Debilitating Fatigue .

[Mary4711]

Hello Everyone ,Happy Healthy New Year Too You All . I'm diagnosed with A.F. since Last March ,take Apixaban and use Pill In Pocket occasionally.have other chronic health issues .just wondering if anyone could recommend any energy pills Miracle pills would do !!!!,not sure which would be suitable for taking with Apixaban.Thank you .Best Wishes Pam .

[CDreamer]

You would have to look at what is causing the fatigue. No miracle pill that I know of and please beware of anything marketed as energy pick me ups as they will undoubtedly contain stimulants which will exacerbate or cause arrythmias.

[Mary4711 in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you for your reply ,my fatigue is caused by my chronic pain issues ,which saps all my energy and motivation. But I know you have to be careful what you take being A.F .Just wondered if any other people have found anything suitable to take .Best Wishes for your Good Health .Pam .

[Hidden in reply to Mary4711]

Have you thought of doing a pain management course? You have to fight for it but my daugther did one, she has rheumatoid Arthritis juvenile onset, and it has helped her.

[Mary4711 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for reply ,I have been given option for a pain management course , unfortunately for me they require you to be there 8/30p.m. to 4p.m.no way could I do that 4days a week ,but for some people ,it is very worthwhile.May I wish your Daughter the Best of Health.. Regards Pam.

[Hidden in reply to Mary4711]

Hi Pam there is a residential option if that helps. Hope you get some relief soon x

[Auriculaire in reply to Mary4711]

You should look into getting your level of vitamin d checked. Vit d deficiency can cause chronic pain issues and fatigue and is very common. Most people do not get enough sun exposure in the summer in UK to make sufficient stores of vit d for the winter months when it is impossible for our skins to produce it. Very few foods contain enough for adequate intake so that leaves supplements as the only answer in the winter. Low magnesium intake too can result in fatigue and can make chronic pain worse. Supplements like Co enzyme Q10 can help with fatigue sometimes. This is a natural substance produced in our liver that is essential in driving cellular metabolism. People who take statins have very little of this as it is made on the same metabolic pathway as cholesterol and statin intake stops it being made.

[Mary4711 in reply to Auriculaire]

Thank you for reply ,do I need to check with pharmacist wether or not it is suitable to take with Apixaban ,as so many tablets are not suitable????.I have had blood tests done recently ,all were o.k. I do eat a Bananas every day Which is a good source of potassium.Thank you for your in-depth knowledge ,good to know .Best Wishes for your good health . Regards Pam .p.s.I do take multivitamins every day .just have to battle on ,will try Co.enzyme Q10 .

[Auriculaire in reply to Mary4711]

There should be no problem with taking vit d alongside Apixaban. It is unlikely your doc did a vit d test as they don't like to spend the money on that. You could ask if vit d had been tested and if so what the result was. Unfortunately the UK has one of the worst levels for adequacy in Europe so you could be told you had enough ( if they had done the test) whilst having a miserable level that here in France would be classed as insufficient and warranting treatment.

[Mary4711 in reply to Auriculaire]

Thank you so much ,I checked interactions with Apixaban ,and it's fine to take ,am going to buy some Co enyzeme Q 10 tomorrow,going to see my Doctor next week ,so I will ask him .Thank you so much for your informative knowledge .Regards Pam .

[pusillanimous in reply to Auriculaire]

I live in South Africa with plenty of sun, but because of the fear of malignant melanoma, I alway go out lathered in sunscreen - I suffered a compression fracture of a vertebra and it was discovered I had a Vitamin D deficiency, and was placed on a supplement, so even in sunny climes, it happens - I would suggest that all women over 50 have a Vit.D test and bone density scan. I have PAF.

[Auriculaire in reply to pusillanimous]

I live in France and we have plenty sun from March till November. I am a keen gardener but the only part I was exposing to the sun was my lower arms though I did not use suncream. I was diagnosed with deficiency 11 years ago after very severe tendonitis in my thigh. I now sunbathe for 40 minutes a day ( I build up from 5min in March) and take supplements. Sunbathing is good for the health as long as you don't burn. Not only does it make vit d but also nitric oxide which is good for heart and arterial health. All this melanoma scare is fueled by companies who make billions out of sun cream . Would you believe they have even tried to promote sun screen for black people! Black people who live in the Northern Hemisphere who need all the sun they can get! Melanoma is a problem for people who have pale skins overexposing them for weekends and holidays. It is far more common in office workers than people who work outdoors .

