MS fatigue one of the most difficult symptoms to explain and deal with. 80% of all MS patients deal with this at some point or another.  Fatigue is way past a feeling of tired is to the point of absolute exhaustion. It’s the feeling that each limb is 100lbs heavier than it is.  Just walking the few steps to a bathroom is daunting and overwhelming.  It never fails you’ll be talking to a friend and you’ll say I’m tired (meaning fatigued because let’s be real no one talks like that saying “wow I’m fatigued”) and the response is me too.  It’s not the same. Going back to the post of saying NO, there are times when the fatigue hits and you just can’t keep the plans you made and you cancel. Again you say I’m tired because we don’t use the words “I’m fatigued” and it’s true sometimes people don’t get it.  Behind your back they say she canceled because “she’s tired” with an eye roll and a sarcastic attitude. It happens it’s hard for people to understand the real concept of what we feel.

MS has no rhyme or reason. It isn’t like we can forecast a day and say Sunday will be a good MS day but Monday won’t.  Yesterday I took my dog to the vet.  My legs were strong when we got there even hobbled into the office by myself so my daughter could take my dog.  The appointment took about 40 minutes of which I was on my feet a total of 5 minutes of. I need my daughter’s help to get back to the car.  Then I sat in the car while she went into CVS. Then got home showered. So far nothing major. I went to accupressure. I park 7 steps from the door.  My legs were fatigued fell getting up the curb. Then I lie down for my appointment have some warm up moves tapping my feet together it was exhausting my legs, my whole body just shot.  I almost fell asleep during the appointment which is a first. When it was over and it was time to leave my body fought to stand up. I had to wait until I could take a step from a standing position.  They helped me to the car. I drove home. Another 8-10 steps to get to my door and 6 steps before my chair lift. By the time I got home I had nothing left fatigue was the only thing I felt and during the extreme fatigue stages I can also get very testy. I can’t deal with anything. So I physically am spent but I’m mentally spent as well. WARNING don’t piss me off in a stage like this I’m a complete nutcase. After about an hour or two of chilling I finally came back to myself.  The point is there is no warnings, is no reason, there are no rules to it or no before hand indication. It just happens and it sucks. It can go on for an episode as I had yesterday or days like when I was working full time. Fatigue is not tired. Tired you sleep.  Fatigue is in every cell, bone, limb and organ. It is all encompassing.  Big difference. It is very difficult and not much we can do. If you know someone with MS or you have MS have some compassion when we say “I’m tired”, chances are it’s fatigue.