fatigue

bailey27

Hi
I have a problem in that I am totally exhausted and finding it dififuclt to have enough energy to get through the day.
The problem I has is that by just after lunch I am feeling the tiredness and resort to caffeine and sugar to keep me awake to get through work. I m still feeling tired but find it manageable with a boost of coffee, red bull / haribos. The problem then comes when i want to got o bed bt then have too much caffeine and sugar in my system i cannot sleep. So then the problem starts all over gaain, apart from the fact i am more tired than the day before. I seem to be in a slow downward spiral sleep wise and was hoping you may have some advice on how i can 'nip it in the bud' before it gets too bad.
Thanks

dreamdaisy

You need to improve your diet: sudden sugar hits do not provide long-lasting energy for anyone, let alone us arthritics. One ends up yo-yoing on a sugar high, followed by a sugar dip, followed by another hit of sugar to haul one out of the dip etc etc etc.

There is a reason you see athletes munching on bananas at periodic intervals: they provide slow-release energy. Porridge is a good slow-release breakfast, or have a bowl of it at lunchtime. There are other foodstuffs too, have a look around. Sugar and caffeine are not the answer. DD

bailey27

hi thanks for that. i realise that they are not good for you but i alredy eat very healthy. i have high fibre museli and a piece of fruit for breakfast. mid morning more fruit. lunch time (12ish) i'll hvae a jacket potato with some turkey and salad but then by about 1-2o clock i am pooped. i'll have a cup of coffee just to get me through the afternoon's work but then the coffee wears off and i need more. i do eat really helthy and only resort to sugar / caffeine when i am desperate which seems to be getting more often.

c4thyg

Bailey, I find myself doing the same as you and I either fall asleep on the sofa at 8pm or I'm up half the night. I agree that it's not a great pattern. My GP gave me sedatives to try and break the cycle but I keep relapsing back into the old pattern. Again, I eat slow release carbs like muesli etc and by 3pm I'm done in.

I wish I had an answer for you. I just wanted you to know that you're not alone and I feel for you. Take care hun.

bailey27

Glad to know i am not alone, well not really glad you are having it too but I;m sure you know what i mean.
I thought about askig Gp for somehting before bed but dont really want to be adding anything to mixture of pills i am already taking.

salamander

hi Bailey,
How about cutting all the caffeine and sugar out for a couple of days, put up with feeling exhausted in the day and see if you can sleep better at night. You are going to have a few tough days and nights if you are to break the cycle.

Also, are you doing the recommended sleep stuff e.g. going to bed at the same time every night, not reading or watching tv before you go to bed, having a bath and trying to unwind etc? I find reading helps me to sleep but the experts say not to read in bed.

dreamdaisy

My apologies, Bailey, I didn't realise that you are such a healthy eater. I think we all struggle with tiredness, it is part of arthritis. I will resist the temptation to proffer any more advice - I am sure you doing what you can already, maybe others will have suggestions that work for them. DD

bailey27

Hi thanks both for your advice.
DD - please dont stop, you are fab at what you do on this site. When i see your name having answered someone i alwys look to see what you say even though i may not have that problem as i learn so much from yuo i appreciate you taking the time. Although i already do what you are advising someone else may have the same problem and learn from you. so thank you very much.

I am seeing my rheumy tomorow, date has been brought forward so will ask him.



The problem i have is that i work from home and even one afternoon off can set me back as i already have time off for the aching painful joints as it is. i foten dont start work til 10-11am as this is when i feel looser and more comfortable.

i think i need to find the winning uro million ticket and not have to worry about work and sleep all day if i wish.!! :P

sharmaine

Hi Bailey

Have you spoken to your GP about your fatigue? People with arthritis do suffer from tiredness. I think it's because we have to push ourselves and then we burn out quickly. It is important to have a good night's sleep. I gave up my job (I was commuting) and working full time but when my knees got worse everything was getting hard: gettting up in the morning; sleeping; coping with work; the driving; the tiredness etc. It's hard when you work because you can't go anywhere to have a lie down. I found even the drive back home in the evening tiring and when I got home I had to crawl into bed for an hour. I used to go in my car during lunchtime - close my eyes but it was difficult in the winter months.

I think you need to see your GP. You may need to take a few days off work sick so that you can rest. I was prescripted amytriptiline to take before bed and these help to keep my muscles relax and I certainly sleep a lot better.

Drinking caffeine and consuming sugar isn't very good for your health!

Do you have an Occupational Therapist at work? Perhaps you could arrange to speak with them too?

Take care and good luck with finding a solution.

Regards
Sharmaine

barbara12

Hi Bailey
You are not on your own, some days I cant stay awake even though I get a good nights sleep most of the time.
My GP says it is common with arthur...maybe its the pain, stress who knows.
Love
Barbara xx

frogmorton

Hi bailey

likely it's the arthritis, but it might be the caffeine and if it is - maybe you need to cut it down - not all at once though - I tried that (was on 14+ cups a day :oops: ) and I had a bad head and was all of a jitter :?

Glad you have an appt soon.

Love

Toni xx

bailey27

hi
I will ask about that thanks all. I need to do somehting as I work from home and am self employed running my little ebay shop. I dont claim any sort of help either so financially what i earn on my ebay pays my mortgage and bills. if i dont work then bills dont get paid, so i cant afford to be having any more time off than neessary.
I am going to take on board all of your advice. Thank you very much for your time.

It really is a vicious circle isnt it. As if we havent got enough to worry about.

lorica

Hi,

your deffinatly not on your own, im exactly the same, I have dificulty sleeping at night but if i sit on the setee during the day I fall asleep quickly.

Some of my medication doesnt help either with the fatigue.....

Hope you can get it sorted out

Mark

rileytra

hi guys

i saw a nutritionist as i could n't excercise so much - she tested my adrenal gland it wasn't working properly and that was causing adrenalin to flood my system am but it only is produced once a day so by lunch time it had worn off leaving me very tired and ready for bed about 7 pm - it also apparently causes join problems when it doesn't work properly - don't know if this is any help but at least it is something else to ask about -

hope you are all ok today

trace xXx

deborahjane

i also feel tired most of the time,mainly about 2 in the afternoon when i have to have a nap on sofa,i am lucky in that i always get to sleep ok at night,i have cut down my coffee on docs orders as i was getting palpitations and that was making me feel worse,ther dosn,t seem to be a lot you can do for the tiredness especially if you work full time and can,t have a nap.hope you find something that helps.

hileena111

Hi
Late on tonight.....but I'm the same....ever since the first THR and 6 weeks sleeping on my back.....Thought it would be OK when I was on my side but its only now that I'm getting some reasonable sleep {about 8 months later} and I'm still shattered during the day. Its about lunchtime that I would doze off on the settee no matter how hard I try not to. I know I drink too much coffee and should cut down....did try but I think I cut out too much and had real withdrawal symptoms
Sorry no real; help to you......just sympathising with you
Love
Hileena

speedalong

Hi Bailey,

sounds like you are stuck in a cycle - feel tired, drink coffee etc, can't sleep, so are even more tired ... a hard cycle to break.

Arthritis and the meds will make you feel tireder than you used to.

Was going to make same suggestion as DD, till read your reply.

Any chance you can pop outside for a bit of fresh air at lunchtime - that might help?

Could you afford to work less days/hours?

What is the lighting like where you work? Poor lighting can make you feel more tired. As can the temperature if it is too warm.

Speedy