Dealing with fatigue

[James_BSF]

Do you experience fatigue or what some people refer to sometimes as neurofatigue? Perhaps you might be interested in reading our article on our website with which contains useful information and expert tips: brainandspine.org.uk/fatigu...

[Cariad1956]

Very interesting article and I agree there is a big difference between fatigue and tiredness. I first came down with fatigue after my appendix operation in May 1970 when I was 14. I'm 62 now. I also developed hay fever that summer. I've put up with it for years and my doctors have been very dismissive of it as I was still quite active and working. I could manage work but little else. In the 1980's my first wife suddenly developed a condition where she would sleep for 22 hours a day. Hypnotherapy brought her out of it but she wasn't the same person. When Claire Francis told the world she had ME, my wife said that's exactly what she had, so we joined a local group. Dr Les Simpson, a professor from Dunedin University in New Zealand had access to an electron microscope and was travelling the world collecting blood samples. I know I'm going away from brain and spine but this might help others. He tested 10,000 fit healthy people and found they have more than 25% of good doughnut shaped blood cells. ME people have less than 10%. My wife had 7.8% and I had 5.9%. He retired and gave up his studies, so no further info on that. More recently I took my dad to hospital and they put the sats thing on his finger. He had COPD so a reading of 88 was expected, but after seeing his unusual heart trace, I tried it on my finger. Good heart trace but my sats were only 95. They should be 97-99. My doctor tested me and said she would follow up on that but I am still waiting. Found out last week she moved practice in December, and I can't get in to see the one remaining doctor.

[ErinSAH]

Thank you for the link to this article, it has some very good pointers on dealing with fatigue. I had a Subarachnoid haemorrhage over 4 years ago, the fatigue and neurofatigue was, and is, one of the most difficult things to deal with. But with little steps and lots of breaks it does get better with time. Also educating people about fatigue with articles like this can help sufferers.

[GHill]

Very good & interesting article.

Yes, there is a difference between fatigue and tiredness and it's important to the sufferer to recognise and respond to 'fatigues' triggers.

[philipwatling]

I yawn all day - it is frustrating and hurts, but I stay awake. I am usually fine if I keep moving; when I stop things change, so I keep moving. Eventually I have to sit down: to a meal, watching TV, at a meeting or on a bus. I try hard to stay awake, but it is inevitable... I am soon fast asleep