You wake up exhausted, and then drag all morning. In the afternoon, it takes several cans of soda for you to be alert enough to slog through a mile-long to-do list. And when the evening rolls around, the only thing you have enough energy for is a date with your favorite sitcom stars. Sound like a typical day? You’re not alone.
“We have an epidemic of exhaustion in our culture,” explains Judith Orloff, MD, psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. “We need to learn to take charge of our energy levels and tap into practices that make us feel vibrant and happy.”
Instead of dealing with all-day exhaustion and forgoing activities because you don’t have the stamina, learn some tricks for getting instant energy boosters:
Turn up the tunes. Listen to your favorite CD on the way to work, or sing along to “Elmo and Friends” with your grandkids. Researchers have found that listening to music helps boost energy and stimulates positive thinking.
Straighten up. Bad posture can slowly sap your energy. According to the International Chiropractors Association, slouching requires your muscles to work harder to hold up your body, and that can lead to fatigue. Just 15 minutes of reading or typing in a slouched position strains the neck, shoulders and upper-back muscles.
Take a break from work every 30 minutes. Go for a quick walk around the office, get a glass of water or do a few slow stretches to get your blood flowing. Practice good posture by ensuring that your shoulders and hips are aligned, and your head is straight. At your desk, sit in a chair that provides good lower-back support, and keep your knees slightly higher than your hips.
Do a minimeditation. Setting aside time to do minimeditations throughout the day can help when you’re overwhelmed by demands at work, dealing with a needy friend or just feeling stressed about the state of the world. Meditations help refocus your thoughts and create positive energy.
Dr. Orloff, the author of Positive Energy: 10 Extraordinary Prescriptions for Transforming Fatigue, Stress & Fear into Vibrance, Strength & Love (Harmony, 2004), recommends finding a quiet spot with no distractions, sitting in a relaxed position with your eyes closed and taking deep, slow breaths. Focus only on breathing in and out. As outside thoughts enter your consciousness, acknowledge them and then refocus on your breathing. Do this for three minutes.
Wear red. On days when you’re feeling sluggish, try wearing a colorful sweater or scarf for an immediate pick-me-up. Studies indicate that color has a huge impact on energy level. Red, in particular, has been shown to improve mood and alertness.
I know how hard it can be but you have to make yourself! I walk everyday, some days slower than others and that's ok.
I started doing this about 5 months ago and have noticed a huge change!
The less your blood pumps, the less energy you have, the more you want to sleep, the pain worsens because you're not doing anything!
It's not easy to be active when you hurt, but it's worth a try if it makes it go away!
TRY THIS: Call a friend or loved one and make sure they will be home, let them know you are going for a walk to get your blood pumping and ease your pain, ask them to be by their phone in case you go to far one way and just can't make it back... My dad is usually my "go to" person for this, he's very proud that I'm excercising, so he does anything to help to keep me going!
No one said it was easy, but it's worth a try! ;) YOU CAN DO IT!!!! :)
No part of this article suggested that it would cure everyone..
IN-FACT it doesnt even say ANYTHING about easing pain!!! It's about boosting your energy, healthy ways!
For those of you who's flare ups are effected by certain food i.e. caffeine, red meat, certain veggies, etc. SHOULD know that cutting out caffeine just to make it through your day, CAN HELP!!! Also another thing, for those of you/us that have had any kind of arthritis for 3+ years SHOULD know what helps your pain, and shouldn't need to rely on an article... everyone's bodies and pain are different... Shame on arthritis today?! No shame on you, for not picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and showing the world that arthritis is something you have... it does NOT define you!
I bet you have alot of pain that you often give into!
I have severe JRA, at the time of my diagnosis (18 mo) I was one of the MOST severe cases any doctor had ever seen... I am now 22, walk daily, enjoy life, and do not give in!
Why not try what the article says?!
I have a desk job, and I find that these things work very well for a slight pick me up!
To have arthritis and be a functioning adult is to having a positive attitude!
If I didn't constantly smile through my pain, then I would as docs predicted either be in a wheelchair permanently by my 12th bday or be dead by my 16th, but here I am!
I wish you and your family all the best, look at it this way, at least you have a family that goes through it... I never even met anyone my age with arthritis until I was 17 years old!
I started with facet injections of cortisone after the usual pill form RA meds. The 1st. worked like magic but then, they did not last. The last one lasted only 2 wks. I was referred to a pain treatment center in New Haven, CT. and started on a Fetanyl patch which helped some. In 18 mos., I got the implanted stimulator that really mask my severe chronic pain. You can have facet injections very often and if you get cortisone in a joint, it can damage it. Cortisone is wonderful but it reeks havoc with your body. It didn't help my back but contributed to many problems. If the M.D. had known 23 yrs. ago to pair it with calcium, I'd be better off. You need the right, caring M.D. for you.
