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Date: 23.07.2009
From: Justme

Subject: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

I have to work full time to pay the mortgage etc I am only in my 20's but have had RA since i was a child so as i don't really know any different.

I'm always tired out but recently i have just been really soooo tired like totally exhausted the whole time. I get loads of sleep but feel totally drained - its very hard to explain!

I know its a symptom of RA but i've been feeling it a lot more since my dose of methotrexate has been increased. So wondering if that could be causing it too.

I just wondered what everyone does to help this awful feeling?
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Date: 23.07.2009
From: val h

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

can not help but wish u well it must be so hard 4 u
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Date: 24.07.2009
From: Lynne

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Hi just me I have RA for over 20yrs. Fatigue is as you know part of the illness. Maybe you need to see your rheumy perhaps you may need to change your meds. The new anti TNF injections seem to work well with most of use but they are difficult to get because they cost so much. It's woth asking though. Good luck
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Date: 24.07.2009
From: Lynne

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Hi justme hVe you thought of claiming disability living allowance (DLA) you sound like you could qualify. And you can still claim it when you are working. Plus if you get it it may open up other benefits for you good luck
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Date: 24.07.2009
From: Lynne

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Check out website called entitledto.co.Uk it takes about five Mins to fill in then tells you what benefits you are eligable forxx
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Date: 24.07.2009
From: donna71

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

I sooooooo sympathise with you.... I am unbeliveable exhausted every day and am running after a toddler.. well hobbling after her. Its such a shame to have this RA affecting your quality of life... Its tough also because other people dont see that you have it.. its invisible almost. and i think people dont truly understand just HOW Exhausted you feel :( i sometimes wish i had someone for a few hours a week to do things like ironing or cleaning as I never get time to do chores properly. only the bare minimum each day. getting myself and baby bathed, dressing and cooking... then im wiped out.
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Date: 24.07.2009
From: Karen

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Hi Justme,

Im also in my 20s and i work full time(50 hours a week plus) my job is extremely physical and Im knackered every day.

I know that fatigue is common between us but I can't help but feel i could be helping myself more. I don't eat a balanced diet. I don't eat an awful lot but what i do eat isn't great - anything thats quick and will give me energy...2 hours later sugar levels drop and i need more energy drink!! I know myself i need to eat better but im soo busy it's a vicious circle. I do strongly believe that if I personally changed my diet I would feel better.

That been said I promise to do just that, let me get this 55 hour week over with first :(

Hope you feel better x x
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Date: 25.07.2009
From: Donna

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

HI,
My goodness, I dont know how you manage. Are you taking medication to control your RA. If you are able to work 50hours, it sounds like you have found a treatment level that allows you to lead a relatively normal life?
I find the basic getting dressed and housework exhausting at the moment as my condition is not under control with meds yet. Ive been told that the RA itself is what is causing the inflammation, stiffness and extreme fatigue.. its a symptom of the condition. So unfortunatley, I doubt that diet would help in this case. I have tried everything... food, and supplements.. cod liver oil,glucosamine, magnesium, rosehip, you name it.. it tried it when I was at my wits end waiting for my rhuemy appointment. And they ONLY thing that relieved me temporarily was a steroid injection. For those few days following it i felt on top of the world. But now as it has worn off i am back to feeling like death!
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Date: 25.07.2009
From: Karen

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Hi, Im on sulfasalazine and methotrexate, yeah I would agree that my RA is relatively controlled in that I can still work, so Im lucky in that sense however I still suffer from fatigue and forever catching the cold and feeling lousy, I had to get steroid injections last week and Ive been so bad that i ended up in a wheelchair, so it hasn't always been like this.

I come home from work and I am exhausted, feel like im running myself into the ground, I have no choice, I have to pay my mortgage.

Donna are you not on any medication? how long till you see the rhuematologist? x
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Date: 26.07.2009
From: Donna71

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Hi Karen, Yes I was only diagnosed about 3 weeks ago so my medication (sulphasalizine) has not taken effect yet so every day is a bad day at the moment. It is a struggle to walk and to cope with the constant aching and tiredness. THe steriod injection i had was FABULOUS and it made me feel on top of the world... for a few days only sadly. It wore off and now im back to feeling lousy. How often can you have the injections ? does anyone know? i rang the rheumatology dept and asked please could i have another and they said they dont like to until my next appointment in a few months.. dont know if i can cope till theN! it is hellish. and i have a little baby girl to run around after. I hope this gets easier when my meds start working.
thanks for reading Donnax
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Date: 26.07.2009
From: Jill

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Im on MTX and Enbrel... still have flare ups, still get knackered...tired all the time.... but i know id be far worse without those meds... I guesss when I decided to take the plunge and go on the Anti TNFs, i thought they would be a total miracle...and sadly for me they r not...I needed these meds years ago...didnt get them , mb thats y im still in lot pain at times.... However, dont be put off if u r ever offered the meds...side affects r few....rather be on them than not...
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Date: 26.07.2009
From: Karen

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Donna, your story is very similar to mine, last year I was diagnosed, I was in a bad way, couldnt get dressed, couldnt walk etc, the doctors gave me a steroid injection until i seen the rheumatologist, they said that my local hospital couldnt see me for a while so i insisted I got sent by another, luckily i got an appointment within days. I honestly could not have coped if i had had to wait a few weeks, my GP said to me if I was really bad the next day to give them a call and a doctor would come to my house and give me another injection(think it might have been a pain relief injection they were referring to) . Get on the phone to them and make some noise! If you are really bad then they will help.

The first 2/3 months for me taking sulfasalazine weren't great as I was quite nauseous and had bad headaches (common side effects) but stick with it as you will feel the difference in time. I took 4 weeks off work, that helped alot.

Im changing to methotrexate at the moment but sulfasalazine works for alot of people.

When you say you are feeling lousy, are you in alot of pain or is it more fatigue? xx
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Date: 27.07.2009
From: donna71

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

Thanks Karen
I think the worse thing for me is the exhaustion, im not sure if its from feeling the constant aching in my knee and difficulty moving about. Or if it is just the overall side effect of the condition itself. Im hoping it will get easier once the medication takes hold of it . I will ring the rheum. dept again today. its so frustrating , as i rang them last week and said i was struggling and they said they would try and get me an earlier appointment , but i didnt hear back. so i will get back on to them. they are only open twice a week to ring so its not very good.
Donna
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Date: 27.07.2009
From: val h

Subject: Re: I am soooooo tired- what can I do?

it feels a bit as if your body is buisy fighting its self and no energy left for every day things poor u hope things improve soon
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