26 replies to this topic

[rue2you]

Just wondering if it is normal to get really tired. A typical day at home is fine until it gets late then I start feeling a little woozy (lightheaded) and feel like I just need to go to sleep. I do and the next day I am fine again. If I go strong (a lot of running around town, or just traveling in a vehicle all day long) for a couple days straight, I will get to feeling really bad. Very lightheaded, feeling like I could pass out easily (but I never have), arms very weak. just a general "I don't feel good" kind of feeling.

When this first happened, I was 5 months pregnant so I would attribute the tiredness to that. Then, I had a C-section with several complications so I then attributed it to that. Now, my baby will be one in June so I think I have long recovered from the c-section so now I am wondering if it is my "new" normal that goes with life in a wheelchair. Anybody else?

[DannyR]

My neighbor put a new back door on for me tuesday. I helped as much as i could it took a bout 4 hours. I was so tired and couldn't sleep at night but the next day slept so hard that I didn't hear the phone ring people knock on the door the dog bark nothing. I get tired pretty quick and I am not taking care of a baby.

Danny

Edited by DannyR, 23 April 2010 - 03:13 AM.

[S&W Winger]

Geez, I can't even take care of myself, nevermind a baby!! I sure give you credit!!


As far as getting tired...oh do I ever! I kept falling asleep all day, nodding out over the computer, in my lunch, and while speaking on the phone today, after yesterday....when I had toe surgery by Pod MD, then another MD removed stiches from my lower eyelid (cancerous spot), and then went to a meeting about the Kabbalah (yep, same old stuff we all thought about years ago, don't need to bother)...


I attribute a lot of the sleepiness from meds, but now I am cutting down and not sure if this is valid...so I'm also thinking the SCI is exhausting...doing everything in new and more difficult ways...all the energy expelled TRYING to DO...and remembering how easy things were...but I digress...


This SCI Life is exhausting. No way around that...waiting to see if it gets better as all my complications ease up (will they ever??)...

[quadinva]

I dont get too tired unless Im ou and about, evenstill i dont get sleep just wornout. however ive been up closeto 48 hrs now due to end of semester cramming for school. I was in class today and was experiencing the 'nodding off and not knowing it' effect. Well on one major doze i woke up just in time to save myself from falling out of my chair sideways. needless to say i was wide awake for the rest of class.

[E-DOG]

It takes a professional team of highly trained experts just to get me up and outa bed in the morning.
Then we got bowel care n' breakfast, I've combined the two for an in one end out the other endless loop nurishment / waste removal system. Then it's the getting dressed and onto the chair ordeal and by the time I'm done with all that I'm pooped and ready fer bed again. 2 or 3 hours o' shut eye and BOOM! In comes the endless conga line on crack to get me up fer dinner! A six pak of BigMacs and a couple of large fries, diet coke of course and bang zoom I'm ready to start sluggin' down shots of Safeway brand tequila. Damn near done with a quart bottle and I'll be damned if fatigue hasn't settled in again. By then I'm a tad beligerent and out comes the duct tape. Safely bound up for my own protection I'm then hoyer lifted, yes, they have to use two of the damn things, back into bed for a badly needed bit of beauty sleep.

You think you got it rough? Walk a mile in my shoes baby!

E-dog

[tyvin]

I didn't know Safeway made tequila

I needed an excuse to use that smilie; anyway......

You are lucky and so is your family. Being tired after going out etc... It's to be expected.

I'm just getting into a wheel-chair after many moons of bed confinement. If I start to get dizzy I stop and breathe and am thankful I'm even in a chair at this point.

I could do all the talk about diet/exercise/meds/routine check-ups etc... but you know all this.

Gauge yourself and take a moment or a few when needed.

Have you seen the FB page mothers on wheels? Fabulous site with many great stories and advice.

[Snakeye]

I wake up, eat ,hot bath then it's time for a nap. i usually get in an afternoon nap as well. since muscle cramps keep me from sleeping over 5-6 hrs at night the naps are essential....if i actually do anything of a physical nature i'm totally exhausted for two days...

