So tired. What can I do to feel less tired?

[Barrister]

I've been tired for years. Not just tired but absolutely exhausted and the doctors never took any notice whenever I brought this issue up. I fought it, going to university as a mature student and then qualifying as a barrister. Looking back, I don't really know how I managed. I suppose dozing on the train every day helped! Now, with a diagnosis of PsA, I can understand it but what can I do to alleviate it? I wake up as tired, if not more tired, as when I go to bed. Today is a bad day. I suppose it's my own fault as I haven't tried to take a nap but I just want to feel a bit human again, normal like other people. Sorry to whinge, but at the moment the fatigue is affecting me more than the pain. I can cope with pain but this tiredness is destroying me. Clemmie

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Clemmie. I do know how you feel when you say you wake up more tired. Same every day for me even though if I don't take myself off for a nap in the afternoon my H sends me as I'm worse in the evening without one. As it is I've nodded off about 9ish. I have bouts, like 3 weeks out of 4 & that week feeling pretty alert (for me anyway!), don't really understand it but have learnt that it's how my body is now. One thing I do that I never did before is power nap, unknowingly though. I suddenly go & I'm awake again within no time & oddly feel refreshed for a while! There's no point struggling as I pay for it the next day. I'm sorry but think there's no magic cure, how wonderful would it be that someone on here knows the answer?! Think we'll have a long wait.

[Beaches2]

Hi

I don't have the answer either but a few thoughts.......have you had check for thyroid and vit b levels? Under active thyroid and pernicious anaemia are both auto immune conditions and both cause that dreadful tiredness. The waking up tired thing is what took me to the docs many years back when my under active thyroid was diagnosed.

I have been anaemic since diagnosis of rheumatoid ....I notice the tiredness coincides with when I have inflammation......doc gave me iron tabs and I have increased iron in my diet......also discovered that tannin in tea can affect iron absorption so I now avoid tea with any meals and for an hour or so after. Anything is worth trying if it helps x

[Barrister]

Thank you both for your replies. Beaches, I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid two weeks ago so know that probably is exacerbating things as I'm only on a very low dose of thyroxine to start with and I'm having a blood test for vitamin D levels when I have my next lot of bloods for MTX. Nomoreheels, I know what you say is right, I know I function better if I can just have 10 minutes snooze but sometimes it's hard to fit it in and even if I do, I'm still falling asleep as soon as I sit down in the evening. I just felt so sorry for myself earlier - just have to accept that this is how it is. Clemmie x

[Beaches2]

Hi Clemmie

My guess then is that it's your thyroid prob making you so tired. It takes a while for thyroxine to get in to your system and start making a difference, I think a couple of months or so. When it did, I felt so much better and tiredness vanished. Low thyroid levels affect every cell in your body and make everything work slower so a horrible feeling. Hang on in there while the thyroxine kicks in, at least you have an answer to why you feel so tired x

[earthwitch]

It sounds like your PsA isn't under good enough control yet, if you are still getting a lot of pain and fatigue. Keep working with your rheumatologist to refine your treatment to see if they can get it working better for you.

[HevJ]

Hi Clemmie...

I was diagnosed at the end of 2012 with under active thyroid - for the few months before I was exhausted, but like you in a demanding job kept going and even trained for a marathon! I would wake feeling totally shattered. I too upped my iron intake but nothing stopped the tiredness (coldness and forgetfulness). It took about 4 months for them to get my levels right and what a difference! Then at the end of 2013 the diagnosis was RA!

Once the meds are sorted you should feel much better.

Heather

[Barrister]

Thanks Heather. I just want to feel a bit more normal - I'm sure you understand what I mean. Sitting here half asleep although I never seem to get enough sleep! I'm so looking forward to increasing my thyroxine!!! I never thought I would say that about medication! As if I don't already take enough pills each day! Oh well, at least I'm here to take them, sure beats the alternative, doesn't it? Clemmie x