RA Fatigue information please and how it affects you

[Kerina]

Hi all. I have had RA for about 2 years. My GP was very good at diagnosing and sent me for RF blood test straight away. This came back high positive. I work in residential care and was off sick for 9 months whilst waiting for rheumatology appointment and for MTX to start working.

I have struggled to keep working even though I cut my hours to 25. The pain is mostly under control but the fatigue is slowly getting worse.

May need to give up work. But you lovely people explain how you feel and how it affects you so I can try and explain to my partner

Sorry this is a bit long

Thanks for your help

[oldtimer]

Have a google for "the spoons theory" - I find that explains it very well for people who don't get it.

[nomoreheels]

As oldtimer says the spoons theory is a helpful way of explaining fatigue butyoudontlooksick.com/arti...

Really if possible it's best if you don't fight fatigue, you can end up in a worse state if you do. Also, are you as well controlled as you could be? Fatigue can be one way of indicating you're not, even if you feel you're pain is under control you could have disease activity bubbling under. I'd certainly mention it at your next Rheumy or nurse appointment, it could be you MTX needs a small increase. I've had increases & reductions of MTX in the 8 years I've been on it as the disease determines.

[Leonwp in reply to nomoreheels]

I entirely afree about not fighting it, but being a stubborn hard headed alpha male i would not listen and tried to push myself regardless, to the point where when combined with a chest infection it took me 35 minutes to crawl up a single flight of stairs but i still did it, then couldnt get back down, lesson to all suprisingly it is easier to crawl up stairs than it is to crawl down. But seriously dont fight fatigue or try to exercise your way through extreme pain. In both cases it will get worse, possibly much worse.

Blessings

[nomoreheels in reply to Leonwp]

I know all about the alpha male stubbornness believe me Leon, one reason I know the outcome if you push through fatigue & pain is because I've lived with one who does so regardless for nigh on 32 years! You'll never learn though will you, even if it makes things 10 times worse?! 😩😡

[Leonwp in reply to nomoreheels]

Oh i never learned until i came up against RA, now i have learned. I dont mess with it now, dont dare im down to the last few bits of mobility before i will need feeding and my arse wiping so im doing my best to retain what i have and im on maximum morphine that i can have outside of direct medical supervision so the next stage is dribbling. I cant be doing with that, if i reach a point where my quality of life is reduced too far then i wont continue.

[Ali_H]

Sorry to hear that you're finding fatigue a problem.

It may be worth having your vit D, B vitamins and iron levels tested to see if they are low and contributing. Magnesium is also an important mineral which might be worth testing - if they will do so.

I hope you can keep working for as long as you want to.

All the best

Ali