Fatigue & RA

Have you been checked for sleep apnea?

Yes, as SJ said, Plaquenil is fantastic for the fatigue. What meds are you on for the RA? If I don't take my MTX like I'm supposed to, I feel as if I'm wading in quick sand, so terribly tired. Talk to your doctor about how tired you are, it is true that most of us are tired, but there may be a switch in meds that can help.

I've tried going to bed early, but it just seems to make the miserable night longer. I still wake up exhausted. All night long I keep waking up, and have to decide whether to lay in a miserable uncomfortable, painful position, or to try to bear the pain of moving. Neither option works. I find it very hard to get into a position that is comfortable enough to go to sleep in the first place...

As bad as the pain is, the fatigue is a lot worse. I can grit my teeth and get through the pain, but the fatigue makes me feel as if I'm weighted down all day long.

Feel free to vent here we all do it, as for the fatigue I know exactly what you're talking about, although I haven't had it for quite sometime now.
It happens to me on odd occasions and happens for about 4-6 weeks then goes away for about 6 months, only difference is I have Ankylosing Spondylitis.
I found it's not a very nice feeling when you have slept 12-14 hours and wake up still tired and I agree it seems others around don't seem to understand (my family), in my family I had pretty much no support except for my Dad, the rest just took it as 'oh ok, who ever has the worst condition win's'. I don't understand why people do that, it is like they want attention? I don't care if I get attention or not, I would prefer not having the condition at all.

Very Sorry, my vent just totally went off context and away from the topic :P

Ditto on the fatigue and ditto on the sleep problems. I dread bedtime. My husband is very supportive but even he does not seem to understand this. I often have a hard time getting to sleep, then wake up every 2-3 hours. By 5 a.m. I am wondering whether or not to stay in bed and feel miserable or to just get up. Lately I have just been getting up so as not to disturb my husband and I also feel some better once I get up and moving.

Agree the fatigue makes you feel weighted down all day. At least some days are better than others.

Fatigue is awful and it is definitely one of the symptoms of RA. I can relate to your comments about no matter how early you go to bed.... When I was first diagnosed, at age 25 I remember planning to take it easy over the weekend and resting but still on Monday I felt as drained as I did on Friday night. I was very frustrated and miserable.

Once I got some bit of control of the disease with drugs and adjusting my schedule, I learned to parcel out my energy so I could do some of the things I enjoyed. I still set a timer to 45 minutes for cleaning the house and have learned to love the slight mess that my husband calls clean!

For years the fatigue was okay but it returned last year. Remicade and mtx work some but I'm back to measuring my energy against what I want to do. No doctor I've talked with has an answer or solution. Mine is trying to help me determine if its RA or just life that's wearing me out and if the Remicade is working or not. Nothing with RA is ever clear.

It's very hard when you have to work. It takes all the strength and energy that I have. I feel as if I have nothing left. All I do is work, drag myself home and try to recoop to go back to work. The weekends are not enough to help. My house is becoming so neglected because I just don't have the energy to clean. I don't even have the energy to fill my birdfeeders any more...I used to love doing that. For me, the quality of life is definitely ruined by the fatigue.