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What works for your fatigue?

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Posted 8/12/2012 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, I'm curious what helps your fatigue, whether it's medication, supplements, or lifestyle changes.

I have always been a person who needs a lot of sleep. But now with 3 kids and full time work I struggle with the constant tiredness. I get 8 to 9 hours
a night. I take Nuvigil which I think is no longer working.

What have you all found to be helpful? I would love to have energy for once. Thank you, this board has been great and I learn so much from you all.
Posted 8/12/2012 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
I have lupus also and I handle my fatigue with plaquenil. I don't know what they give for fibro fatigue but it seems to help me.
Posted 8/12/2012 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
I take adderall for fatigue. I have been taking it for a long time. I tried provigil and it helped at first but didn't work later on. I found the xr works best for me. It is so nice to have some energy. I would love more, but this keeps me out of bed and able to go to town and do things.

I hope that you find something that works for you...

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 8/12/2012 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
If my pain is under control, I have more energy. So these days, that means Hydrocodone. It seems strange that a narcotic would do that, but I've noticed it time and again. Before my surgery I was controlling the pain with Tramadol and it did the same thing.

And, of course, getting enough sleep and rest and exercise.

Debbie
Posted 8/12/2012 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Debbie, Iam the same, hydrocodone gives me energy as well, strange huh? Benadryl makes me hyper, but not in a good way! I take nuvigil too and it also worked for me at first but now nothing. I would like to know if there is anything otc like a supp or something that works for energy?
Posted 8/12/2012 5:48 AM (GMT 0)
I have taken adderall XR for several years for ADHD, and find that it also works very well for managing the tiredness from fibro. It works the best when I have gotten a reasonably good night's sleep before. I also find that I am not as tired if I avoid sweets. It also helps me to avoid eating large meals and instead divide them into smaller meals throughout the day.
Posted 8/12/2012 10:06 AM (GMT 0)
I find diet helps me the most. Yesterday I had about 1/4 cup of ice cream. It was so good but I had a very difficult time sleeping last night. The night before went much better because I hadn't eaten anything that I shouldn't have that day.

When I eat what a fibromite should and don't eat what a fibromite shouldn't eat, it helps me to get a decent night's sleep.

Good luck to you.
Posted 8/12/2012 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
I find that staying away from sugar and a lot of carbohydrates helps with the fatigue...and the fibro fog, too.  Also, gentle exercises helps me.  When I go for a walk, I feel better, have less pain, and it energizes me!  But, I do have to have gotten my rest the night before.  I stay on a sleep schedule.  If I don't get 7-8 hours of rest, I'm out of commission the next day.

 

Sherrine

Posted 8/15/2012 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for your responses! I tried Adderall and was up ALL night, it was awful! It was the IR release though and not the XR. The Nuvigil has completely stopped working....I can take it and fall asleep a few hours later with no problem. I am going to take a break from it for a while and see if that helps.

I also think the diet suggestions are good: I do notice I am sleepy after lunch.

Anyone have natural supplements that help?
Posted 8/15/2012 9:48 AM (GMT 0)
For sleep I take melatonin and l-theanine.

For supplements I've been taking GNC's Women's Ultra Mega 50 Plus and in addition I take a vitamin C and a krill oil capsule.

I think these basic supplements work for me because what's more important than supplements is the diet that we eat.

Good luck to you.
Posted 8/15/2012 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
Mass amounts of Mt. Dew does it for me! :-) I literally drink a 12 pack of 12 ounce cans per day. But it keeps me awake and alert-ish most of the time. LOL
Posted 8/15/2012 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
Kristie, WOW, too funny about the Mt. Dew! I drink a lot of Diet Coke (3-4 cans a day) and I never hear the end of it from my husband, so I have no idea what he would do if I drank a 12 pack! But hey, you got to do what you gotta do to stay moving, right?

Almostmedfree-I am going to try some of those supplements. I want to minimize the amount of medication I am on if possible.
Posted 8/15/2012 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hi mamabee3,

Please be careful of diet soda. Aspartame is very bad for you. Here's a thread from 2009 that talks about aspartame:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=24&m=1526321

Mommakiki,

Here's a link to a livestrong article about what we should eat and drink and what we should stay away from:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/92318-exercise-diet-fibromyalgia/

I would be curious to know how bad your fibro is? I hope you're doing fine.

