What drugs can combat fatigue? | Arthritis Information

 

Saw someone bring this up in another post so I thought I would ask...

My family doctor once talked to me about putting me on a medicine they give to cancer patients to help combat RA fatigue but I declined at the time. Things have changed in my life and I am contemplating seeking medical help for the fatigue mainly because I am now the sole care giver and watcher of my 3 year old for at least 13 hours every day and I need/want to be "there" there for her. Not just the mommy that has to sleep or lay in the bed or chair all day. I am not talking necessarily doing this for life, but I am not opposed to trying it to improve my family's quality of life.

I should also mention I have mod-sev sleep apnea but have received treatment for that already.

What drugs have you heard of or tried for fatigue? how do/did they work if you tried them and what were your opinions or effects from taking them both good and bad?

Thanks!
The only prescription medication I personally am aware of for fatigue is usually given to sleep apnea patients or shift workers, and that's Provigil (modafinil).  I have not tried it myself.

I do take SAM-e supplements daily and find that those help with energy, in addition to helping with mood (depression) and joint pain.  You may want to consider trying that, perhaps in addition to a prescription, but check with your doctor first as SAM-e combined with some meds (like antidepressants) could possibly cause some issues.

Abby, I also use caffeine as needed - usually a couple cups of coffee per day, one in the morning and one in the early afternoon.  I also have a supply of Jolt gum for use when I'm out and about and need a bit of a kick, or just don't feel like drinking coffee that day.  Since my average daily caffeine intake is pretty low, I don't generally get the caffeine withdrawal headache/bitchiness if I skip it for a few days (typically the weekend, or when the kids don't have to go to school). My doc told me I could take Jet-Alert which is a caffeine tablet.  Directions are 1 tablet every 3 hours as needed. On a good day I find that 1 tablet allows me to vacuum the whole house. And, I hate to vacuum!  Hubby does most of it.
The plus side of these is you can carry them with you.  Coffee makes me nauseous but these do not.      
I would actually really prefer to stay away from caffeine. I know its the "easier" over-the-counter way to combat fatigue but having that sort of stuff around a 3 year old makes it hard to keep her away from it. Not only that but I have never been much of a Monster drink type fan or a caffeine shot fan and excess caffeine can cause other health issues. I love the smell of coffee but hate the taste.

I think I would be more open to trying the medicines that help increase dopamine (that help combat fatigue) because I am on some anti-depressants that do the same thing and maybe help hit two birds with one prescription stone.
For me the diagnosis of RA was a wakeup call to examine other health issues and figure out what I can do better.  One of them is to try to avoid overeating, which always makes me fatigued, sometimes for hours.  So I eat less.

Roland

I actually quit drinking coffee and caffienated sodas, etc.   After getting over the withdrawal, I feel better not being on a constant caffiene roller coaster.

Depends what medicine used for cancer disease. By experience i think that cancer patients used painkillers such as hydrocodone, vicodin, norco, lortab, which are medicines for chronic pain. But these medicines should not be prescribed without a prescription as i read in findrxonline they have side effects that can be dangerous.
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com