I need your views on pain and fatigue, for the NHS.

[DISC]

Hi all. My senior pain consultant is interested in changing attitudes in the medical world when it comes to fatigue when ilinked to pain, any type of pain, as he feels that fatigue is often negclected, overlooked, brushed to the side, or simply labled as just a 'symptom of pain', and therefore something to just 'deal with'. Therefore I would like to collate your views. How would you like medical professionals to tackle fatigue when it is linked to your pain? What words would you prefer they use? What questions would you like them to ask? What would be helpful? What is NOT helpful? How could your fatigue be better understood? How do you cope with your fatigue? What would help you to cope with it? What has been helpful in the past? Has anything a medical professional has done in the past been particularly helpful, or not as the case may be? How important a factor is fatigue on your pain? How does fatigue affect your pain, and your condition generally, day to day etc? Any of your views I will be glad to pass on to better help all of us in the future.

[JossMiller]

Fatigue is the worst component of my pain. By the time nightfall arrives, I'm exhausted. My mind is sluggish and I get very depressed to the point I want to just have a thought and it would all end. My MD has never mentioned it. I don't think he's aware of that facet of the pain, to be honest. He's only interested in trying something else to help me. I don't take narcotics at all because of the side effects and the states monitoring of anyone who takes them. Is there something my MD could do to fix the fatigue? I rather doubt it.

[DISC]

Hi Joss,

There may be limitation as to what a medical doctor can do as regards, fatigue as it is such an issue, but it is also an issue that is overlooked in its effect both physicaly and mentally on the patient when they are dealing with pain. The question is... how would you like the medical practition to deal with the fatigue side of your problems? How would you like them to approach talking about it? Would you like him or her to class fatigue as important as the pain? What language would you like them to use? etc...

[Tinks69]

Hi DISC , is it too late to give my opinions on what you’ve asked?

Many thanks

😌

[DISC in reply to Tinks69]

No its not... anything is useful, thanks!

[Cazbaz59]

Hi I have just read your post, having only joined the community today. How refreshing to have a doctor interested in fatigue. I do think it is not mentioned by most doctors because they don't really know what to say about it.

I find the worst aspect of fatigue, ( I suffer from lupus and fatigue is a big part of it.) Is that friends and family don't understand, just how debilitating it is. Perhaps some sort of leaflets to educate them could be made available from doctors. It would be a great help as I am not good at explaining how I feel, and my family just expect me to carry on as usual most of the time. I hope you get some more replies here as it is an important point you are making.

Best wishes from

Cazbaz59

[Jimluton39]

I couldn’t tell you what my doctor says/advises about fatigue because I haven’t been able to see one for over two years! The only way to get seen by someone is to call 111. Even hospital staff say if you are/get fatigue then you should rest! You can’t rest because the DWP just think that you are lazy.