The same happened to me around 26. i had to change jobs and now i'm trying to go back to school for work that suits me better in my current state. i'm 28 and have learned a lot about conserving energy to get through my day, knowing my limitations but still keeping motivated to walk/exercise everyday, at whatever amount is comfortable without pain/fatigue. doing things slower helps, although it's an adjustment having people stare while getting used to a different way of doing things. well, now i don't give a **** as long as i won't be denied accomodations or the right to live, LOL. listening to my body is important, because before i had these problems i was a little 'out' of my body and more in my head, if that makes sense. i went through a crash/burn cycle for a while which made things worse. now i don't pretend everything will be the same as it was 10 years ago tomorrow, and i allowed myself some time to grieve whatever changes but not wallow (that got annoying for me and those around me). spirituality helps... not hoping for a cure, but for a life that is full and meaningful.
pain and fatigue don't go away for me at least, but a sense of humor helps and getting depressed is a normal reaction. if you already have problems like i do with depression and/or anxiety, it helps to get an outside support like a therapist or friend or support groups like this one if you don't have insurance. also, for conserving energy, try an occupational therapist if insurance will allow or research online for energy saving tips that might help.
yah, i went thru a phase where i thought it was something dreadful going on, but then with enough research and listening to others' stories I found out it's a common thing as we get older, but not necessarily easy to deal with.
i also have chemical sensitivity which can be part of chronic fatigue syndrome because of the blood-brain barrier being affected from the brain damage of CP. aside from stating the obvious re dealing with insomnia and relaxation techniques to help fatigue, food can be an energy booster, cheaper than natural supplements and less harmful than pharmaceuticals long term. nutrition and vitamins are esp. important as our metabolism is different than most temproarily able bodied (TAB) people.
there is no magic bullet but a willingness to share and learn is a great start to living and loving yourself and others, whether or not your changes come and go. i went thru a difficult time because i was getting all these societal messages that i should be beginning a career, starting a family, etc when i hit a brick wall and was trying to adjust, recover, and move on at the same time. just don't beat yourself up, find a language for how you are feeling and communicate with others instead of stuffing it in, give and get plenty of hugs (especially from yourself), and being goofy can be a godsend
the 'good' to come from all of this is that i've learned to value things i used to take for granted, and i've matured a tiny bit faster than i would have otherwise. i realize that everyone's journey and experience with CP is different but the most important thing is not to give up and to ease up on yourself. as a former TAB i've realized that i've internalized some things about what it means to be disabled and projected these things onto myself, being harsh when there wasn't any real cause, making my own timeframe to adjust and then putting a good or bad value on what my body decided to do.
well, hope this helps and thanks for sharing!
ryotboi
25 and dealing with EXTREME FATIGUE 
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