 

Posted 8/15/2012 8:31 PM (GMT 0)

mamabee3 said...
Kristie, WOW, too funny about the Mt. Dew! I drink a lot of Diet Coke (3-4 cans a day) and I never hear the end of it from my husband, so I have no idea what he would do if I drank a 12 pack! But hey, you got to do what you gotta do to stay moving, right?

Almostmedfree-I am going to try some of those supplements. I want to minimize the amount of medication I am on if possible.

with me, it is diet dr pepper. I drink so many of them each day. Dh drinks the kroger brand, but i WILL NOT compromise on this issue.
Posted 8/15/2012 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
I know all sodas, especially Dew, do to the high sugar and caffeine content, are just rotten for your entire system (even for healthy people), but I love the sweet taste. In between each can of soda, I do drink a 10 ounce bottle of water, so my water intake is over 1200 ounces daily which is good. :-) *yes, I tinkle a LOT* lol I have an extremely high metabolism, without all the empty calories I get from soda I'd be struggleing to maintain a healthy weight. I'm a vegetarian and my meals are very nutritious, I only eat organics and I take multi vitamins daily.

With my meds, I feel fairly well daily. :-) Of course, like anyone else I do have flares and "bad days" but that's to be expected with fibro, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus - among other ailments. I'm a devout Christian, hopeless neurotic cleaner, perfectionist, mother of 2 young girls, wife, volunteer, caregiver for my grandpa who has stage 4 cancer, love to be as active as I can, and so on. :-) My motto for my life in coping with my maladies is "I try". That's the best I can do, try. :-)

Post Edited (MommaKiKi) : 8/15/2012 4:06:04 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/16/2012 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
Taking vitamin D3 helps with energy. If you do take adderall you should take it early in the morning to make sure you can sleep at night. Maybe you got too high of a dose.

Ginseng works good for some people for energy. Pseudoephrine helps too. Gota kola, I think that is how it is spelled, also can help with energy. These are the only supplements that I can think of at this time.

I hope you find something. I have always noticed after I walk I have more energy and also exercise if you are able to. It gets the endorphines going in your body.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 8/16/2012 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
I want to point out that with any of these suggestions. Many of us are different meds pleas always ck with your doctors about any interactions with your currant meds. I am now on a blood thinner and many drugs will make a difference in my blood levels. I had to ask before taking even tylenol or dramine. This includes any vitamins or supplements.
Posted 8/16/2012 6:40 PM (GMT 0)
I know Aspartme is not good....I wish I could stop drinking Diet Coke but I have been drinking it for so long! I know I need to cut back. Otherwise I am very healthy. Kristie, I am also a vegetarian, and I have been for 12 years.

Thank you to everyone for the tips!
Posted 8/17/2012 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
Mammabee I am sure you had your thyroid checked? I just found out mine was low. After a month I can tell a difference in my fatigue. I am hoping with some diet change I am going to feel even better.
Posted 8/18/2012 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
i take 15mg of the Dexedrine Spansule or the generic version Dexedrine ER 5mg 3caps. i have the option of one more at 2 or 3pm. i works very well and lasts all day and does not make me grind my jaw or get jittery. i did take Adderall and i prefer the dexedrine. tried Vyvanse and it was OK but not great. i use a variety of "adaptogen herbs" like Holy Basil or Siberian Ginseng which i rotate and use certain "nootrpic" agents like acetyl-l-carnitne or acetyl-l-tyrosine or l-theanine. this is the best stuff i have found so far.
Posted 8/18/2012 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Mamabee3,

Maybe you could try substituting your diet cola with healthy juices for a time? My favorite drink is water.
Posted 8/18/2012 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
Anyone able to drink 5-hour energy?
It peps me up but it sends my blood pressure up.
Posted 8/19/2012 1:32 AM (GMT 0)
My favorite drink is water too, with lemon or lime in it.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 8/19/2012 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, I am a nuvigil user here. I don't take it everyday, because right now I am not working. But before I started receiving unemployment, I would take it m-f. I feel like it really helped me a lot, especially in the beginning, but after a year or so, it seemed like I needed to have my dosage increased.


-Monica
Posted 8/19/2012 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
If you consider Fibromyalgia to be a Central Nervous System condition, or a Central Sensitization syndrome, then it doesn't make sense to ingest large amounts if caffeine, which only stimulates the nervous system more. Mountain Dew has a lot of caffeine.
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