What does MS fatigue feel like?

[erash]

I've always wondered. I don't feel like I want to take a nap. Instead it feels more like exhaustion and getting through my usual activities is difficult. It takes extra effort to do anything and I want to sit around like a slug. Is this MS fatigue?

[Kj9681]

For me, MS fatigue makes my right leg feel like there is a baby elephant hugging it all day. So, I get tired quickly. I feel like I'm maybe 4,000 lbs, and I'm not even 125. It sucks, major!! That added with balance issues create a severe limp.

Yes, this causes a debate every morning... However, I realize that's the disease trying to get the best of me, so I fight!! 👊🏾 It's your body! Don't sit down, if you can walk, walk! If it takes an extremely long time (as it does for me), who cares? This battle is for the strong!!

[rjoneslaw]

If you haven't experienced it be glad you haven't. Your body feels heavy. You can barely move. The feeling can last all day. Sometimes you feel like all the progress you made was in vein.

[erash in reply to rjoneslaw]

Wish I could say I hadn't experienced it...I just wondered if it made you sleepy too because it doesn't include that for me...

[StacyHayward in reply to erash]

For me it's both descriptions. I have extreme sleepiness and the heavy draggy feelings. I'm exhausted in every way.

[Royjr]

Dear erash, that's a good question unfortunately everyone experiene fatigue differently. For me my body feels like it just hit a brick wall. It seems like all my energy has been sucked out my body. No matter what I do, I'm through for a couple hours. I been working out for years and I have good muscle tone in my lower body, but when it hits I can hardly stand and a few times I would go down to the ground. I didn't fall but I slowly lose the strength to stand, then I don't have the strength to stand back up without aid or support. It really shows in my face and eyes.

I hope this answered your question. Good luck!!

[erash in reply to Royjr]

It does answer my ? And I think there's more similarities than differences in our experiences--at least based on the responses so far.

[DogMamma]

My husband just gets so tired and wobbly. Has trouble concentrating, walking. Fatigue is the worse. Tiredness. Sometimes he sleeps, sometimes he closes his eyes and rests. He saids it's like someone drains all his energy from him and he is left with nothing. He rests or naps and then he is at least able to get up. His mind keeps working but his body doesn't. I have tried to explain from his perspective.

[erash in reply to DogMamma]

So true. My mind is on. My body is not. Although sometimes my mind shuts off too (especially with information overload --I work full time) and I can't even muster the motivation to do a simple task.

[DogMamma in reply to erash]

That's really difficult. My husband worked for a company 20 years, one day he came home and said "I can't do it anymore'! We didn't know he had MS. Just thought he was burned out after 20 years. Moved back to our home state to be with family. Still didn't know about MS. After a little time off he went back to work, 2003, diagnosed 2004 - worked 3 more years, 2007 and had to quit. 😢. He was then diagnosed with triginamal nurology caused by MS. Terrible pain left side of face. Between that pain and MS fatigue he quit. This is a man who used to run 10 miles almost every day!! Now, he can hardly walk across the floor with a stout cane. I have said too much. Has your doctor suggested Provigil or Addreall to help with your fatigue? Husband takes Addreall and my best friend (since we were 18) takes Provigil. You might inquire about these meds from your neurologist.

[WAshingtongirl]

For me, MS fatigue isn't simply being tired or worn out. Mental exhaustion affects me far more than physical fatigue, but contributes to my physical fatigue-if that makes any sense. An example: I can dig a hole in the garden easier than I can sit and listen to a long conversation. After that conversation, doing a load of laundry is too taxing! I try to lay down for an hour after lunch daily. I don't always sleep, but the rest helps me to get up and get going (slowly, but better than not at all), the rest of the day. But in all honesty, I'm not worth much in the afternoon, morning is my better time of day. I've tried amantadine and Provigil. Provigil didn't work for me. It 'hyped' me up mentally, like a caffeine-overdose, making rest nearly impossible. Amantadine worked the first couple years I was on it, but not after that. I've just started Ritalin, and so far, I'm able to push through the morning fatigue and accomplish a little each day. What a blessing! Hope it lasts.

[Sukie427]

It feels like your body weighs a ton and you simply can't move....it's not sleepy tired just pure physical exhaustion

[erash in reply to Sukie427]

Yep I get ms fatigue 🙃

[redman44 in reply to erash]

I cant clean my house like I want I be so TIRED. I was on my job 18 years supervisor I just walked out my last day their I thought it was iron. don't nothing helps. I sleep all the time get up thinking I'm good to go 2 hours later I'm back tired

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador in reply to redman44]

Hi redman43 Fitigue is a Hugh problem for us with MS ☺ You can talk to your Neuro or PCP about it. There are meds they can give you to help. Modafinil is what l take, which is a generic of Provigal. There are others that I can't remember right now.

Talk to your Dr about it ☺

Jes 🌠

[SherylAnne]

For me fatigue is all encompassing.... My legs and arms feel heavy but the worst is the mental part, I can't think straight , I can't figure out the simplest problem, carrying on a conversation seems like climbing a mountain, my mood sinks into depression..... really hate it. Tough because I am not much of a drug person.... coffee does a good job for me right now but because of upper GI issues I have to be very careful with it.

[Fee09]

I rarely feel like i need a nap, but i definitely take extra time to do things. The energt level just never seems to be full. It's like you have a bad battery that won't hold a charge and matter what you do, you're never fully rested. It makes me want to lay around all day or not even move at times

[erash in reply to Fee09]

Like that battery analogy

[nes78]

it is beyond being tired. i have fallen asleep standing up after getting plenty of sleep and only waking when i hit the ground. no joking. i have fallen asleep on the toilet. falling asleep anywhere and everywhere. none of the meds helped me at all. it is debilitating and one of the reasons i was on ssdi before turning 30

[erash in reply to nes78]

I wish this site had more than like thumbs up icons 👎

[nes78 in reply to erash]

yeah! there can be a yawning face or a sleeping face

[ep63]

It sucks! You are absolutely right! You really feel like your legs can't go more ,and the worst is the feeling that people around you look at you thinking that you are just lazy!

[CalfeeChick CommunityAmbassador]

For me the fatigue is exhausted feeling. No interest in doing the things that need to be done. I procrastinate on doing most everything I consider a chore. Used to love to experiment on different recipes.. Now, I'm blessed with hubby that if nothing sounds good, Chinese take out is right across the street! He is a great cook.. Now If I could just get him interested in household chores..

[StacyHayward]

Fatigue also kills me cognitively. My speech is a complete mess and I'm confused.

[Taylorsmom]

Hi erash

For me, fatigue sounds just as you've explained but I do feel like I need a nap. I have been noticing that I feel like this a lot these days. Unfortunately, I don't know if this is new for me or if this is something that I've been ignoring and just pushing through all of this time. I think I'm overly sensitive to things these days since being diagnosed and I don't know what to do.

[erash in reply to Taylorsmom]

Taylorsmom

I find that it's cyclic

Some days I need a whole "pep" pill (nuvigil) and extra coffee.

[Ms-Indestructible]

kinka late on the reply, but, yep!

[Ms-Indestructible]

Kinda late with my reply, but, yep!

[Wallsocket]

BINGO!!!