Constructive Ways to Deal with Extreme Fatigue

In My Humble Opinion
21

Good call! No, my hydration has been terrible. And dehydration is also a thing that lowers seizure threshold, so double shame on me.

The alternative to Keppra costs $1,000/month out of pocket because it isn’t covered by insurance. The good news is, we have to pick a new insurance plan for next year because our shitty insurance company is moving out. I got a referral to a private insurance contractor today who will apparently find me excellent new insurance options, so let’s hope that’s the case.

I have obtained housekeeping help. They are coming once every two weeks right now with their special hypo-allergenic vaccuums to help with Sr. Weasel’s allergies. I am pretty sure they are angels from heaven.

22

Forgive me if you already answered this, OP, but do you take the Seroquel in the morning or at night?

I ask because I was briefly on it a few years ago. I was advised to take it at night because of the sleepiness factor. It was hell getting up, but I did eventually become more clear-headed as the day wore on.

23

I take it at night. My shrink also recommended I take the Celexa at night cuz it makes people sleepy apparently (I’ve never had that issue with Celexa.) So I recently moved that over to the evening as well. Now the only thing I take in the morning is Keppra (the anticonvulsant) at 9am.

24

Can you take the Keppra at night too?

25

I have to take it twice a day, exactly 12 hours apart, so I am on a 9am to 9pm schedule.

26

So my schedule is like:

9am: Keppra

9pm: Keppra, BC

Then Seroquel & Celexa right before bed.

27

Thanks everybody for trying to help me figure this out, by the way.

28

Are there alternatives to the medicines you are taking like carrying an Epipen (or equivalent)?

29

I popped in for much the same suggestion. If not one of the regular stimulants, perhaps Nuvigil / Provigil? I’m on one of those (depending on the insurance’s whim-o-the-day) and they do help somewhat. Whether they’d touch the medication-induced fatigue, I don’t know.

Frustrating on the meds and seizure threshold. My nephew was on a pretty stiff dose of something-or-other -and was even doing ECT (“shock treatment”) because the meds were not doing enough - and had a couple grand-mal seizures. I gather they eventually went away - I don’t have all the details, but I know he’s able to drive again, some years later.

30

I think keeping a log is an excellent idea. It will help you see any patterns that might be occurring with the fatigue, and you can keep track of what changes you make and whether they seem to work. I’d also suggest making one change at a time so you know for sure if that change is one that makes any positive difference.

Dehydration was mentioned above. Don’t forget that what you eat can also play a role in how you feel. Keeping your blood sugar stable throughout the day may help. I know if I eat too many simple carbs for lunch, it will make me very sluggish in the afternoon, and that’s without any medications to make things worse.

And as others have said, let time be your friend as you adjust to the ‘new normal.’ You’ll figure it out. Everything will be OK.

31

Find something you can be passionate about. It can be anything from gardening to arts or crafts, writing anything. If you feel passionate about doing it you will become energized.

32

My advice, from years of living with fatigue, would be the opposite. Scale back, cut out anything unnecessary, prioritize rest. When you scarcely have enough energy to get through the basics required to keep living, you don’t have anything to give to anything else, and spreading yourself too thin will exacerbate the situation. Listen to your body, rest when you need to.

33

Firstly, I wanted to say that I’m so sorry things suck for you right now. You’re having a really shit couple of months, sounds like! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things start to improve for you soon - a month without suicidal depression is pretty good, definitely sounds like things are heading in the right direction!

I don’t have experience of med-related fatigue, but I’ve a 10-month-old baby who doesn’t sleep much. And didn’t sleep hardly at all for the first 6 months. So if that kind of sleep-deprivation is at all relevant (your description of it being like you’re drunk sounded remarkably familiar!) then I second the advice to cut things back to the bare minimum for a while. It won’t be for ever, and it doesn’t mean you’re incapable or under-achieving, or never going to be a proper grown-up again. (The last might be my own issues, there. It’s definitely something I remember wailing at my husband in the midst of a particularly bad sleep week.) It just means that you need to concentrate on making sure you’re physically and mentally solid before you can build on that to do other things - that whole hierarchy of needs thing.

You will probably start to adjust to the meds, so the fatigue will lessen. But until then, I’d make a list of stuff that needs doing, in order of absolute urgency. Give yourself permission to do one (maybe two) of those things a day - if you’re feeling up to it - and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t manage it. Just try again the next day. If you’re having a good day and manage more, then bonus! Are there any things on the list you can get someone in to help with? We have someone who comes and does the cleaning for us, which is an absolute godsend - if we had to rely on me, we’d have been living in squalor for at least the first 7 months after the baby was born. Is something like that an option? I felt (briefly) bad about doing this, since I ought to be able to clean my own bloody house, but then figured that if I were at work and had stuff I couldn’t handle on my own, I’d delegate it or get a colleague to help me out - this is broadly the home equivalent, in my mind.

For keeping yourself awake to do the things you absolutely need to do and can’t get anyone else to do for you, maybe a cold shower? I find those wake me up for a while at least. If you’re in an office and that’s not possible, maybe just splashing your face regularly with cold water? Going for a walk outside helps a bit, too, if you can manage it. Also drink lots of water - and are you eating regularly? Small, more frequent meals might help.

Good luck - you can do this. You’ve got through worse things, you’ll totally manage this. But you’re not well at the moment, so I wouldn’t try to achieve everything you would if you were 100% on form - it doesn’t mean you won’t get there in the end, but take it a bit slower for now. Be nice to yourself - you’re doing the best you can right now.

34

NO!

NO SHAME DAMMIT!
And you’re lucky we don’t have a glitter option :stuck_out_tongue:
Why is that pink called “plum” anyway? I’ve never seen a plum that color… shame on whomever named it!

35

Nava, you have way too much time on your hands!

36

No kiddin’… I get paid to make multicolored motivational Dope posts!

37

By and large I agree - but if you can make yourself get a little exercise, it can’t hurt. Even a 10 minute walk would be something good for the body, will distract you from the fatigue (hopefully) for a few minutes, and might make you feel a bit more alert for a bit. I’m trying to force myself to do this more often myself - about 4 PM every day I try to crash, HARD, and some days I’m able to make myself get shoes on and get some sunshine. I don’t necessarily feel better at the end of the day than if I’d napped, but I certainly don’t feel worse. The sun may also help a little with the depression.

38

Not so much in her case. Sun allergy means that when the rest of us are getting out our short sleeves and spaghetti straps, Spice Weasel is checking her Mary Poppins gear.

39

Still, I am trying to get outside when I can, just… well-protected. I’ve got a standing appointment with Sr. Weasel’s Dad every Friday to walk in the woods.

40

Are you getting enough vitamin D? If you aren’t that could be exacerbating your fatigue.