Get to know your MS fatigue and start beating it!

MS fatigue is considered by most of us to be one of the worst symptoms in this chronic illness we called Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

It is estimated that anywhere from 85 to 95% of MSers like you and me, experience MS fatigue at one time or another during the course of our illness.

For those of us that cope and live with this peculiar fatigue, every day, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it is one of the primary reasons for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to work part time or quit working.

On really bad days, dealing with this type of fatigue is unbelievably difficult and makes even meet the basic needs a huge task.

How are you dealing with MS fatigue?

Do you have any tips or strategy you use to beat MS fatigue? Don't be shy and share your knowledge with other MSers right here:

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Heat, humidity and warm weather have a very peculiar effect on must MSers. Learning to control and manage your body's temperature is a must if you don’t wish to experience, what many consider to be the most common symptom in MS: Fatigue.

In layman’s terms, the messages that our brain transmits to the rest of our body don't flow smoothly and quickly enough across our nervous system, as it did before MS. The slowing down of all messages is due to the multiple scars located in the patches were the myelin has been affected by the disease.

MS FATIGUE AFFECTS BOTH MOTOR AND COGNITIVE ABILITY

Cognitive fatigue is the slowing down of mental functions while performing repetitive tasks.

Sometimes, your mind feels like it's stuck on first gear, making it almost impossible to respond to a sudden question or accomplish any fast thinking like you used to.

The United States Social Security Administration recognizes the impairment resulting from the fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) as a factor contributing to disability

One basic criterion used by many doctors to distinguish MS fatigue from other forms of fatigue and the fatigue caused by other multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, establish the presence of symptoms of fatigue during 50% of the total days in a period of a minimum of 6 weeks.

WHAT DOES MS FATIGUE FEELS LIKE?

Everyone has experienced days when you feel very, very, tired. Right?

The feeling associated with the fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis has certain characteristics that makes it unique:

1. It happens everyday

2. It can suddenly show up even after having had a very good night sleep.
3. It tends to get worse as the day moves forward.
4. Heat and humidity tend to make it worse.
5. It appears suddenly and without any signal or warning.
6. It's harsher than what most people experienced when talking about being fatigued and most of the time it gets in the way with normal activities in daily life.

For some folks, there are additional related symptoms, like:

• Any problems or difficulties you might have had with your balance, your vision or your speech (slurring) will most likely get worse.

• Your arms and specially your legs suddenly start to feel very heavy. And when I say heavy I mean “cement boots heavy”. Taking a short walk to the kitchen from the family room turns into a really challenging task!
• You’ll have a tough time keeping focus and concentrating
• Unsteadiness and dizziness are very common.

• Strong headaches (MS headaches)

• MS fatigue can make you feel sick, sort like having the flu.
• Strong feelings of Depression


Go to top of the page

Go to next page ===>

Go back from MS fatigue to ms multiple sclerosis symptoms home page

Go to the MS'ers Place





About Me | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Contact Me






New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.
Copyright © 2009-2012 All Rights Reserved.


SBI!