I see that other people have mentioned this drug but I did not see anyone answer you specifically - so hope this helps.
What is the latest progress on Platlet injection....Who would benefit from it th most. What other procedures are on the horizon that might help????
Feel this detracts from the issues and feel there has got to be more information on breaking the cycle and pushing through the pain barrier then what has been presented?
Just sayin! Yvonne
GR82B60, your comments were inspirational and I've forwarded them to my husband. Hopefully, he'll catch your "perky" spirit! You keep that positive attitude of yours and I'm sure you'll continue to be happy! Good for you!!!
What is MTX and is it a supplement or do i
need Dr Orders
If you have the opportunity, do it!! I go to a "pain clinic" here in Wisconsin, and I'm told there are places that do this all over the U.S. Ask your doctor or clinic for a referral - do it now!
Best of everything to you
Lori
Hope this helps some of you. My MOM used to say you can always see someone worse off than you. My best to you all.
PS. I have been housebound for the last 4 years. Medication AND a positive attitude I strive for everyday have made me Happy 2 b 60+.
I got on treatment when I could barely and very painfully walk. I had psoriasis growing everywhere and my scalp was bad. I had to try everything I could think of first and when I did MTX the first time I could feel the benefits within half an hour and knew it was good for me.
I went through a year and a half on a walking stick, was on Enbrel which I wasn't responding to, when I switched to Humira. Whoa I started getting better fast. My knees went down in size, pain receded.
I also take xanex to ad my sleep, a good sleep helps me immensely. I also found hot tubs and heating pads helped a lot. I get cramps and stiffness which muscle relaxants help control. Drinking LOTS of water is good. Paying attention to my stress and diet triggers took a while but you learn. Keep a diary with dates and symptoms and food and what is going on in your life.
You have to take a holistic approach. I use visualization. Instead of thinking I'll beat it, or even thinking of the A word, I visualize myself in perfect heath walking about doing fun things. It is amazing how fast that works. Pick up a fun hobby that you have always wanted to learn and pursue it. You have to live and enjoy life.
I still battle it, I'll still have flare ups, but I have changed my whole approach to life now. I have moved, changed careers, make less money but have more fun. People think arthritis makes you weak but it doesn't. It makes you strong.
So if you read this and are recently diagnosed, fatigued, or having a flare up, or down a bit, I hope you find something here that might assist you.
Stay positive, think healthy, live healthy, and most importantly enjoy life.
The solutions are more directed to the healthy population who go through an occasional "afternoon blah".
OA and RA is no stranger in my family. The utter life sucking exhaustion is not even recognized in this poorly demographed article.
For an arthritis information piece, this publication could have and should have done better. Shame on 'Arthritis Today'.
Prednisone helps but not something you want to take long term. For the past 5yrs I've been on Remicade and I have to say it's nice to have my life back. This medication by far (I have tried quite a few, including methotrexate) seems to work the best for me. I get the energy back and get to play with my kids again. I can walk 2miles, do many light exercises I couldn't do before. Part of this coping with RA was finding the foods that triggered or caused flair ups...you'll have to experiment on your own to figure that out, but it's worth doing. Gaining weight can add to the joint pain, especially the knees and ankles, been there to.
The biggest problem with all of this initially was depression. I was young, couldn't interact with my kids like I wanted to, I just had to many limitations...and that gets to you. It's worse when you know people who have really unhealthy life styles and their not affected by any of this stuff. You ask yourself...why me!!!
I realized quickly I needed a doctor who will be aggressive in helping me with this, as well as finding means to cope with it. I could let it control me or I can control it. I choose the latter. Once in a while I do get bad flare ups, I take some Prednisone for a few days, pain pill and move on. When it's time for my Remicade I do that and feel even better.
From everything I tried, and try today, the best peace of mind came when I started trusting in the Lord to help me cope with this....he lead me to the right doctors and medications.
or just believe me when l explain? l'm sure they don't really believe its as bad as l say.l come from a very large family,my husband too,and all live close to us.we are as good as forgotten!we feel very alone and misunderstood.lf you look fine,you should feel fine is their belief. of course they only see me a few times a year!l take plaquenil and recently started prednisone injections that ease the pain for a while,never all of it,but any relief is welcome.thank you as well for letting me vent.that helps me more than the silly tips l read for fatigue.nobody likes a whiner,but it would be nice to feel at ease for 3 minutes with someone and really tell them how you feel without the trapped,uncomfortable look you get right away,like its too painful for THEM to bear it!its ok to talk about the most trivial things,but heaven forbid you reach out for comfort! well,l feel better,just in the fact that l know you know exactly how l feel.put that in your tips for fatigue.
