Sometimes no matter how much rest I get, it still isn't enough. Fatigue, especially when you've rested is hard to accept and very hard to explain to someone who does not have a chronic illness.
Imagine having to pace yourself... just to get out of bed, planning for a half hour or more on how to get to the restroom and back, having to rest because you took a shower, falling asleep after having coffee.
The extreme fatigue is one of the worst things about having Lupus for me. If I am tired I want it to be for a reason. I want to have accomplished something; not just be having a bad Lupus day. I always describe the fatigue as like walking thru the deep end of the swimming pool fully dressed with a parka on.
Depression, anxiety, lack of exercise,and smoking are believed to be related to Lupus fatigue. There are times when the fatigue hits me and I feel weighted down by life itself. In order to break the cycle of depression and/or anxiety that comes with fatigue I depend very heavily on my support system. My husband, daughter, my pup(s), and my friends including our wonderful support group help me get thru the rough times.
I try to push myself a little bit more everyday, when I'm feeling this way. every little bit helps to get me out of the rut. Medication and exercise help but having a support system makes ALL the difference in the world. If you don't have one, I strongly suggest you find one. Support without judgement is a wonderful thing.
As many as 80 percent of people with lupus experience fatigue. For some people with lupus, fatigue is their main symptom and can be debilitating, even to the point of forcing them to stop working. It is unclear why extreme fatigue occurs in so many people with lupus, but disease activity, pain, age, and medicines being taken, as well as poor physical and mental health and lack of good social support, all appear to play a role.
In addition, poor coping strategies, feelings of helplessness, depression or anxiety, smoking, and lack of exercise have all been found to be related to lupus fatigue. Before the physician can conclude that fatigue is related to these factors, any "treatable" causes of fatigue (for example, anemia, kidney failure, or hypothyroidism) need to be ruled out.
Physicians experienced with lupus recognize the harmful and even destructive effects that extreme fatigue can have, and research is underway to learn more about how to treat the problem. Getting regular exercise and being part of a support group have been found to help. By making some adjustments, people with lupus-related fatigue will be less likely to push themselves to exhaustion.
Tips to Help You Manage Fatigue
- Alternate activities with periods of rest throughout the day.
- Establish good sleep patterns.
- Plan ahead; for example, shop for gifts throughout the year.
- Prepare meals in advance.
- Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
- Stop smoking if you smoke.*
www.lupus.org *
Im having a problem with my mother and my daughter. When I slurr when I talk, they yeall at me and hang up. I puposely do not take my meds before seeing them. They do not understand that if I have a cold and take medicine, I will slurr cause of my necessary meds, and I get dry mouth from the meds and if they would see me in the am before I take my meds, I am just a slurring, clumsy, tired before I medicate. They think Im taking more than necessary or I've taken something illegal. PLEASE! Im having enought problems with my meds, why would I mix it with other drugs. I hate that and they will hang up and refuse to talk to me. I had a long day Saturday with my Aunt and cousins running around town so my aunt can see the places she has good memories of, then I went to my daughters party and k3ept dosing off, Diana instead of saying I had a long day and I had not taken my meds, she talked bad about me. The pain in my heart was more than I could take.
Posted by: Belinda Silvas | 07/24/2012 at 07:07 PM
Belinda I am sorry that you're having issues wiht your family. Offer to have one or both of them go with you to your doctor's appointment. That way they can be educated by the professional.
Posted by: Shalonda Garcia | 07/25/2012 at 08:41 PM
Aside from depression, anxiety and lack of exercise, stress is also a result of fatigue or we can also say that stress could result to fatigue. This situation is very common to us, we all get tired, we all get depressed and stressed, it is our nature, though it is not easy to overcome it, but we can somehow manage it.
Posted by: Melissa | 09/26/2012 at 03:29 AM