Fatigue

[strawberryshortcake]

Hi, is there anything that you can take to relieve the fatigue. I drink a glass of beetroot juice everyday, this is quite helpful but I still feel exhausted when I try to do any housework, or cooking.

[PMRpro]

The fatigue of autoimmune disease won't respond to a magic potion - the best answer is to pace yourself and learn to rest appropriately.

There are Topics of the month about dealing with fatigue

healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...

healthunlocked.com/lupusuk/...

are just two and if you look at the top right side of this page you will see a load of links to threads about fatigue.

On another forum I have just posted about my attitude: "OK, so I'm a slut! I just DON'T! Dust is very patient (the lady I was replying to has a cleaner!) and when it comes to cooking if it has more than 4 ingredients or takes more than 20 mins to prepare - I lose interest"

When you have a chronic illness you have to reassess priorities and the way you do things to make it easier for you and allow yourself to have a life. Doing things seated is hard at first - but you get used to it. Don't run up and down stairs all the time - for example: put a basket at the top and bottom and put things that have to up when you are downstairs (and vice versa) in the basket. You go up once instead of 5 times - and even better, get someone to take it up for you! Teach your family to help - wiping the washbasin after use saves a lot of cleaning (though when you are as old as me you learn a lot of cleaning was for the cat! It really isn't necessary!). It is amazing how many things don't need to be ironed - and you really don't have to wash something after one wearing unless you got it dirty. Lots of things can be bought ready-prepared - or you need to do minimal preparation. Doing jacket baked spuds saves peeling - washing them is easier.

I'm sure everyone has their favourite tips to reduce the effort of looking after a home.

[happytulip]

I have lots of little tips for fatigue but I prioritise my nutrition as it has a massive effect on my symptoms. When I have a good day and have a little energy I make a big vat of food, either a homemade curry, gluten free lasagne, I get lots of fresh veg from my parents garden and chop it all up or I make vats of homemade soup. Then I bung it all in the freezer. ( I can only manage one recipe a day though).

That way if I am haveing big difficulties as I have recently I just take something out of the freezer and I don't have to cook from scratch. I can't eat ready meals as I get a big malar rash the next day and feel horrendous. My freezer is my saviour because I know that if I eat well my fatigue will be improved and I'm getting the nutrients that I need.

PMRpro has a brilliant suggestion about the baskets on the stairs, I'm going to do that myself.

But it's is all about pacing.

Good luck!

[Buffy14]

Good idea about the baskets I get so fed up when I go upstairs , forget what for , back down , SOMETIMES I remember what I went up for etc etc , I haven't ironed anything for years . I do some cooking if I am up to it , I sit in the armchair with a bag of spuds over a plastic carrier bag and a colander on the floor , I peel them , chuck them in colander as I do them as many as I can , then I cook a big pan of mash and I freeze single portions , next time I need some mash just take it out of freezer and a couple of minutes in microwave is all I have to do . My son bought me an airfryer for Christmas it has made life a bit easier they are great . I have just ordered an electric potatoe peeler from Amazon , £15.99 , peels one at a time on a spike , done in seconds there is a demo of one on you tube and reviews are saying they are amazing and great for people with arthritis , they peel all sorts of things veg , fruit etc .You just have to rest in between doing jobs and if you are not up to it leave it what does it matter if the house is a bit untidy your health is more important x