How do you all handle the exhaustion?? I got up about an hour ago and am ready to go back to bed. And my boss is pressuring me to go into work, and that is after a doctors note. The pain is bad enough, the nausea, but the exhaustion is really killing me. I spend a lot of time in bed, and not sleeping but for short bursts at a time..How do you all deal with this illness? Any advice most welcome.
hi sandra,
good question. for myself i think what happened was adapting over time to the changes and knowing when i could push myself and when not to. mostly it's about the why. who wants my energy and why? are they worth it?
being tired has been a part of my reality for so long it feels natural. there are times i can overcome that fatigue, sometimes not.
please tell me you are not opening any email from the "boss". it is a stress and that stress can keep the fatigue in high gear. listen to your body and do what she needs. sleep if that's what your body asks of you.
how do i cope with it? i have no idea. i just do each day as it comes.
wish i had magic answers but i do not. all i can say is let it happen and relax, it's okay to feel the way you feel. tomorrows come.
peace,
bluelakelady
You are an angel. You made me feel so much better despite the fibro..I did tell my boss I will not be pressured to go back to work until I am ready, mind and body. I am definitely taking your advice, rest when my body tells me. Which I am doing right now..
Pain does make us exhausted, but also, have you had a sleep study done? I had one done because I was working and pushing myself so hard, I started to fall asleep driving. Also, I was having weird things happen when trying to go to sleep. So I had the sleep study done, and I was SHOCKED to find out I had sleep apnea. I have never felt myself wake up, and I don't snore, but my body "woke up" out of REM sleep 65 times in 7 hours during the study. I was very, very surprised (and in denial at first) to hear this. You might want to check into it.
Not sure what meds you take. I don't like meds, but since I have to work full time, I HAVE to rely on them. I take Tramadol, and it gives me a very small burst of energy. I have to wake up an hour before it's time to get up to take it. Then I do have to push myself through the fatigue. On my days off I rest most of the day and take naps.
10 years ago when I started to have fibro, I had a boss like yours (a principal of a school). I had just had a spinal surgery and she kept calling and bugging me to come back. I have always regretted not staying home longer because I have learned that it probably created stress hormones which set the fibro in motion.
On the other hand, after a while, I had to learn how to function with the fatigue. I don't have it down. I use caffeine and that's not good.
I REALLY hope you are able to rest and not be stressed!
I am doing as blue suggested, listening to my body. I am determined to keep a positive attitude and to keep my boss away from me as he only has his business in mind, not my welfare..You are all such wonderful people and I so appreciate being able to come here and get such awesome support.
I've worked out over the last couple of years what triggers my fibro and especially exhausts me and then do my best to manage it - eg long distance driving - I know after about 90 mins I must pull over and sleep for 30 mins - that way I get home safely but tired but not exhausted. I drink loads of water and do lots of deep breathing to get the oxygen round my body
