What Is Fatigue?
I was wondering what the fatigue going along with fibro felt like. Is it a sleepy feeling, or feeling physically wiped? What all does it entail? If anyone can help I would appreciate the information. Thanks! :-)
All of the above. Sometimes combined sometimes separate feelings.
Somedays feeling like being hit by a truck and all you can do is sleep.
For me, on an average day, I feel like I am dragging a heavy weight around all day. I can tolerate that. When I over exert myself physically, a very distinct type of fatigue occurs and it is very significant. I can hardly do anything besides eat and rest. I lose interest in everything, including watching tv, listening to music, reading, eating, everything. All I want to do is lay down. Long before I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia my doctor kept telling me I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I would ask her what could be done about it and she would say, nothing. Sometimes these extreme episodes will last longer than a month. I have had to rest in bed for over a month sometimes. I only get up to go to the bathroom. My wife has to force me to eat. It becomes too difficult to even lift my head. I will have water beside my bed and feel too fatigued to reach over and get it for a drink. Over time I noticed that the episodes generally last 10 days to two weeks. I also began to notice that when the pain from whateverI did to strain myself went away, the fatigue would lift and I would start to recover from the episode. I try really hard not to trigger one of these episodes because they are devastating. I have often thought that I primarily have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and secondarily Fibromyalgia. I can experience intense pain and still function fairly well but when the fatigue kicks in it shuts me down completely. I have no choice but to stop what I am doing and rest. No choice.
Studies have shown that up to 70% of people having fibromyalgia meet the criteria for also having chronic fatigue syndrome. No wonder we are exhausted 24/7. Dr.'s with fibro./CFS treatment centers replace thyroid and other gland hormones, even though lab tests show them at normal levels. The harsh meds that Dr.'s use to treat those conditions, just treat the symptoms, and not the cause.
After my car accident, I tried to maintain my regular work schedule, and of course I couldn’t and developed Mono. That’s how I describe chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia fatigue. It’s Mono that never goes away. That said, now I do have some better days. When I do get flares, which is pretty regularly, I’m afraid to go to sleep because it is very difficult to wake me back up.
My fibro and fatigue together makes me feel like i have severe sun stroke, nausea, pounding migraines mental and physical exhaustion. My joints ache my muscles are agony and i have shooting pains in my full body. It feels like its in the depths of my bones and gets so bad i grind my teeth until they start to chip. I cant eat and although exhausted cant sleep as i develop a high fever that is so bad i can heat a room, i just curl in a ball until the flare is over which can last 14 hours, then it takes days to recover. Its a horrible pain filled nightmare.
How Would You Describe You Fatigue To A Non-fibro Sufferer?
What Is Fatigue?
Fatigue...
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