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Fatigue is one of the more troubling symptoms of Psoriotic Arthritis for me. Pain and Stiffness I can keep working through but fatigue is just horrible. It isn't just normal tiredness. Having a good nights sleep won't take it away. I've found that fatigue creeps up on me over a few weeks and if I don't take action it brings on a flare and totally crashes me out.
Fatigue is probably one of the symptoms I first had. Pre-diagnosis I didn't know what it was so I would just keep going and going. I was working full time 12 shifts as well as having a young child. I never felt like I had enough sleep - which I blamed on working nights. On my days off I wanted to do as much as I could with Grace so would try and pack in as much as possible. Fatigue would set in and I'd end up crashing with a cold, sickness bug or chest infection which would take weeks for me to get over.
Like PsA there are many other chronic diseases which also have fatigue as a symptom. It tends to be common in autoimmune diseases as well as being a symptom of Fibromyalgia and there are different methods of dealing with it. One of the most favoured ones is the Spoons theory invested by Christine Misorandiona in 2003 to help explain how lupus was affecting her daily life. Christine compared her available energy to a number of spoons. If she used spoons on one activity she would have less to spend on another.
My own method is similar in many ways to the spoons theory which I have studied. Rather than working on a daily basis like Spoons I tend to look at my energy over a week. Provided I have a restful weekend I start the week with a decent amount of energy. My aim is to spread this energy out to last me until the next weekend when I can rest again.
Luckily due to Covid-19 I moved from having to commute to the office every day to working at home for the vast majority of days. Working from home helps as I don't have to waste energy with the daily commute. It also enables me to cope with pain and stiffness easier. Its also the silly things like having to walk further to make a coffee or for a bathroom visit. When I do have a day when I have to go into the office I find that the extra energy takes it out of me. I know I would struggle to go in every day.
I have also dropped down my hours from full time to 34 per week taking every Thursday afternoon off. This means that when I get to Thursday I can stop at lunchtime and rest for the afternoon which gives me enough of a boost to get through Friday.
Saturday is always recharge day in our home. We get very little done on a Saturday and spend most of the day resting and sleeping. Often I stay in pyjamas all day as by Saturday even the thought of a shower and getting dressed is too much for me. Sunday is a day to do things that make me feel good such as spending time in the garden, meeting with family or going out for a nice walk. I tend to do things that make me feel good as I've found they add to my energy store.
Likewise regular breaks from work are also important. I am lucky that having worked for the NHS for 14 years that I get a generous annual leave allowance. I've learnt to spread this out over the year taking a week off every couple of months. If I go longer without time off I tend to run into negative energy which often brings on a flare.
I'm often asked what is the best way of fighting fatigue and what is the magic formula to keep going. The simple answer is that there isn't one specific formula. Although some of us have the same disease the way our energy store affects us will be totally unique. Coping with fatigue is where having a life coach is invaluable. Together we can explore different strategies and I can help you find the combination that works best for you.
Tips to help with fatigue
Sleep - a good nights sleep is really important but is often something that is hard when you have chronic pain. A comfortable supportive bed and pillows will certainly help. Regular bed times and getting up times help. If I can't sleep because of pain I pick up a good book to read. Even if I'm not sleeping I'm resting.
Movement - Although when fatigue is bad and you feel like lying down all day the best thing you can do is move. I'm not saying that you need to go out for a run or to the gym. When I'm feeling exhausted and feel like I need a nap - then a gentle walk around the garden helps. I'll still have the nap but a gentle walk first gives me a well-being boost.
Balance - try to spread out your energy over the day / week. When you feel like you have energy its easy to go overboard and use too much at once. This can lead to a boom or bust cycle where you do too much one day and then have to sleep the next. When you feel good you should stop before you use too much energy. Its better to spread out an activity over a few days rather than trying to go mad on one day.
Nutrition - a healthy diet will help with energy levels. Although when you are feeling exhausted the thought of preparing healthy meals in not easy. Balance is again key as you explore different combinations.
Positive Mindset - again this is difficult when you are facing a chronic disease. Many chronic diseases can lead to depression which may be due to the illness . Facing Chronic Pain every day can bring down most people and depression is tiring in its own right. Finding something you enjoy can help as can mindfulness and meditation.
A life coach can help you work through these factors while you find the best way for you to fight your fatigue. Learning to fight fatigue is a journey of discovery and I would be there to help guide you along the way. To help you gain energy or extra spoons please click on the message button or send an email to angelamarielifecoach@gmail.com. A free 20 minute call is on offer to ensure we are a match to work together.
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