Osteoarthritis and fatigue

janeC
janeC Member Posts: 7
edited 30. Jun 2014, 08:43 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi, this is my first post on here. Yesterday, I went to a really interesting Rheumatology Conference at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead and one of the topics dealt with fatigue. I have this problem, along with a brain that stopped working years ago :o leading to memory loss (starting before I was 30 only to be told by my doctor that I shouldn't worry, I did not have pre Alzheimers and go away and forget about this -not easy as I couldn't remember names from then on! )
I do not have an Infamitory form of arthritis that we know about but, I do have a nice low B.P.(?) I was once told by my (then) GP that he would diagnose Fybromyalgia tendencies,I hurt in all the places he pressed and now realise that they are the tender spots in fybro, but, nothing more was suggested.
I have looked at Chronic fatigue Syndrome and yes, I do have some symptoms, but not all, I don't get dizzy or sick etc but, I have no energy, I need to sleep a lot, house work doesn't get a look in and my volunteer work with A/Cis suffering too. I get really ratty at times and, have had depression for many many years. bearing in mind that my son is now 44, I was told that that was
the longest post natel depression that my doctor had ever heard of, BUT yesterday, I learned that Fatigue does not come from depression,
depression comes from Fatigue! :x
PLEASE can anyone help me to understand what is going on in my life? My family think I am just lazy, I have no energy or inclination to exercise, I am tired and when the fatigue hits oh so regularly,it is awful. I can sleep 10-12 hours+ a dayand if I don't, I am dragging myself along towards the day that I can!! Oh and I have sore knes that have just been xrayed, I need info to take to the GP with me to help with a diagnosis!!

Comments

  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Jane
    And welcome to the forum, I do think that sometime we put or our GPs put everything down to arthritis, I have OA at the min but they think it might be inflammatory, I do get really tired but yours sounds like something else, have you had blood test done to see, what is going on fatigue could be a few things...
    Love
    Barbara
  • Slosh
    Slosh Member Posts: 3,194
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Have you had your thyroid function checked? An underactive thyroid can cause extreme fatigue and tiredness if not treated. It can also cause weight gain.
    He did not say you will not be storm tossed, you will not be sore distressed, you will not be work weary. He said you will not be overcome.
    Julian of Norwich
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello janec and welcome to the forum. I'm not sure I'll be much use to you as my main problem is RA, though I do have OA too after all these years. No fibro, however, or memory loss or depression and my energy levels are reasonable when the RA and its meds are being kind to me :) Still, when did I let that get in the way of my jumping in :lol:

    I am wondering what your iron and Vit D levels are like as a low level of either would result in tiredness and, if your son is 44, then you must be at least 60(?). The NHS recommends that 'people aged 65 years and over and people not exposed to much sun should also take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms (0.01mg) of vitamin D' http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-D.aspx I'm not sure if low blood pressure might also make you feel tired.

    One thing that makes a lot of people on here feel constantly tired are the paindullers. Do you take any? They could be a culprit. I don't know whether or not anti-depressants might do the same but I'd guess that, if the dose was high enough, they would.

    You are doing the right thing in trying to sort out this fatigue because regularly sleeping for 10-12 hours and being unable to exercise will cause more problems than it solves for anyone, let alone someone with arthritis who needs strong muscles to support weak joints. Have you already made an appointment with your GP? Please let us know how you get on.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • jeanniep
    jeanniep Member Posts: 42
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jane, and welcome.
    I would say depression and fatigue stroll along hand in hand, and pain can cause both.

    Maybe look again at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, like arthur it can be very variable and makes its presence felt differently in different people, so you may not have all the symptoms. There is a good forum about it on Patient.co.uk, as well as many other conditions, including arthritis.

    Have you had blood tests for causes of fatigue, like iron, B12, thyroid, etc,etc?

    Whatever it is, I hope you feel better soon, not being able to do the things you need to or want to because of fatigue is just dismal.
  • janeC
    janeC Member Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you for your replies, here are a few more details, no, not been tested for vit D levels, or vitnB12.
    Do have low BP but do not feel dizzy.
    Have been tested for thyroid and am having another one on Tuesday morning, it usually comes back ok.
    Have looked at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but only meet half of the symptoms.
    Any further suggestions will be appreciated!! :lol:
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jane
    Ask your GP to test your Vit D levels......It sounds as if they could be low...My GP tested mine and discovered they were low
    I'm 68......wasn't that conference excellent :wink:
    I picked up a lot.....just wish he hadn't talked about RA and osteoporosis all the time.....I've got OA and osteoporosis.
    You've had some good replies....I'm afraid that's all I can suggest.
    Check your pm's
    Love
    Hiloeena
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Fatigue? Yawn. Tiredness? Yawn. It's with -yawn- me for most-yawn-of the time but-yaaaawn-I try not to-yawn- let it interfere too-yaaaaaawn- with things. I must go and have another snooze. :wink:

    I can't remember what it feels like to be feeling really alert and awake, and I attribute the relentless tiredness to pain and poor-quality sleep. I have two sorts of arthritis plus fibro and I constantly feel as though I am wading through porridge - on a slightly better day it's custard and on a grim one it's nearly-set concrete. Today is a nearly-set concrete one thanks to enjoying myself over the week-end but that comes with the territory and I can plan my day around it. I was recently diagnosed with low Vit.D via rheumatology so I am taking a supplement and sitting outside for ten minutes per day without sunscreen to try and up my levels. I can't say I've noticed much difference but my tan is coming along very nicely.

    You have received some good thoughts from the members here as to what it might be and I hope you can find some answers soon. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    How about the pain relief and / or anti-deps? Might they be a factor?

    Hileena - there is a connection between RA and osteoporosis but not, I think, between OA and osteoporosis.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi SW
    I've just been diagnosed with Osteoporosis although it was suspected.......there were talks on all sorts of things at the conference and when I saw one titled Osteoporosis.....I thought great.....I'll find out a bit more.....but it was disappointing for me.
    I know that steroids soften the bone and a lot of RA people are on that......Oh well never mind. When I got a chance to get away from the Arthritis Care Stand that I was manning I managed to find an OP stand and got info from there.
    Its just me being greedy :lol: OA in a lot of joints, kyphoscoliosis, osteoporosis, {and at the minute oedema} and epilepsy.....There are probably others but cant think of them.....just keep going the best I can
    Love
    Hileena
  • janeC
    janeC Member Posts: 7
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Good afternoon, thanks for all your suggestions, I have just slept another 12 hours again!
    I am 65 for those of you trying to guess my age :D wouldn't it be wonderful if there was as much info about osteo as there is about rheumatoid, but I do know which I would prefer to have been donated if I had the choice!!
    Osteo runs through the family on my Dads side but, my job was a physio helper with older folks so, a lot of lifting was involved, much different to today I might add. So, wear n tear are all factors and I had a hip replacement seven years ago, opposite side knee is now on the way out.
    I take paracetamol and Seroxat and, yes, I know all the side effects of the last one, I did try to get off them but, it is one of those medically induced conditions where my body now relies on the tablets for serotonin. I should go live in Turkey as I am fine and feel great when I am there, roll on our holidays :P
    With best wishes, Jane x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    :? Are you saying all, or most, of your symptoms go away when you're in Turkey, janec? If so, maybe that's something to work on - why? how? how long before they return? what you do differently there to here? etc Just a thought.

    Personally, after checking it out, I'd also be looking to exchange the seroxat for some other anti-dep.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright