Founder and Owner smallory Posted January 8, 2004 Founder and Owner Share Posted January 8, 2004 I am getting tired of feeling tired everyday! I wake up tired, even though it's afternoon, and sometimes take a nap immediately after eating a late breakfast. Breakfast is not finished sometimes until after 4 because I eat so slow because I am still tired. It's not like I do any strenuous work everyday. I did not used to be like this. Is anybody else experiencing anything similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smarshall Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Hi Steve. Fatigue has played a huge part in my life since my stroke. I learned very early on that if I were to, for example, have a medical appointment, not to plan to do anything but rest following that appt., continuing the next day. I am completely useless. It's been almost 8 years for me and I still have to remind myself to take it easy - if my body is tired I rest. (and have also learned not to make any apologies!) When the fatigue is bothering me my balance, speech and eyesight are the pitts. I tend to get a bad headache too. My fatigue does not seem as complete as your description of yours; it is a pain in the a** though. Have you spoken to a physician about this? Checked on side effects of different meds? Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hwstock Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 I am getting tired of feeling tired everyday! I wake up tired, even though it's afternoon, and sometimes take a nap immediately after eating a late breakfast. Breakfast is not finished sometimes until after 4 because I eat so slow because I am still tired. It's not like I do any strenuous work everyday. I did not used to be like this. Is anybody else experiencing anything similar? Are you sure you aren't doing strenuous work? I've heard that eye muscle movement uses up a lot of energy (I'm not being flip). The muscles are constantly moving when people are doing computer work, and they are not very efficient. I recall that winter mountaineers were said to burn up to 20% of their calories in minor adjustments related to vision. The brain itself uses 20% of the body oxygen supply. I've struggled with bizarre exhaustion -- it came on very suddenly. I thought the problem was partly brainstem damage, since the brainstem helps regulate our sleep cycle. For me, the solution was: coffee, just 1/2 cup. Plus, I make sure that I always begin the day with something that really grabs my attention. Then too, I think the body gradually adjusts to any sedentary state, and balks when we then suddenly try to push it beyond that state. When I was 22, I ran most every day, and was in good aerobic shape. Then I had to go in for an operation, in which my abdominal muscles were stretched and cut, so I had to lie down for about 18 days in the hospital. When I came out, my blood pressure was totally out of whack, and I could barely walk without feeling exhausted; it took months before I felt nearly normal. Give yourself time to adjust, as you start to do more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Founder and Owner smallory Posted January 9, 2004 Author Founder and Owner Share Posted January 9, 2004 Harlan, your explanation about eyesight is interesting. One thing that makes me wonder about my situation is that I did not have this problem for about 6 years and then the last 3 year... Boom! I feel like I am carry a ton of bricks everyday. Susan seems to track very close in many ways to my situation. I'm not sure of her type of stroke but her explanation of her speech is remarkably close to mine. I know that we are within a year of each other from the time of our stroke, mine happening in June, 1994. Can time since stroke, almost 10 years, be a factor in suddenly becoming tired everyday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Debbi Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 I have experienced more fatigue since my stroke than I have ever experienced before. I try to take a short nap in the afternoon. Then there are days like today when I just feel like poo all over. It seems as though when the fatigue sets in, the numbness intensifies, the fine motor skills drop just enough for me to notice, the limp becomes more noticeable. I'm just tired of being tired. But I am working through it. I just tell everyone that I need to go take a power nap!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ssanchez Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Thanks for the heads up Steve it is going on nine years for me that I stroked I myself get fatigue but not every day such as you explain in your post only if I do not get enough sleep or really get my brain working. that is when I notice I get extremly fatigue I can tell because when I get tired I start sluring my words and tripping over my left foot not picking it up to complete the whole step even my Wife can tell when Im tired, by my communication to her, just getting the words out differently not caring how I speak. My Wife which is an Optician tells me that yes being on a computer can wipe you out or be a factor to fatigue. I hope time is not a factor to fatigue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hwstock Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Can time since stroke, almost 10 years, be a factor in suddenly becoming tired everyday? I think there is a certain irony in play. We get better, even though we don't realize our gains consciously; but we subconsciously chomp at the bit, impatient to do more and more. It's as if some subconscious part is saying, "OK, we can now talk adequately for ten minutes, let's try twenty! Come on you lazy bum, you're holding out on me! Try harder!" I was told, by other brainstem strokers, that I would have to accept that I now had to sleep more, that I would get tired more easily than before. I was told this by a woman who was then training for a triathalon; sure, she could do all this stuff, but she still had to sleep 12 hours a day. For ten months I was grateful that I didn't seem to be afflicted with such a tiredness. Then it hit me -- the incredible exhaustion. But at the same, time, I was constantly raising the bar for myself, packing more and more whole-body, tongue and hand exercise into a day. I can't get infinitely strong; there are human limits, many of my muscles work very inefficiently now, and eventually something had to give. If I was going to work that hard, then my brain demanded more time to sleep, to rebuild. The positive view was that sleep could be interpreted as the time of brain-building; much as teenagers sleep so deeply when they are going through growth spurts. I maintain that we often don't realize the subtle, yet incredible gains we have made; yet our subconscious minds keep setting the bar higher, using old standards to judge achievement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagull173 Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 As stroke suvivors, are we guilty of trying to fit 25 plus hours in a 24 hour day? Is this late stage type of fatigue stroke related or age related? Last night when I read this thread of posts I wanted to respond but I knew that to organize my thoughts and create a post would have been useless because I was wasted. Too much of a day. I agree with Harlan that we keep setting the bar higher. Recording your activities in a diary and reviewing that diary could reveal some surprises. Mental activities are very taxing. I play chess. Before my stroke I went to some day long tournaments which consisted of four games with a 2 and a half hour time limit for each game. I've played basketball or other sports when I was younger but I never felt the exhaustion I experienced from participating in a day long chess tournament. I think I am playing a stonger game now post stroke but I have serious reservations about attempting a day long tournament. As stroke survivors or even as we get older generally speaking we tend to get more sedentary. Activity helps stimulate the mind. Finding the balance is hard. As survivors we want to take more into our minds now. Let's face it, we are trying and doing things that we did before our strokes and still find time to come to this board. We operate on system overload. Steve, you have done a lot for this site and if I would have done what you have done I would be napping until the next decade. Fatigue could be a result of many factors, but taking an inventory of your time is the first step in solving this dilemma. My bet is you will be surprised in finding out how much you have been doing. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pprovost Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 Do you think this fatigue could be a seasonal issue Steve? If you are able to get outside on a mild day for even twenty minutes. The sunlight and fresh air may break the cycle. November and December are the worst months for me because of lack of sunlight and colder temperatures keeping me indoors. In january the light is great except the brighter the day means frigid air so forget staying out side for more than a minute. Videos are a great thing to provide a distraction especially comedies. The original Blues Brothers is great medicine for me. And thank God for the internet! But not too close to bedtime because the wheels will be turning all night long. I am far from a professional on the subject and my claim to fame is discovering that I sleep better with my radio on all night at a low volume.It keeps my thoughts from keeping me awake. I even convinced my husband to go along with it. He can see the difference in my energy just because I sleep all night. Napping during the day seemed to disrupt my sleep patterns and I find that if I get a good night slleep I really don't feel like a nap. I really hope that you find what workfor you. Lets face it everyone is different. Trial and error is sometimes all we have.After that return to the basics. keep smiling regardless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewthomas Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 My dad had a stroke last year, made a good recovery, but has just come out of a week in hospital. We now find he sleeping for quite extraordinary periods of time - as much as 17, 18 hours a day. This morning I was walking with him and I could see his eyes go sleepy and it was all I could do to get him back to the house on time. When he then goes to sleep he is almost comatose - there's no waking him. But the key thing here is that after he has had his lengthy sleep he is brilliant. Sleep seems to be the absolutely best thing for rejuvenation - it is definitely a positive thing not a negative thing. And fatigue is just the body's way of telling you to go to sleep. So I would say it is very wrong to fight the impulse to go to sleep when you're tired, even if that means you are not awake for many hours each day. I get the impression that sleep is the best cure for a stroke. Welcome it - don't fight it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappier Posted February 23, 2004 Share Posted February 23, 2004 I've got some weird hours, sleepy around 9 but I wake between 4:30 and 5:30, some days I can last till (wow) 10:00 but will still wake early. When I don't exercise, I last longer at night, but I know I need the cardio (we all know how exercise cuts the risk) and lifting weights is good for everybody. Steve, try working out at a gym and see how a restful sleep you have, it may make you actually sleep better and be less tired? A thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaylerobins Posted February 24, 2004 Share Posted February 24, 2004 Hi Steve, MENTAL ACTIVITY IS MORE TIRING THAN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. The brains of stroke survivors are constantly rewiring. This is mental activity. Drowseness can be the result of over activity three days ago. Your sleep pattern may have been disturbed with out your realizing it. The blood levels of your medications may be out of wack. Sleep Apnea is a major cause of drowseness. Keep a log of your activities. This will assist you in solving the problem. Best wishes from a fellow survivor. Shayle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalibbie Posted February 26, 2004 Share Posted February 26, 2004 I still have the fatique! Today I decided to work on quilt pieces. I get up with my hubbie between six thirty and seven am. About nine I had to lay down! I think I made one quilt block and had to take a nap! Thank God for my husband! I tell him I had to take a nap! He always says if you need it do it! I sometimes worry if I don't get everything done! He never complain! God bless him! Take care everyone! Liz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstalnecker Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Fatigue has also become a big part of my life during my recovery. I find it is best and more productive for me to do things in small short spurts and then take a break. Also keep an open discussion going with your Dr. on this issue. the Problem could be a medication or a combination of them. In my case It turned out that I was being hamstrung by a seizure medication I was taking and once I was switched off of that onto another one things started to improve. Good Luck! Ralph Stalnecker -------------------------------- Your post giving out your email address and/or providing your personal contact information has been edited. This was done for privacy and security reasons. Our organization purposely masks this information about members in order to prevent spam and other abuses of personal information. Hope you understand. Please exchange information privately through your Personal Messanger. MBA: JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganLasley Posted March 24, 2004 Share Posted March 24, 2004 Interesting topic. Thanks for all the helpful information. I suspect the quality of the sleep, rather than the quantity has a lot to do with it. I believe I don't sleep as soundly as I did prestroke. Part of the problem is the muscle spasms ( tight muscles) on the affected side disturb the sleep continually, rather than fully waking me up. Also, I take Baclofen at night to reduce the spasms, and I think that gives me a side effects of a drugged/groggy sleep. I have that drugged/groggy feeling when I finally wake up & start getting up. Dennis aka ML Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
embersflame Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Fatigue has also become a big part of my life during my recovery. I find it is best and more productive for me to do things in small short spurts and then take a break. I also struggle with fatigue. It has not been that long since I had my storke. Only a few months. But I noticed right off that I can't do things the way I used to. I had a brainstem stroke which affected my swallow and my left side. I am in rehab and have learned how to walk again. I also gained the use of my left arm and hand again. And I can now swallow although I have to take small bites, swallow a lot and I have been told that for the rest of my life I will only be albe to sip liquids. No more guzziling. Before the stroke I would fly in to cleaning my house non-stop for 3 or 4 hours. Now I do good to get up and wash the dishes or put a load of clothes in the washer before I feel exahusted. When I tire I notice that my speech slurs, my left eye droops and I walk with a limp. I also become more cranky and let the kids, coments, etc... get next to me. I was hoping that with time it would get better. But I may have to get used to doing things in small spurts too. Tania Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagull173 Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 Tania: If it has been a few months since your stroke, you most likely are still "rewiring" and fatigue will be around. Fatigue is one of those mysteries that happens with a stroke. Some people get over the hump while others seem to have it around for a long time. Others get the spurts of energy that hopefully expand. Hang in there, you are still in the early stages of recovery. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
embersflame Posted March 27, 2004 Share Posted March 27, 2004 Tania: If it has been a few months since your stroke, you most likely are still "rewiring" and fatigue will be around. Fatigue is one of those mysteries that happens with a stroke. Some people get over the hump while others seem to have it around for a long time. Others get the spurts of energy that hopefully expand. Hang in there, you are still in the early stages of recovery. Tom Thanks Tom. I tend to get impatient real easy. It bothers me that I can't do things like I used to. My husband is great and keeps telling me that it takes time. But there are times when I want to be able to be just like I used to be. I am just now comming to the realization that things will never be like they used to. The doc's. say that I will make about a 98% recovery and that I am doing better than they expected for having a brainstem stroke. I have a great support system with my husband, family, and friends and this web-site. I am very thankful for that. But someday's it seems so much harder than other day's. Tania Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappier Posted March 27, 2004 Share Posted March 27, 2004 my stroke specialist doctor explained fatigue as it doesn't necessarily take more to do any given act, its just the BRAIN PERCEIVES it as taking more of an effort! Which made me feel like we're stuck "perceiving" that way! damn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzeekerikiwi Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 Can time since stroke, almost 10 years, be a factor in suddenly becoming tired everyday? Steve, it is nearly 10 yrs since Mum had her stroke, and I showed her all the comments about fatigue this morning. She said to me " when I first had the stroke, after rehab, I was able to go out, with Dad, do the shopping, sure I got tired, and had to sit down for a while , but I never felt this, I used to have a nap in the afternoon, but now Im sleeping in the morning as well". Mum used to be able to get out in the garden for a while, and do light weeding etc, but she is no longer able to do this . The OT who came to see her said " Use it or Lose it". Now I am not going to say that I agree with the OT or disagree, because after reading all the comments about fatigue, and seeing someone post " the Brain perceives tiredness" I cannot say that the " using it or losing it" is going to be the correct answer ie, the more you sleep, the more you want to sleep, the body being less active, so the muscles get weaker, this in turn making the body tired, because for some it is totally impossible to get up and move, ie they are bound to a wheel chair . I think the Brain perceiving tiredness sounds more logical......the brain being the one thing that is governing the whole body and its actions. The comment about using the computer, is also logical, when I worked full time, for Telecom NZ :ph34r: I got dreadfully tired, I was using a computer all day. since leaving that job, I found I was less tired. In Mums case I think that age has a great deal to do with it, she will be 77 in Septemeber, and it has only been in the last 2 yrs that she has really began to get really tired, so there is no easy answer to her problem. Do you take any supplements along with any of your other meds, this maybe a thing you need to look at, as working on a computer all day, depletes the body of many vital minerals and vitamins.........dont ask me how , I read this somewhere. Hope you find a solution. Hugs Anne :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkirshenbaum Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 It's almost 2 years since my stroke and feeling tired is still my biggest problem. At first I would wake up wondering how long before I could go back to bed. More recently I have had days where I have been up and active the whole day! My doctor prescribed ritalin, which may be helping. I have been looking for a job but have been afraid to go back to work full time because I am worried I will not have the necessary stamina. Has anyone returned to work and felt okay? Please let me know. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 well I'm back at work but feeling ok is a very subjective term. I seem to be able to do most of what is asked of me, but it does take much longer to do things that prior to my stroke I could do in about half the time. I work with digital imaging creating and organizing digital librarys. My workmates are very supportive and have helped me to make made the tranisition back to work much easier that it would have been without them. As far as stamina goes I find if I get 8 good hours of sleep anight I can go 7 hours aday without too much tiredness, but I have to admit that some days are much better than others but the satisfaction I get from feeling like I'm making a contribution far out weigh all the negatives combined. I had my stroke on July4th 2003 and began to work 6 to 7 hours aday around the middle or last part of Janurary, 2004. I don't know if this helps or not but most days when I get home I take 60 to 90 minutes and meditate for relaxion and stress reduction if does seeem to help. All in all work is a very important part of my recovery without it I know my recovery would be much more difi ult and last longer. Hope I helped Clark Taylor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmalibbie Posted April 2, 2004 Share Posted April 2, 2004 I get tired easy and take naps! I use to fight it, but I feel my body is telling me to slow down! Sometimes I will be doing something little like crocheting and get tired! My husband and daughter both look at me and tell me to rest! I have had several strokes! I am unable to work or drive! What I try to do at home is laundry,dishes(dishwasher), and cooking! I also have a back disorder that keeps me down! Some days I can do everything! Some days I sit on the couch and crochet or sew! I think the naps are important,but that is for myself! The doctor told me as long as I get up in the morning it is okay to take naps! If I laid in bed all morning that would be depression! I hope this helps you! God Bless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlen Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 I WOULD SLEEP ABOUT THREE HOURS AT NIGHT. AWAKE FOR TWO, THEN SLEEP AGAIN FOR AN HOUR OR TWO. MY MIND WAS GOING 100MPH. AFTER THE MY STROKE, IV'E ONLY SLEPT THROUGH ONE NIGHT. I NAP ONCE A DAY. MY WIFE SAYS THAT WHEN I SLEEP, IT'S A REAL DEEP SLEEP. I DON'T PLAN ON RETURNING TO WORK (I'M 63). BUT I NEED SOMETHING USEFUL TO DO TO KEEP MY MIND STIMULATED. MY LEFT LEG AND ARM ARE RESPONDING TO THERAPY, BUT I CAN'T FIND A COMFORTABLE SLEEPING POSITION. BY THE WAY, ALL NIGHT TV IS TERRIBLE. SWEET DREAMS! MARTY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allanmorse Posted April 7, 2004 Share Posted April 7, 2004 Hi, I am a newcomer to the stroke community,I am only 1 month post stroke. Reading all the posts makes me realise that I am a very lucky man indeed.The only symptoms I still have is a slight weakness in my right side and a personality change. Like all the other posters my sleep pattern is shot.I can go some days feeling almost normal ,I then just have to put say some washing in the machine or dishes in the dishwasher and I have to go to bed.Other days I dont even bother to get up. My attention span is only about 10 minutes I read a book ,put it down,watch a television programme and then turn it straight off. I also have no patience with my children even though they try hard. My wife however is an angel,putting up with everything. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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