I get periods of extreme fatigue and have difficulty dealing with it as I go to work every day. I have a very healthy diet and exercise as much as my body lets me. Just makes me really upset and angry when I feel so unbelievably tired and also prone to getting colds and flus all the time....
Just wanna see what every one thinks.
Hi
Unfortunately the only way round this is to learn to pace yourself, you may need to reduce your working hours or get some help with the housework.
I too sometimes find this the hardest past of ra to cope with.
Take care
Julie x
Thanks 
x
Hi Rosh, unfortunately, fatigue is one of the nastier symptoms of RA. We all suffer from it and no matter how well you sleep, it doesn't seem to make much difference. As RA-Fibro says, get as much rest as you can, try to cut down your working hours (I went from 5 to 3 days which helped a lot) and pace yourself. We all get colds and other infections which comes from a compromised immune system. Not much we can do about it except keep away from anyone with say chickenpox, shingles etc which can really pull you down. Colds unfortunately, are difficult to avoid.
I also have someone who does the housework and ironing and a gardener who comes in every 2 weeks to do the heavy stuff and keep it tidy. Couldn't manage it myself now and Himself puts his back out every time he bends down to do some weeding.
I always say life is too short to stuff a mushroom - likewise wearing yourself out to do housework etc is daft. A dusty shelf can always wait.
I change the beds and wrestle the duvet which wears me out if Himself is not there to help. I also train my gun dog but sometimes am absolutely exhausted at the end although he isn't. Wish I had his energy!
Just take it steady and each day as it comes, rest when you are tired and achy until you feel better. Take any pain killers to help as well. Also mention it to your GP/Rheumy next time so they can check for any other underlying cause like faulty thyroid for example. Hope this helps. LavendarLady x
Thank you. Thank you x
It can take a very long time to come to terms with the anger and frustration you feel in reality we're grieving for what we can no longer do and become very angry with ourselves and that's really sad but normal behaviour.
It's very hard to maintain a work/life balance when you have to go to work. I reduced my hours but in the end I was exhausted in the evenings when I got home and rested/slept over the weekend just to go to work. I had No social life.
I along with my Occ health doctor decided enough was enough and I left work.
All I can suggest is try and find a balance between rest and work. Rest/relax in the evenings and exercise (which does help). Make sure your manager knows about your disability and request regular breaks at work and if you need a day off take it. It's not counted as sickness if it's the disability causing the problems.
Also, forget about keeping the house/garden tidy and if you can enlist the help of family/friends and neighbours the house will still be there long after your gone.
Good luck. x
Hi Rosh,
I too find this very difficult. When I was first diagnosed I was signed off for nearly 8 months as I couldn't move below the cheekbone. It took me a good few months of attempts before I returned to full time work. Some days and weeks are ok, and others it feels like wading through treacle; my speech is slow and slurred, I can't keep up with conversations, and even my blinking feels slow motion!
I need to work full time, and want to, so the way I cope is by trying to pace myself. My house might be a mess, but that's not my priority. I might need to nap when I get home, but at least I've been to work and put in a full day first.
What to say to your employer really depends on their attitude and how comfortable you feel in discussing this with them. You are entitled to help, but their support rather than their legal obligations is what will make the difference. Under reasonable adjustments you might consider working from home one day a week if that's possible, or dropping your hours by just half a day a week to give you a little more breathing room. I've shared my RA with my close colleagues, so they know when I'm slurring I'm flaring, not having vodka on the cornflakes!
Keeping calm will help, as frantic activity or stress is no good. Best of luck, and stay strong.
Halo.
Thank you so much Halo. Thanks for taking the time to write. Really helps.
Rosh x
Don't know if I should laugh or cry
I just don't know what to do
RA Fatigue information please and how it affects you
I still don't know what to make of RA diagnosis 
