Hello. It would be interesting to know what is everyones fatigue like.
I wish I had "just" some normal tiredness. But it is so much more than that:
-i feel like i had just run a marathon though I havent done a thing -my whole body feels very heavy like I was made of lead -though I'm tired, I'm not relaxed but very tense and stiff instead and that makes me even more exhausted -i often have this constant uneasiness and anxiety inside of me, I cant make myself comfortable what ever I try (well Xanax etc helps with this)
How about you?
Posted by peter j (Member # 11825) on :
i justed to have fatigue. This was the first symptom to go away for me.
[ 26. July 2007, 03:36 PM: Message edited by: peter j ]
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
I used to have fatigue that felt very narcoleptic, very sleepy related fatigue.
Posted by listenswithcare (Member # 10719) on :
Yes, wish I could say I was just "tired". Never happens that way.
Mine is somewhat similar to yours. - Feel overwhelmed at doing anything (like feed the cats) - feel very heavy, hard to go up stairs, etc. - feel tense, like muscles will not relax. Can't relax. - feel like I will fall asleep in the middle of doing something, but if I lie down to sleep - it does not come easily. - usually have labored breathing at the same time - pain levels are usually higher and so movement (like stretching) is not desirable. It is a big deal to even try to massage my tense leg or something.
Robin
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
bart
im the same way
the fatigue has gotten better (from not being able to move much) but its still not very good.
i can relate w the whole uneasy feeling.
like right now for example, i feel like doing 1000 things at once, but i cant. often times lyme leaves me feeling trapped, and anxious
hang in there, it will get better
Posted by minoucat (Member # 5175) on :
I used to have all the fatigue symptoms of limb heaviness, pain, extreme anxiety, breathlessness, tachicardia, dizziness, headache, and brainfog. At work I'd fantasize endlessly about lying down on a couch in a quiet room. I slept very badly, no matter how tired I was.
Now (post bart and post babs tx; still have Bb) I have the fatigue, insomnia (not as bad as before), intermittent brain fog, and intermittent headache. Most of the rest is gone.
I'm always tired. Sometimes I'm tired to the point of not being able to leave the house; sometimes I can push through the tiredness and have an almost normal day. With the fatigue comes brainfog, and sometimes I'm too stupid to drive.
I often feel quite OK until I go to do something or talk to someone, and then I notice I'm 1) pooped and 2) functionally speaking, an idiot.
If I can relieve the headache, which is nothing near as bad as the ones I used to get, I can often relieve the fatigue and brainfog. Acetominophen works well for me sometimes -- that is, when it works, I feel quite excellent for a couple of hours; when it doesn't, it doesn't help in any way at all.
I'd really like to figure the acetaminophen thing out, since it seems to be such a key to the fatigue. I haven't gotten much help from herbal anti-inflammatories like Inflammex or from other NSAIDs like ibuprofen.
Posted by EyeBob (Member # 12572) on :
My fatigue is similar to the constant uneasyness that you describe. Like a low level physical anxiety. My brain fog comes and goes, it's better than it used to be, but when I'm physically tired, my fog increases too. My muscle fatigue is interesting. I tend to quiver a little bit after excercise. Like I'll lift my arm and try to steady my hand and it's hard to remain still. Or sometimes I'll raise my arm to make a bicep muscle and my arm does a little quiver while I flex. I have not found others who have this issue, but perhaps I'm obsessing about something pretty dumb.
BT
Posted by Allison Smith (Member # 11631) on :
Brain fatigue, muscle fatigue...you name it I have it. However, along with it insomnia...go figure??!!
Headaches, muscle aches, all aches of all kind. It feels like I've been hit by an 18 wheeler.
My lyme has caused chronic anemia, I don't know if anyone else as this. But anemia causes all of this and Lyme to boot...it's just tough.
Posted by Visual Afterimage Man (Member # 10435) on :
It sucks.
Pretty simple eh?
Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :
As far as the fatigue and the sense of tiredness I expereince...