[norma]

I'm on baclofen 4 times a day so at the end of the day as soon as the lights are out...so am I!! You are a very busy Mom
and just being a Mom makes ya tired!!! Mention it to the doc next time?? Enjoyed your blog this am....you are so right!!

[Soryfam]

Oh yeah-- getting tired easily is part of the package. It's very frustrating to do what seems like little things and the next day be layed out like a wet dish rag. My husband is always nagging (I love him that he cares so much), me to do less, to take it easy. Part of the reason the doctors would not okay my going back to work was that they said I would tire out way too quickly. I think it's incredible that you are able to do all you do.

Sandy S

[Wheelsonfire]

Alicia,

Have you looked at your diet? are you eating enough carbs? Good carbs though like rice and pasta to give you the boost,intake of water is very important to keep the energy levels up, protein will feed the body also since your training during the day, also get your blood works checked to see if all is ok.

I am downing over 200mg of baclofen a day just to get a bit of relief and it's not a bother as long as the diet over rules there effect on the body.

Any hassle with the diet, drop a line and I'll advise to times and what to take in.

Regards

John

Edited by Wheelsonfire, 23 April 2010 - 01:43 PM.

[Tetracyclone]

Alicia,
I doubt it helps to hear us marvel at how much you do. 4 pm is the witching hour for moms, when everyone is getting tired and cranky and they used to air Sesame Street at that hour so we would not give in to the temptation to murder our children.

One year from my "incident" I was just learning to get my own lunch and manage myself independently and I would list into the bed every single day for a nap, utterly spent.

Year two now, and I rarely nap, but cannot focus on anything non-routine after 5pm. Doing things in the new ways we do them is inefficient and extremely energy intensive. I use superhuman focus to walk with sticks for 100 feet, then sit down for an hour before my next challenge.

The MS folk have their own well-worn clinical term, "MS Fatigue". Since they are a kindred cohort, I figure there is something inherently exhausting about functioning with an impaired nervous system.

My best,

Pat

[Ratticis]

Someone once told me that they didn't think I should get tired as quickly because I didn't use more than half my muscles. Well guess again! I may not use all my muscles, but the ones that I do hafta do 3 times as much work as they used to

[FROG]

SCI is very hard work!! I am tired all the time. Part of the equation is that I never sleep well.

[BillS]

When I was younger and in better shape I rarely got tired. But now at 51, overweight and lazy I get tired all of the time.

I really think it has a lot to do with adjusting yourself to whatever level of activity you do. Endurance is something you either work at and keep high or you don't. If you relax most of the time, like I do, and then expect your body to be able to handle the long days then you'll be tired.

I know the winter months are the times when I do very little other then work. So when spring comes around I get wiped out just doing normal stuff. By the time fall hits I'm in better shape. THen that darn winter rolls around again, I pack on 10 pounds and I lose any endurance I had.

[rue2you]

I was wondering about the endurance thing. I wondered if I ought to try to do more or if I should rest. Hmmm.......

Does anyone notice feeling worse associated with the weather? I tend to see a pattern of feeling a little worse right before it rains. Is it just a coincidence or do you think there is something to it?

[Ches]

I can def relate to this all. SCI has been such an eye opener, and made me realize just how in tune we (as living creatures) are with this entire world.

The weather just before the rain does hurt!! All this mess of different fronts and pressure systems swirming around Texas had my back/rods hurting like crazy earlier this week. The dramatic hot/cold, dry or humid all effect me in some way. And a slight change in pressure can really be over kill on an already sore day.

While were on the subject, I've always been one to try and eat meals according to my healthier cravings and to really pay attention to the portions I eat based on what my bodies telling me, not my eyes. But since getting hurt, Im marveled at the amount of protein my body constantly craves and how appropriate it's all been. For example, on a vacation (when its go-go-go) Ill find myself having cravings for baked fish or other foods Im not too fond of, its as if my bodies need for those essentials will over ride my dislike of 99% of fish just to keep itself going.

[edlee]

I do seem to get tired more quickly than I used to.. but,, I'm getting OLD. If I'm having fun with something,,, or very interested in what I'm doing,, I don't seem to tire at all,,, till later.