[pusillanimous in reply to Auriculaire]

I have a very pale skin (I'm a strawberry blonde) and burn so easily. ! so long sleeves and cream on exposed parts for me!. My doctor's practice (5 doctors only) has seen over two hundred cases of skin cancer in the last 12 months - not all melanomas, but a friend who had a malignant melanoma removed - successfully, I'm glad to say, was told by her dermatologist that Black people, when they get melanomas, the usual site is the sole of their feet. With pale people he maintained that most of the damage is done due to exposure in childhood, so hats and sleeves for little ones.I think Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancers.

[Auriculaire in reply to pusillanimous]

Yes I had heard that about the soles. Which probably shows that if is not due to to sun exposure. Part of the problem with UK is that consistently sunny weather is so rare that when it happens people tend to overexpose. I am very careful to wear a hat and trousers rather than shorts when working in the garden . Since taking Cipro I have become more sensitive and can feel burning through my t shirt sometimes! The advantage of a longer sunnier summer is that one can build up very slowly so that the developing tan protects the skin. I doubt skin cancer has ever been a problem round the Med. A high vit d level also protects against melanoma according to vit d researchers. And there are those who say that wearing sun screen has not much altered the rates of skin cancer as people actually spend more time in the sun feeling protected more than they actually are. And that there are chemicals that are carcinogenic in the sunscreens.

[cat3]

Hi Mary. The only thing which works for me is Diazepam. As I'm rationed to 28-2ml tabs per month I literally use 1/4 of a tablet (with my cardiologist's approval) to kick-start me into action and once I'm on the move I gain momentum for a while.

Apart from AF I have fatigue issues resulting from a brain haemorrhage and Osteoarthritis...… so the Diazepam has been a lifesaver.

For a herbal alternative maybe ask your local Health food store what they recommend ? Here are a few suggestions :-

healthline.com/nutrition/be...

I was actually advised by a psychologist to eat a couple of squares of dark chocolate with my breakfast to lift my energy levels but I soon found difficulty sticking to the quota with chocolate in the house, so gave it up !

Good luck with this ; fatigue is a big challenge. Cat x

[Mary4711 in reply to cat3]

Thank you Cat 3,anything like diazapam makes me slow down to much ,I always keep dark chocolate in my fridge , normally 70/90 %coco I do think it gives you a lift ,I do have an excellent health shop nearby ,I will ask there advice ,your comments much appreciated .Regards Pam .

[skipabeat]

What worked wonders for me was magnesium. Check with your cardiologist and take get checked for low iron, mag, and other things... It worked wonders for me. I have AF and hyperthropic cardio mypohty Good luck!

[Mary4711 in reply to skipabeat]

Thank you Skip beat ,I have had all bloods just tested,my iron levels are back to normal,but with different health issues to deal with ,energy is sapped generally ,Best Wishes and Good Health too you . Regards Pam.

[Hidden]

Have you had Vit D level checked? Ask your GP for a blood test. My levels were slightly down & since taking 1000 IU per day My energy levels are fine.

Pat x

[Mary4711]

Thanks for Archie ,have had recent blood tests done All fine thank goodness ,so hopefully vitamin D will have been checked.Good health is wished for you Regards Mary .

[healme]

I'm sorry that I havnt offered any advice as a fellow Apixaban patient. I too require an energy boost therfore I found that the replies have been very helpful but in my case I do not blame the Apixaban. With me it is the beta blockers that have zapped my energy and strength. Not sure what help that is to you though.

Sorry.

[Mary4711 in reply to healme]

Thank you Healme,I didn't notice any difference when I started taking Apixaban ,it is probably because of all my accumulative health issues ,and possibly my age ,but am ordering Co enzyme Q10 today , I'll give them a try

[Mary4711 in reply to healme]

Thank you ,Good Health is wished for you Regards Pam .

[heartbeat4]

Have you been tested for sleep apnea.

[Mary4711 in reply to heartbeat4]

Tha

[Mary4711 in reply to heartbeat4]

Thank you Heartbeat 4.not sure what Sleep Apnea is ???.I can sleep for hours, some days I am so lacking in energy ,I go to bed in afternoon for a couple of hours sleep .but all my blood tests up to now are fine.Wishing you Good Health Regards Pam .