life and this disease. Hi Matthew, 17 years here with RA, LUPUS, Cluster Migraines, FIBRO. I personally don't have an off switch. I was extremely healthy, very physical and hard working. It felt so good to work hard, come home and appreciate all that I had accomplished in the day. Then 40 came, and it all hit me like a mack truck. Now, every day I have a long list of things to do. That's the fantasy. The reality is that if I get one task done, I've had a good day. I try very hard to pace myself and remember to rest, even if it's for 20 minutes, just rest. If I ignore what my body is telling me, then the off switch [for me] is a 3 day migraine. So, I get a choice, maybe not the one I'd like to have, but at least a choice. It sounds like you are doing too much and it's taking it's toll in the evenings and into the next day. We all can probably say "Amen" to that one, but take it from an old broad "living with..." for a long time, pace yourself, you have a long way to go.
If I'm having alot of pain, I find that taking tramadol or Vicodin actually increases my energy level because it decreases the pain. They definitely don't make me groggy. And with increased energy level, I move around more, which tends to loosen up joints, muscles, etc.
And sometimes, I just "go on strike" for a day if I'm really feeling alot of pain. I spend the day laying in bed, reading, napping, watching TV, etc. I usually feel better the next day and have a more normal energy level.
I also find that I have more pain if I eat crappy food, like fast food, high-fat food, etc. I believe this is due to the high levels of pro-inflammatory fats in these foods; it throws off the omega3/omega6 ratio and causes an increase in pain, inflammation, etc.
Fatigue, this is interesting as I find it to one of my biggest problems.
I can feel as good as gold but doing simple things like walking the dog seems to bring it on.
I have found that I have about a two hour (per day) time that I can do things but if I overstep (or overdo) things, I pay the following day with feelings of being very flat.
I also find that I can become confused, dizzy, not able to concentrate and even angry.
The calmer I am the better I cope.
When cooking dinner I can become rattled as if trying to concentrate on three or four pots on the stove is to much.
I feel this pressure building up my neck and head, then I start to get the shakes.
If I'm left alone to just look after myself with out to much stress, then I can cope.
I used to be able to handle many things at once, not anymore.
After about 2 months into AP therapy my fatigue went away. Since then,
I've had maybe 3 or 4 days of it total, and that was 6 months ago..
But before that I had it often and I would just give in to it whenever
possible. Lie down and watch a movie. It was frustarting but what can
you do?
Also, I found swimming really helped to increase my energy. Not on the day I went but the day after.
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