1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Fibromyalgia Syndrome

How can I deal with the fatigue?

Posted , 9 users are following.

Hollymayshipton
Hollymayshipton

Hi everyone, I have fibro and I am on amitriptaline for the pain but the thing i struggle with the most is the tiredness. I can sleep for 12 hours at night and still have a four hour nap in the aftenoon, I feel that its really taking over. Does anyone have any advice on how I can improve the tiredness? thanks, Holly.

1 like, 22 replies

22 Replies

Next
  • teresa05446
    teresa05446 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    Hi Holly, l was diagnosed a few months ago. Mine started after I had major back surgery 3 years ago. I'm the same with tiredness and constant agony all over. My rhumatologist told me to try and do 30 mins of exercise a day (even on good days only do 30 mins) it does help mentally, I try and walk each day! It's a good time to clear your mind. I'm sorry to say there is nothing persific you can do about the tiredness. Listen to your body, hopefully you will get a few good days as well as bad. Sorry I couldn't help any further. Take care x
    • Hollymayshipton
      Hollymayshipton teresa05446

      Posted

      Thankyou for your reply, I find the tiredness more annoying tahn the pain because I feel like I am wasting my days constantly being asleep lol x
  • christine26761
    christine26761 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    Hiya....been diagnosed over 22 yrs...probably had it for a good 10 yrs before that..the only med I take for Fibro...gives me a great pain free sleep..still feel a tad drowsy waking up...but that sleep is what makes this Fibro manageable for me..only get flare ups now..once  it was just constant  pain almost everywhere and sleepless nights..I take it 7pm before bed..it really does work wonders ( for me..that is,) we are all very different..I take 25 mg...never had it increased either ...started on 50mg but I was like a zombie...all the next day..dropped to 10mg for a while-still not too good but 25 mg is perfect for me..it is actually an antidepressant that works excellent for pain..it numbs the nerve ends and stops the pain from jumping on to the next nerve..hence a very painful body...the antidepressant is probably a lil bonus as most of get depressed from time to time..yes it does knock me out to give me that great sleep which is just sooo needed, to be able to deal with the pain etc the next day..but once I'm up and dressed..I'm fine.....I really do still..16yrs down the track..have to be woken up in the morning....when I was first on them I was like a zombie..but it's like a miracle med fir me... it takes a while to settle in. ..also, please remember that less stress is the key to Fibro....be blessed..have a lovely day..:-) xxx
    • christine26761
      christine26761 Hollymayshipton

      Posted

      Sorry, I though you knew...don't know why..???

      its Amitriptilyne..I take it about 7pm...I also take 15  mil of Collodial Gold a day..iyiu can take 50ml for power dosage...it gives me soo much energy..it's a trace element...mixed in mineral water..it's a real miracle..tiswas told me about it on  this site...remembering all things don't work exactly the same for all people...also hit packs/bottles are excellent for pain as us cold packs for  swelling..:-) xx be blessed 

  • tiswas24537
    tiswas24537 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    my fatigue comes and goes 

    iv tried many things 5htp magneisum vitd b12 amongest others 

    none work  ,5htp worked for about 3 months then it stopped .

    i just give in to it now theres nothing you can do , you can tfight it i know iv tried 

    all it does is make it worse iv tried sitting with my fingers holding my eyelids open 

     

    iv tried getting my husband to pinch when i start to go nothing works .

    best thing is to get out in the daylight and the sun as much as you can that does help . if you find away to beat it let me know .

  • susan49865
    susan49865 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    Hi

    have you been tested fir under active thyroid Holly? This can cause extrem fatigue. I was diagnosed with that along with M.E some 25 years ago and now with Fibro as well.

    i take thyroxine (prescribed) fir the underactive thyroid but the rest various pain meds.

    i have had symptoms re Fibro fir many years but treated dismissively by by GP. Things have progressively got worse to point felt hysterical. I am now 72 and feel as each year goes by I get dismissed even more.eventually googled my symptoms and on NHS it came up with Fibro. Saw a nurse practitioner who actually listened, wow! She gave me leaflet and referred me to a different GP and hey presto my misery has a name. I know  no cure but to have a diagnosis instead of being treated like a hypochondiac .

