Tiredness

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Gemthom85
Gemthom85 Member Posts: 26
in Living with arthritis
Does anyone suffer from really bad tiredness. I dont seem to get much these days without having to lie down an have a nap. Sleeping at night 8-10hrs but come lunchtime i have this overwhelming need to lie down for a nap which i struggle to wake from.

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  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
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    I am tired all the time for three reasons: arthritis, pain and poor quality of sleep due to arthritis and pain. I wake at least three times a night with pain breakthrough and what sleep I manage is shallow, never restorative. If you have an auto-immune arthritis you could be flaring. I sleep for England when I flare, a good sixteen hours a day are spent in shallow slumber. DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Gemthom85
    Gemthom85 Member Posts: 26
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    That sounds about right! 🙄 14hrs one day. then i had a nap between "breakfast" and "dinner". I thought j was just being lazy.
    Its it normal to be flaring all the time? Like twice a week. I had ra for 9 years but im only just taking it seriously. I was young when diagnosed.
  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992
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    If I could get more than 3 hours sleep a night I would be over the moon!

  • Ellen
    Ellen Moderator Posts: 1,633
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    @Gemthom85 When I am flaring and exhausted I do have naps absolutely your body needs rest, but I set my alarm on my phone so I don't oversleep.

    I've attached some info if you haven't already read it there is a section about flares.

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/

    Best wishes

    Ellen

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,443
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    Hi @Gemthom85

    When I was first on this forum someone gave me some useful advice (Elnafin if anyone remembers her?) about tiredness.

    I was so exhausted I could NOT keep my eyes open no matter what, but at the time had 3 girls to look after. She told me to make time to sleep and to set an alarm which i did then and still do today when I'm flaring.

    I struggle to go to bed in the day, but like mike1 get a blanket and in the recliner - not on the door and that's me gone.

    Go with it Gemthom it's your body telling you you need it ((()))

    Take care

    Toni xx

  • Gillyb
    Gillyb Member Posts: 9
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    Hi I know how you feel I work part time but have been nodding off at odd times ! I never used to I do have interrupted sleep at night but I have done for a long while but this nodding off has been in the last month or so ! I hope you find your answer.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
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    A thought I had in the early hours was have you had your iron levels checked? Low iron can cause fatigue. DD

    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Gemthom85
    Gemthom85 Member Posts: 26
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    Yeah iron fine. Must be the Guinness 🤫
  • deefletch
    deefletch Member Posts: 4
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    Hello, Ive just joined the site! I have OA in several areas of my spine which gradually has taken away my flexibility. Its worsened since I slipped a disc and had part of the disc surgically removed. Also something weird going on with my hip! I have had an X-ray which showed minimal Arthritis and yet I keep getting sharp pains in the groin which I have had for over a year and its getting worse; the front of my thigh is stiff and achy. The physio thinks it may be a torn ligament but with Covid 19 it will be months before I can see anyone with a view to getting an MRI. I am now trying Turmeric and crossing all fingers and toes! I would like to ask some questions please if anyone can help? Excuse my lack of knowledge!

    1. Why do people get tired with Arthritis? I cant see the connection between stiff joints and tiredness? Is it just inflammatory Arthritis that makes you tired? Hope Im not just being thick! (I ask because i get easily tired and dont know if its the OA or just my age at nearly 60!)
    2. How do they confirm its Osteo Arthritis? My doctor took one look at my XRay and just diagnosed it. Is it that simple to tell which type it is?
    3. And is it just me, or is it because of the OA - but whenever the physio gives me exercises, it always makes my pain worse! They say, rest for two days and try again but it doesn't work! I do walk regularly with my dog and do gentle stretches every morning. I really need to swim but at the moment of course, thats a no go.

    i cant believe how stiff I am every time I get up out of a chair! I feel like a rusty machine! I walk like an old lady and I'm only 59!!

    any advice gratefully received. Thank you!

  • chrisb
    chrisb Moderator Posts: 682
    edited 26. Apr 2020, 09:47
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    Hi Denise,

    Welcome to the Versus Arthritis forum, I hope you find it beneficial.

    I'm sorry to read that you've been suffering with OA and also had the complication of disc surgery. It must also be frustrating that you're having to wait for an MRI to help diagnose the pains you're experiencing in your groin.

    Looking at your three questions in turn:

    1. You should be able to find lots of helpful information on the main VA website as regards tiredness with OA, this may be a good lace to start https://www.versusarthritis.org/search?query=OA+tired
    2. I also have OA of the spine and had a similar experience to you with my Consultant. I guess they diagnose so many x-rays a week that experience tells them the issue immediately in many cases.
    3. This link may be of use as regards exercising https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/exercise/about-exercise/

    I'm sure that forum members will be able to help you by sharing their knowledge and experiences however, if you ever fell the need then please do call our free Helpline on 0800 5200 520, or email helpline@versusarthritis.org (Mon - Fri 9:00am – 8:00pm)

    Best Wishes

    ChrisB (Moderator)

    Need more help - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm

  • Asnina
    Asnina Member Posts: 23
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    I'm constantly exhausted, no matter if I sleep for 10 hours straight or am wide awake at night. This morning at 8.30, I couldn't keep my eyes open, and I have just let work know that I can tell I'm not going to last the day.

    I am just coming out of a flare episode and have just started hydroxychloroquine, but the constant tiredness is probably the worst part of it. It's affecting every area of my life, work, my home, everything. I've complained about tiredness to my GP for years, and we've never gotten to the bottom of it.

    I have noticed that when I do sleep for a good solid 8 to 10 hours without waking, I'm lucky if I get 1 hour of deep sleep (since the apple watch was updated to IOS16), and I suspect this is the cause.

  • JenHB
    JenHB Member Posts: 133
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    I had low-level tiredness last year and my GP did bloods so checked thyroid and for other deficiencies. Told me my vit D was borderline so now taking supplements.

  • Baloo
    Baloo Member Posts: 405
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    Yes it all seems to blur into one. Around 12:00 Im feeling quite strong and moving about then by evening a sort of aching stiffness sets in, where its hard to pick things up. It picks up even more by bed time where I might be going to bed almost shivering to get warm. If I was unlucky enough to be moving around too much then something gets painful to move, even in bed.

    Thankfully I sleep overnight and it wears off so by morning there is just the stiffness and it gradually wears off over the first few hours. If my watch says I only slept a few hours, then it seems to be pretty accurate, I start drifting off during the day and wanting to sleep. Even if my strength comes back for the afternoon, my system still wants to shut me down pretty much one way or another all day.

    Don't get me wrong, I still do stuff, but a much reduced level where usually the tidying up is enough.

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