I am so utterly exhausted. I switched from Mtx to Sulfasalazine as the Mtx didn't agree with me. I don't appear to have any side affects from the sulfa and my joints are not all swollen at the moment, however my joints are very stiff and achy. My biggest problem right now is the fatigue. I feel like I've not slept for a week but I am sleeping well.
Does anyone have any suggestions to help with the fatigue.
Hello there
Sorry you feel so exhausted. I don't know if it's applicable to you, but when I took sulfasalazine it completely wiped me out! I have never been so exhausted. Though, I did also get other awful side effects with it too.
It might just be the illness itself. I've tried everything to get rid of exhaustion, sometimes I just have to give into it. It's the pits isn't it? Feels like life is passing by.
Sometimes if I can manage to override the exhaustion, a bit of a walk in the country side can help.
I have never found a solution to the fatigue issue, but I find that I have about an hour of energy and then it runs out. If you can maximize your use of the good hours and plan to rest afterwards, it gives you a reasonable chance to do things. Was always difficult to manage this when working, but better now I've stopped. Listen to your body and try to work with it as much as you can. Best washes.
I have been on Sulpha for almost 18 years and it has suited me and helped quite a lot with the stiffness. I have tried Mtx, Leflunomide and hydroxy all of which had horrid side effects. The fatigue is something that has never gone away, although is considerably better than it was at the beginning when the disease was running riot. Now if I have a flare I have a steroid shot and that seems to calm it down. I am the same I have slept but wake up feeling as though I have never been to sleep. Over the years I have learnt to pace what I do, try to maximise the good days and rest on the bad days, be gentle with yourself and ask others around you to be understanding. At this time of year when there is more pressure on us the stress of it all can be very exhausting.
Ive been on sulfasalazine for over six years it takes a few weeks to really kick into your system but it's worked well for me untill I had huge stress of losing husband in March which brought on a r a flare up bad but not as djbilating as one I had six years ago they put me on metrix had bad reaction stopped taking it still not recovered fully from metrix fatugue I believe comes with r a but mine was worse still is after trying metrix plus my hands and arms are still extremely bad so back to RA clinic Friday for steroid injection to see me over Christmas
I just sleep 10 - 12 hours a day to combat the fatigue.. Not sure if you can do that or not, but it does help. Also, some people can take naps during the day (I'm nor one of them.. ha ha).
Leflunomide and Increased Fatigue or just tge RA?
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