I have been on Prednisone at high doses for a very long time, so worried about the effects. Really hate this drug, but when you need it, you need it. Hope to be off it in the next month or so.
My biggest problem right now is fear and anxiety (that the pain will return), and depression over how my life has changed and the effects on my body and psyche. Need to exercise and my mind just won't let me get there?
Any suggestions on getting past this hurdle? I just can't get moving and I don't really know why!!!
I know it is asking alot for Doctors in the same hospital to at least discuss with their conterpart the diagnosis and future counorse of action.From experirnce it is sorely lacking with the exceptipn of Mayo Clinic.
Cheryl, I'd check with my dr. and/or a pain management specialist about a different medication for OA; I've had to try a number since I can't tolerate NSAIDs other than Celebrex (but have GERD, partially due to it). There's more out recently and more coming.
I'm at the point again (had both knees replaced a while back) where I think I'm going to have to go on painkillers again but am hopeful I'll be able to tolerate one of the new ones or Celebrex again (if I can have surgery to relieve the severe GERD that I have). In the meantime, I resort to heat &/or cold treatments, my treasured electric blanket (whole-body heating pad!), and chocolate-as-needed. It's so nice that chocolate helps up the endorphin level for us chocolate lovers!
I'm so glad to find this site; there are tons of good hints and lots of hints, help, and support from the posters, too. I've picked up a number I'm going to try soon, too.
My mother has RA, Osteoarthritis; I have RA, OA, Fibromyalgia and Sjogren's. My daughter has RA, Lupus, Reynaud's, Sjogren's and Scleroderma. Pain is no stranger to our family.
We have all been treated and handled our disease very differently. My mother was given Aleve and for years this worked. But this year, 15 years later, she began medication for depression and anxiety as well as plaquenil. She became extremely ill and hospitalized because of the medication and is now taking nothing except for tylenol p.m. and uses Voltarin Gel for pain.
I on the other hand have been on various mediations for 20 years from OC meds such as Aleve (when it was prescription only) to plaquenil and methotrexate. I have tried the diets, exercise and meditation programs too but with little result. Recently, I have gotten pain relief from Methotrexate, Celebrex and Cimzia. I no longer take Ultram or vicodin for pain or plaquenil. To sleep and for anxiety I take Trazadone and Ambien. I continue to be stiff most of the time and fatigued. I was always busy and doing for others and realizing that I now could hardly care for myself caused deep depression early on and continues to visit on occasion. I am 62 (was 42 when diagnosed) and tend feel like the best years of my life were wasted on pain, anger and fatigue while I went from one doctor to the next and visited labs. But then I think of my daughter and how she has had to live with this most of her life.
My daughter has dealt extremely well making lemonade out of lemons. It was tough in school because she was so fatigued but looked completely healthy. Growing up in So. CA learning the dangers of the sunshine (unable to enjoy the beach or go to Disneyland without fearing a seizure or days in bed as a result ) was the most difficult for her and missing out on school activities, dances etc. When most young people were participating in after school activities she was home sleeping. However, she used this time researching how she could benefit from alternative medicine, meditation, exercise and counseling. She took classes at the community college on nutrition and yoga. She became a medical assistant and then a medical esthetician working in the field of dermatology (today part-time). Like I said, lemonade...! Working in the field of medicine offered her the opportunity to obtain information from patients as well as doctors. Until recently she was successful in staying off medications she so desperately wanted to avoid. However, unfortunately, the inevitable finally happened. She is on plaquenil and medication for depression and anxiety as well as eye lubricants for the Sjogren's. She believes she has prolonged her life and avoided other complications by staying off medication for as long as she could. 25 years later we are so grateful she applied such tenacity and effort into her own care and it worked so well for her.
Obviously not everything works the same for everyone, but lots of help can come from doing the "most" for ourself through group chats or support groups; or meetings, exercise groups, and learning as much as we can about our condition, medications and side effects. When I was diagnosed, unlike when my daughter was 5 years earlier, I was without medical insurance so learning through my daughter was my saving grace. When she was 11 and so ill, I often asked " WHY HER GOD" .... Years later I got the answer.
I sincerely wish everyone who reads my story gains hope and inspiration to find the right "formula" for them. It has taken me years literally to learn i "can't" spend 2 or 3 consecutive days shopping, cleaning, gardening or even with family. I need a rest every 2-3 hours. I can only drive during certain hours or I may doze at the wheel.... Life changes and so must we. As resistant as we try to be, at some point we must given in .... but NEVER give up.
