Any Suggestions For Remedies For Energy

[ChilledBee]

I was wondering if anyone on here has tried something for their lack of energy that has actually helped them. I have fibro/RA and just cannot summon up any energy to do the most mundane of chores. The spirit is willing but the body is not. I have been battling this for at least 5 years. I have tried all types of massage therapies/Reiki/Reflexology/Mindfulness/Acupuncture etc. and have also spent a serious small fortune on non-pharmaceutical remedies. I have to say that to date -I have yet to find something that I can say has made a credible difference.

[ButtercupDaisy]

I have fibro and PsA and have been under the care of a rheumatologist and Occupational therapist for these conditions for 5 years having suffered from them for 10+ years. My Vit D levels were low so my rheumatologist recommended I take a daily oral spray supplement.

My OT recommended not having any caffeine before 10am as this allows the bodies natural system to wake you up instead of the caffeine. Otherwise, the caffeine kick starts your system and the energy is short-lived. I’ve also learned to pace myself - I do a bit for 30 mins then rest for 10 minutes. At around 2pm, I literally lie down, close my eyes and just rest (not sleep) for a timed 20 minutes beneath a weighted blanket. This seems to recharge my batteries for the second half of the day. I am fortunate I work from home so have the flexibility to do this.

I don’t ever feel like Superwoman but these things certainly mitigate the lack of energy and fatigue I suffer. I initially scoffed at these techniques when she mentioned them but now I believe they work.

[saj01]

Hi, Like you I feel wiped out most days, , worse when the 'head' doesn't work..... like today. I can understand that the body uses more energy because it's being subjected to pain all the time, but what to take, apart from antidepressants etc?

I've read loads of articles on various things. I was taking sam-e which helped a bit, it made me feel a bit better but I can't take it now as I'm on blood thinners for a month because I'm now getting double vision and my blood pressure has gone sky- high..One thing I've read about only a couple of days ago , but not tried it yet is D- Ribose. Like all things, there's pros and cons. D-ribose is quite expensive..... I've spent loads trying to combat this awful scourge. I was looking for a 100mg pack of the powder, I think jarrow used to make one, but it's out of stock... whether it will become available again, I don't know, but it's a cheaper option just to try something. Likewise, will look into the weighted blanket cost as some people say it helps them.

Trouble is we are all different and what helps one person may not help another.

If you find something, perhaps you'll let us know. Take care, good luck. x

[Tina1815]

Over the years, I have tried lots of things, which were expensive and not very effective. I have been taking amitriptyline 10mg, for about a year, which is helpful as I sleep better. However, recently I realised that my intake of protein was often lower than the requirement for a sedentary person, which I am not. I increased my protein and now feel better than I can ever remember feeling. I have much more energy and I also feel calmer, less anxious and largely pain free. I can’t believe what a difference it makes - I actually feel normal!

[Purplebluebell]

Hi, I agree with the reply about protein, feel so much better for adequate intake. Really helps.

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

I so wish there was an answer.... Since having covid at Christmas, my fatigue /energy levels have been so much worse and nothing seems to be helping

I only drink caffeine free herbal /fruit teas - but recently been trying yerba mate teas wish are supposed to give you an energy boost (not noticed any difference), I'm being careful to make sure I pace all my tasks and activities - even things like using my walker instead of crutches, so I can put my bag on the seat instead of carrying it (and when I'm working it's a good trolley for taking the mail down)

[crochetjoy]

Hi ChilledBee I sometimes use the vitamin supplement Berocca, it has different B vitamins and I find if I take it in the morning it helps me have more energy in the afternoon Wishing you luck

[Chrisbel]

I think that first one has to think about what not to eat and drink, first then the right foods and the supplements and other therapies like breathing oxygen under pressure, and exercise. so eating foods that make life more difficult like sugar in any form is inflammatory, so will stress the body, which saps the energy, similarly wheat and/or gluten, and dairy products are foods for which many of us have intolerances, (I do still use lactose free dairy)again using up energy to deal with. removing all chemicals from food and life generally can have similar effects.So having said that, the supplements that I have found that have made an appreciable difference energy wise are, GenF 20+, MitoQ, Acetyl L Carnitine 1000-1200mg/day Alpha Lipoic Acid -300mg x3/day and Thiamine(B3) - 1800mg /day, vitamin B3 and B6 all taken with a nutribullit mix of veg in the morning (which also has other supplement powders in it but not necessarily for energy). I found that breathing oxygen under 2atmospheres of pressure, while at first making me tired, after a dozen sessions or so started to give me energy and clarity of mind and after 80-90 sessions has cleared up my brain fog and fatigue almost completely, so definitely worth looking at, so although I still have (reduced) pain to deal with, I don't have energy problems at 73. I think that there are other supplements that help indirectly, but I think that the basis of dealing with this is an mainly an organic plant based diet with some lean fruit, (berries are best) meat, fowl and fish.

[JayCeon]

You then probably know the typical energy supps, compared to Chrisbel I'd recommend L-carnitine rather than ALC (ALC more for fog, LC for body), but also ALA; then: good magnesiums, praps ginkgo, luteolin, mumijo, NAC, NADH, PQQ, CoQ10, D-ribose, SAM-e, selenium, all with some evidence, and GABA in my own experience.Chrisbel's GenF 20+ is HGH, human growth hormone, something without much evidence for fibro/cfs, but anecdotal good experiences.

Good for you trying massage, mindfulness and acupuncture as I think these are things that can make our body move more smoothly and thus reduce effort and increase energy indirectly. However after doing 100s of treatments, and trying acupuncture now for the 3rd time due to severe heaviness from jab-sfx due to MCAS, I'm now coming up to even more limits than before. So I have to work around it: I do a lot online/laptop, incl. work, I still move as much as I can, i.e. do stretches while doing other things and move like a tortoise, but move move move. As it's getting too long (4 months) I'm now playing 2-4 games of table tennis again, but my mate has to get all the balls I can't stop in the air, need breaks, and hardly move with my legs, no steps, whilst I try to use my arms effectively, with no power, flicking rather than using muscle energy and not trying to get everything. Doing housework and gardening in short stints, in slo-mo, simplified and "effectified".