     

    • Hollymayshipton
      Hollymayshipton susan49865

      Posted

      Hi Susan thanks for your reply, they tested my thyroid and said it was normal. And I know it is so frustrating! Xx
    • shirl21730
      shirl21730 susan49865

      Posted

      Hi Susan 

      i I know that feeling of being treated like it's all in your head...I was diagnosed with fibro in 1997 i had been in a lot of pain and feeling very tired...I was so worried and low so it felt such a relief when i find out I started reading up about it on forums like this one to see how others were managing to cope...I was a single parent with 3 kids and a part time job at the time it was a struggle trying to do the housework as well...when the pain was bad I would take painkillers paracetamol and co codamol 4 times a day every day and lay down with a heat pad on my back or hip and fall asleep for a couple of hours...I wasn't sleeping very well at night so the gp gave me amitryptaline only I had chron's disease and although the amitryptaline had helped me get a good nights sleep but it had also upset my stomache and caused a bleed so I had to come off it...because I still wasn't getting enough sleep and rest at night the gp changed the co codamol for codeine these were stronger and made me drowsy and In time started having more restful nights...it was a struggle for me but I was fortunate to have a wonderful daughter she understood about my illness and on my bad days she would take over with her 2 younger brothers she was 14 at the time and very mature for her age...when 2 of my kids left home my youngest was 12 i was getting more tired through the day and would go back to bed after the kids went to school I talked to my gp and I was sent to physio for a few weeks this didn't do anything for me and so I was I was shown how to do light exercises for 30 min each day this did make a difference the pain wasn't as severe as it had been before and then I was sent to try hydrotherapy for 1 hour 1 day a week for12 weeks the water felt nice and gentle and over the weeks I started to feel less tired and less pain during the day...I would also like to say when I was doing the hydrotherapy course there were other people there with ankylosing spondylitis they were around my age and walking with a stick I asked what this condition was and I was told there lower backs had locked up...it made me realise there were people with worse conditions than my own and want to ask what i could do when the course had finished so I was told swimming would help me I can swim a breadth of the pool so I went along and tried it one hour one day a week and I liked it then I found out about a course (I had to ask my gp about this one) it was one hour in the gym (I was assessed and given my own programme on a key) and one hour doing low impact aquarobics in the pool twice a week For 12 weeks I liked it and felt my health was improving slightly by exercising  it was reducing the amount of pain and they were less severe and it felt good to be around other people with health problems it gave me a social life..there were the odd days when I felt really ill and I didn't go but what encouraged me to carry on was there were a lot of people felt the same and we always asked about each other's health and just talked about anything and everything  for me i had a reason to get out of the house and I really looked forward to going I did this for just 12 weeks for 3 years I know it's not suitable for everyone unfortunately it stopped being available in my area last year I am 57 now and I miss going I am so glad I did it  though as I  never had any pains in my arms legs feet or hands for 20 years and I believe for me keeping active over the years has been the key to this...I am now getting pains in my shoulder and arms so I have started swimming agai now twice a week...take care

      shirl girl :-) 

  • tiswas24537
    tiswas24537 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    iv found out thru trial and error that my sad lamp works for my fatigue and depression ,when i remember to use it  i usely suffer for days then remember my lamp .

    it works all year round not just in winter .worth a try 

    • susan49865
      susan49865 christine26761

      Posted

      It's a lamp that replaces sunshine/light in the winter and helps lots people with depression etc understand it's very good but not git one myself
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 christine26761

      Posted

      seasonal affecttive disorder lamp 

      a special kind of light that lifts depression i find it helps me with fatigue to maybe because we are in pain all the time we are suffering with depression which brings on the fatigue and esp people who dont get much daylight 

      i find it helps me . its the only thing that does with fatigue 

    • christine26761
      christine26761 susan49865

      Posted

      Thanks Susan and a tiswas...I've never heard of it...wonder if it's coz I'm in Australia...lots of sunlight..even in winter...hope you both have a lovely day, be blessed.:-) xxx
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 christine26761

      Posted

      but do you get out alot  .you need to be in it to bennifit from it .

      also its worth getting your vit d levals check

    • christine26761
      christine26761 tiswas24537

      Posted

      Hiya tiswas, yes I do.....well in this state there are quite a few people who suffer from not getting enough sunlight..vit d deficient...I suppose many don't move out of there house in winter..as it can get get even snowy here...but at least very cold....but I go out in It everyday for at couple of hours..  more than that is my usual...don't suppose it means much in the scheme of things, but we have a very sunny house..lots of windows...sun beans in winter or summer....but I also take double the rec dose of vit D3 anyway...something I learned from you.cheesygrin..I'm all good at my blood tests too...hope you have a great day today tiwas..be blessed..:-)xxrazz
    • tiswas24537
      tiswas24537 christine26761

      Posted

      its a nightmare this condition its like trying to solve a puzzle 

      you get everything running just steady then bang flare up and you have to start again . i am so aniouxs today because iv got to go to an appoinment teh people are really nice and there going to fill out my pip form .but the thought of the journey is just making me me feel sick i hate being late and i hate getting there to early but its sunny today and we are on the coast so it could take us 20 mins or 40 mins the stress that is causing me you wouldnt believe .totaly stupid but no matter how hard i try i cant stop it completely 

       

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.