Its like I have had anesthia ....
the amount of anesthia I feel like i have had and how long I have been awake out of the anesthesia varies.
Posted by zil (Member # 12048) on :
I never feel rested, never feel like doing anything. I'm isolated from life. I have to be aware of how much activity I do in a day as the fatigue becomes exhaustion, like my face falls. I know that sounds weird but you can literally see the fatigue on my face. I push myself to do anything.
I am not an active person. I have to plan my activities---like laundry one day, floors the next, groceries the next and I'm mindful how far I park away from the door so I don't have to walk far. I shop infrequently and have no social life.
The fatigue is constant and robs me of joy in my life. Joy takes energy....It's not just fatigue but a "feel bad" with it.
I was just diagnosed with Lymes and started doxy June 28th. The fatigue has been the worst part of this illness. Big difference between tired and fatigue. I don't think most Dr's get that.
Posted by RogerC (Member # 12609) on :
My fatigue comes and goes in sort of bursts. This evening I felt pretty good and was going to take the family to the local fair. 15 minutes into the drive I was exhausted and had to turn around.
Mine is a combination of extreme fatigue, coupled with pain all over my body, topped by anxiety and insomnia.
I found an embedded tick on June 14th, but didn't go see my doc until June 27th. Took 3 weeks of amoxy 500mg 3x per day. Still wasn't feeling better and started doxy 100mg 2x per day for 2 weeks.
I'm on day 6 of the doxy and honestly don't feel any better at all. I also am taking hydrocodone 10/500 3x per day for pain, ibuprofen, atenolol 25mg, celexa 20mg, and clonazepam 0.5mg 2x per day. I already had anxiety before all this started and being ill has just heightened my anxiety.
Sometimes I am so exhausted, but I will lay down to rest and just can't sleep. Sometimes the pain meds work pretty good, and sometimes they don't work at all.
At this point, I just don't know if the abx are helping, and i've been getting really bad headaches on top of the joint, muscle and all over pain. I've also noticed numbness in my arms and face, mainly on the left side and lots of rib pain.
Here's hoping I see some improvement, and we all see some improvement soon.
Roger
Posted by zil (Member # 12048) on :
Roger I use ambien for sleep. I had a lot of trouble with insomnia. I was unable to fall asleep for naps during the day and I would feel totally miserable needing sleep. I would lay awake at night for hours before falling asleep. It's hard to keep going with sleep deprivation on top of the illness. Liz
Posted by RogerC (Member # 12609) on :
quote:Originally posted by zil: Roger I use ambien for sleep. I had a lot of trouble with insomnia. I was unable to fall asleep for naps during the day and I would feel totally miserable needing sleep. I would lay awake at night for hours before falling asleep. It's hard to keep going with sleep deprivation on top of the illness. Liz
Thanks Liz,
I may have to talk to my doc about that. It is so hard for me to fall asleep, until I get to the point of total exhaustion. Thanks!
Roger
Posted by ChrisBtheLymie (Member # 8916) on :
I have exactly the same.
I just woke up and it's 12:13PM here in the UK. I feel like I haven't slept at all. I feel very tensed, extrememly anxious 24/7. My limbs feel heavy, it feels like a major hang over or like I haven't slept for a week. I can't do ANYTHING, I feel too fatigued and weak. I will probably spend the rest of the day on the couch/sofa (not sure what you american's call it!) and keep having rests on the bed throughout the day. It really does suck...
My fatigue did get quite a bit better earlier this year when I tried taking lots of supplements to help the mitochondria. Magnesium D-Ribose Vitamin B Complex Co-Q10 Complete EFA's Vitamin E Acetyl L-Carnitine
I haven't been taking them recently though, so I do wonder if that is why I am feeling so incredibly fatigued again.
I also constantly feel anxious, dizzy, spaced out, etc.
Posted by BartonFink (Member # 10818) on :
Hello there fellow European!
You know, what you just wrote could have been written by me... I woke up at the same time as you and the heavy feeling was with me right away... then my friend called and it was really difficult for me to speak with him because of the anxiety and weakness.