Happy 2 B Moving (at a snails pace)... ;-)
Betty
I have a lot of patience but this is really getting the best of me, I can't do anything I enjoy all I do is sleep, I really can't even eat because of the Sjogrens my teeth are just about gone. Dry mouth caused my teeth to literally crumble away, which is extremly painful, I have had 7 pulled and need all but 4 pulled. I am looking into dentures but they may not work, implants may be the only answer. I really don't know what I am going to do. I quit taking pain meds almost 2 years ago, because the docs kept telling me that they were making me hurt more, and making my teeth fall apart, and causing all my problems, but low and behold someone finally did the right thing and did some blood work and poof, found what was wrong. I was right all along there was one main problem causing all my symptoms.
Sorry to vent but I just hope it helps someone else. So in the event that you have dry eyes and dry mouth and they are not medication related, you may want to ask your doctor to test for Sjogrens Syndrome. It also causes problems with liver, kidneys, thyroid, and other organs. Do a search to learn more, most docs don't know about this disorder.
Your ideas or experiences, please.
(...The e-mail address that I signed up with is no longer valid 'twcny'...).
I hope the answer will be in 'comments' in the e-mail
This is the first time i have been to this site and it`s wonderfull to hear that im not just getting old and lazy.
I did1nt relize that the fatigue is from the RA. I am an E.M.T. and work 24 hour shifts which are getting harder and harder to make it through a day.I have been thinking of changing jobs but at least i do get a chance to lay down and rest at work. but when i get 48hrs off i end up sleeping about 36 of that just to be able to go back to work.Sometimes i feel like i`ll never have the energy again to do the things i want and enjoy.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT
As to the article, I find these tips extremely useless. There is no way the writer could have any idea the fatigue you suffer with RA. This magazine should hire some writers with RA. Or ask experts on RA to write articles.
I also like the comment made about having things family members could read. This disease is invisible to the common person. I wish I could have something to give to friends and family so they can know how I suffer physically and emotionally. I hate trying to describe to people about how much I'm suffering bc I don't want to come across as whiny. Although, since I'm only 24 years old and am expected to have all the energy in the world, I would like people to understand why I can't keep up with them. I fear people thinking I'm lazy when actually I am working very hard and busting my butt.
I am aware of all the sun risks, but since I am not all that fair I tan easily and do not burn. However, I have found that the best way for me is sun exposure starting with only a few minutes (say 15) to start and once my skin tans increase gradually to up to two hours of full body exposure. I guess one has to measure the risk. If your skin needs protection, certainly use it. I tan and use no type of blocker only skin creams to keep my skin soft and moist after sunning. It seems that all the types of radiation from the sun is needed for me or at least, I might say, since I don't know which ones to block I choose not to block any. Please use any cautions you deem necessary to protect from skin cancer..but sun does help in the way I do it...for me and others I know...Larry you might like to consider sunning for a short period until your body gets used to it and working up to 2hrs or so. I have stayed longer, but if I start to feel discomfort, I stop. Our bodies are all different as far as reaction to exposure to sun is concerned, again, take sensible precautions. You know your skin condition..but the sun will help you. I hope this may help some who suffer as I do.
Sincerely, John
Before the exercise I had taken 4 or 5 heavy pain medications in order to exist. Once I exercised, I hardly ever have to take any pain medication.
In fact, that site linked me to this site. I hope it may help others looking for relief.
I've been recently diagnosed with Osteo-arthritis in my back, what kind of pain relievers are out there instead of taking the perscription the doctor gave me, it's too hard on my stomach.
When will I feel like I havent been beat up every morning when I wake, I'm always sluggish and sore, does anyone have any suggestions, I could really use one, lol.
This is a great site too!
Thank-you
C.
I copied them & sent on to several people &
plan to use them myself. Most of them I already
do. These are the kinds of things I like in
the magazine. I am not interested in the dangerous drug treatments coming from the pharmaceuticals and doctors. Alternative medicine is the way to go for most all our ills.
Marged
This remminds me of someone who said when I told them of MY fatigue how after a trip to Nordstrom or their spa they too feel exhausted.
Please let people who know about fatigue and reserve your tired recommendations for those just get tired or lazy!
I've learned that feeling lazy is not lazinees, is depresion, I am exhausted thinking, working, etc.etc.
Yes! For a short perior of time, I read, I listen music, I excersice, meditate, and also I do have a short talk with God. Doing one of these things helps me to keep going in my life!
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