In a normal day,, that is one in which I do next to nothing ( much unlike a mother with small children, Rue),, I tend to drift off easily, and often,, but I place a lot of the blame on the Gabapentin I take. Both Gaba and Lyrica have the same common side effect of causing sleepiness ( as well as weight gain,, of which I can attest).

My advice is,, when in doubt,, take vitamins. In this case, B12 or something with the complete B complex of vitamins. If nothing else,, double up on your daily vitamin ( you are taking a daily vitamin, aren't you???) and see how that helps after a couple days.
Hang in there Rue ,, I know your name is Alicia, but you'll always be Rue to me,,, only eighteen more years and this one will be off to college.
ed

[Tinbasher]

Have you been tested for anaemia? I was feeling like this and turned out to be very low blood count. A course of iron did the trick.

Tin

[rue2you]

I think I will call the doctor and have blood work drawn. When I was at Cleveland Clinic, I had to take Potassium because it was low so maybe I ought to get it all checked. I have always been borderline anemic and iron supplements make me sick so I have a hard time with vitamins. I took Flinstone's when I was pregnant because they are lower in iron. But....I confess, I have not been taking them very faithfully.

John - water! Oh I need to drink more. I am a slacker in that department.

I am not on any meds because I really don't have too much of a problem with spasms. They will quit pretty easy if I work on them. Pain - I just try to get through it the best I can with over the counter stuff and trying to keep my mind on something else. So, I know that meds aren't the problem.

I really appreciate all of your replies. This helps to know I am not alone and try to work on a few things.

[Wheelsonfire]

Alicia,

Just to give you a synopsis as to what the body needs;

Water, is what the body mainly consists of, it needs to be topped up, helps in skin aging also.
Protein, to aid in the repair of damaged muscle and to build(making sure to use amino acids also to get the protein to work properly)
Carbs, go for complex carbs as you are getting optimum energy releases.
Vitamins, Ed is correct, B6 and B12, vitamin C,magnesium is also a must, pick up a time released vitamin(no matter what you eat the body is still going to miss out on some)

I normally do a 20 hr day and with the training I do, I actually have more energy on days I train over the rest days.

Regards
John

[rue2you]

John, what is a time released vitamin? Will it say it on the bottle? Also, will the vitamin have all those things in it you said (magnesium, C, B6 and 12,) Is it all in one vitamin? Do you order yours from somewhere?

[Wheelsonfire]

 rue2you, on Apr 23 2010, 11:21 PM, said:

John, what is a time released vitamin? Will it say it on the bottle? Also, will the vitamin have all those things in it you said (magnesium, C, B6 and 12,) Is it all in one vitamin? Do you order yours from somewhere?

Yes it is just one tab a day, it will say it on the bottle, it will have all you need and then some, I'll scout the net for you and get you the best and cheapest on your side of the pond and I'll PM the link

Regards

John

[Wheelsonfire]

Alicia,


PM sent

Regards

John

[rue2you]

Got it. Thank you!!

[Carolie]

I found out from my doctor that SCI causes vitamin D3 deficiency and that's why we're so tired. He's put me on D3 and from everything I've read, it takes months to years to build the levels back up in the body to normal.

[dangerousdave]

being a sci is hard work so it is tiring
now they tell me i'm type 2 diabetic - that does make you tired
get your blood sugar level checked !!!!

[rue2you]

I guess I should update this since the thread has been revived. I have really tried to push myself a little bit extra when I get tired. As I have consistently done this, I have found my endurance to increase and I am not as tired and sick feeling. Granted, if we have had a busy day (like yesterday we went swimming for 4 hours with the kids and then went and played some tennis for about an hour), then I was REALLY tired by the time we got home and could hardly push myself up the driveway! But I sure slept good and this morning, I am very sore and could enjoy doing nothing but I am going to get going and get some more stuff done. Actually, I have therapy today!

I have also learned that the days I feel like staying in the bed because I feel so bad, are the days that I really need to do something. It keeps my mind busy and I end up feeling better by the end of the day when I have done something, then the days when I don't.

So, I am feeling much better - just in time for winter to come around again!