My rest of the day will be quite similar to yours, I'm afraid...
Have you ever tried Propax NT Factor for the fatigue? I'm considering it. I think it helps the mitochondria too.
BF
quote:Originally posted by ChrisBtheLymie: I have exactly the same.
I just woke up and it's 12:13PM here in the UK. I feel like I haven't slept at all. I feel very tensed, extrememly anxious 24/7. My limbs feel heavy, it feels like a major hang over or like I haven't slept for a week. I can't do ANYTHING, I feel too fatigued and weak. I will probably spend the rest of the day on the couch/sofa (not sure what you american's call it!) and keep having rests on the bed throughout the day. It really does suck...
My fatigue did get quite a bit better earlier this year when I tried taking lots of supplements to help the mitochondria. Magnesium D-Ribose Vitamin B Complex Co-Q10 Complete EFA's Vitamin E Acetyl L-Carnitine
I haven't been taking them recently though, so I do wonder if that is why I am feeling so incredibly fatigued again.
I also constantly feel anxious, dizzy, spaced out, etc.
Posted by ChrisBtheLymie (Member # 8916) on :
quote:Originally posted by BartonFink: [QB] Hello there fellow European!
You know, what you just wrote could have been written by me... I woke up at the same time as you and the heavy feeling was with me right away... then my friend called and it was really difficult for me to speak with him because of the anxiety and weakness.
My rest of the day will be quite similar to yours, I'm afraid...
Have you ever tried Propax NT Factor for the fatigue? I'm considering it. I think it helps the mitochondria too.
BF
Hey!
I know exactly what you mean, it's horrible. Are you seeing an LLMD in Finland? Or do you travel to a different country? I have heard of NT Factor, but I think it probably contains many of the things I am currently taking. I find the D-Ribose helps to give instant energy but some people say it can alter their blood sugar levels making them feel very shakey, etc. I haven't had that problem.
I wonder what causes this horrible extreme fatigue, weakness and anxious type feelings.
Posted by BartonFink (Member # 10818) on :
quote: I know exactly what you mean, it's horrible. Are you seeing an LLMD in Finland? Or do you travel to a different country? I have heard of NT Factor, but I think it probably contains many of the things I am currently taking. I find the D-Ribose helps to give instant energy but some people say it can alter their blood sugar levels making them feel very shakey, etc. I haven't had that problem.
I wonder what causes this horrible extreme fatigue, weakness and anxious type feelings. [/QB]
I wish we had LLMDs here but we dont... I think the nearest one is in Denmark. We are pretty much on our own here trying to find good treatment. A Swedish ND has helped me though. She is the one that diagnosed me with Lyme, the local doctors think that I dont have it because of negative Elisa tests.
I might try that D-ribose.
I think this anxiety etc might have something to do with the hormones and HPA-axis. They are somehow messed up and not in balance.
Posted by ChrisBtheLymie (Member # 8916) on :
quote:Originally posted by BartonFink:
quote: I know exactly what you mean, it's horrible. Are you seeing an LLMD in Finland? Or do you travel to a different country? I have heard of NT Factor, but I think it probably contains many of the things I am currently taking. I find the D-Ribose helps to give instant energy but some people say it can alter their blood sugar levels making them feel very shakey, etc. I haven't had that problem.
I wonder what causes this horrible extreme fatigue, weakness and anxious type feelings.
I wish we had LLMDs here but we dont... I think the nearest one is in Denmark. We are pretty much on our own here trying to find good treatment. A Swedish ND has helped me though. She is the one that diagnosed me with Lyme, the local doctors think that I dont have it because of negative Elisa tests.
I might try that D-ribose.
I think this anxiety etc might have something to do with the hormones and HPA-axis. They are somehow messed up and not in balance. [/QB]
My hygienist is Swedish and she has just gone back to Sweden and she is going to look for a Lyme literate MD, so I will let you know if she manages to find one. I am glad you have found a good ND though. I always thought my hormones are messed up, I don't know much about HPA-Axis, will do some more reading later.