Extreme Fatigue

I am struggling the fatigue, I had my stroke end of July, and have had a phased return to work and I am getting back to full time, but the fatigue is off the charts, every night I am done and weekends are a right off for me, this is not helping the anxiety I have and making it ten times worse, just wondered if anyone has had this and if so any advise on how to help this or is it something that I am just going to have to get through it.

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Hi MickyD441

@simonInScotland says there is a young lady on Instagram who has posted her fatigue journey and getting back to work. Her Instagram account is @SurvivingStroke.
You will need to scroll back to 2021 (a pain I know)

Simon would tell you himself but he’s been suspended,for what we don’t know

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@MIKEYD441 So sorry. It took me several months to get my energy back and I still get days where I’m knackered. I understand it is the poor brain working overtime to get back to some kind of normalcy. How is your diet and exercise routine? Wish you the best.
derek

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@MIKEYD441 hi & welcome to the forum. Have a read through this post if you can it might help.

Welcome - what we wish we’d heard at the start

If you only had your sttoke in July you’ve fone exceptionally well in returning to work. It is very early days in stroke terms. Fatigue is very common after stroke & wirking on top will exacerbate the fatigue. Are you able to reduce your hours again until you get your fatigue more under control?

Listening to your body is really important. You don’t want to overdo it & end up back off work longer term again.

I have been back at work 6 months & was off sick 18 months and I still can’t mabage full time. It’s differrnt gor everyone i know but I woukd look at reducing hours if you can. Ensure you take regular breaks in the day too.

In time the fatigue should improve.

Best wishes

Ann

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HI @MIKEYD441

welcome as everyone has said.

I am knackered right now and generally all the time! 10 months in… It is better though…

I know it’s the circle!! anxiety leads to fatigue and insomnia etc etc

I hate the circle!!! Even the Circle of Willis failed me…

I can advise thinking about something you love and listening to music and just chilling and also asking your work to understand if you just need to f off for 30 mins to have a coffee by yourself and breath!!!

Keep talking to us and posting.

Don’t try and do toooooo much even a polar bear needs to rest

Kieran :polar_bear: :wink:

A polar bear yawns at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Mass. News Photo - Getty  Images

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You’ve done amazingly well already. The fatigue is a game changer for me. I can’t get past that symptom. I’ve not returned to work despite living alone and zero income which I will have to address shortly. Maybe mix up WFH with other tasks flexible working etc. Depends on the job/boss/money/colleagues/travel etc. What do you think?

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Where are you based,@eboni?
in the UK?

Stay fabulous like a flamingo x

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I’m in sutton coldfield in the west midlands

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If you are going back to work so quickly, that is AMAZING.
I had a stroke 3 1/2 years ago, and one of the worst things is fatigue.
I can’t go beyond after lunchtime.
Need every day sleep afternoon.
Am not able to do the normal things I need to do, let alone work - IMPOSSIBLE. For me.
Heard quite a lot that Equality Act and getting work to try to help, if they can.
If you have an HR, ask them to help.
Or, if not, Stroke Association, Headway, similar.
We have very variable results, including fatigue, I think.
Most of us have to rest A LOT.
But some can work.
But have to work to try to make it possible, IF you can.
Do hope that helps a bit.
Take care,
Carrie

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Hi Carrie, interested to know, do you sleep, how much rest needed? I am 64 , 4.5 years after CEREBELLAR Stroke. No improvement. EXTREME FATIGUE , every day back to bed am & hopefully sleep, so better for pm . Night sleep 8hrs , day 2hrs . Daytime rest in bed 4hrs . Mobility, not good, use rollator. Possibly need to accept, this could be it . :rofl: .
Good speaking David.

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Hi. The main type, can’t remember the name. Has improved, certainly, a bit. Can think much more, but I have aphasia and brain processing problems mostly, and fatigue. Sleep 2-3 (or very occasionally more) in the day. I try to sleep 8 hours at night but sometimes it’s not so good, and often I can’t fit in proper night sleep. Because I do badly it sleeping too late in the day. Can’t fit things in (and am not living like I would have before). So fatigue is a huge issue. Luckily mobile, but have had a couple of falls and caused a lot of problems, so am wondering balance is more of an issue. Because balance in itself isn’t great. Do know that rest/sleep is so important. I have only just found this website, so I am only just working how to do the replies and everything. Hope you are well and feeling good. Take care, Carrie

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Strength & Balance classes helped with my balance issues. They are run by AGE UK around the country and virtually for free, just a small donation of say £2. So you could maybe find one in your area Age UK services in your area the class might even be under a different name in your area.

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@MIKEYD441
I’m amazed you went back to work so soon. How are you getting on now? How is the fatigue.?
I have extreme fatigue, 6 months since stroke it’s hardly improved. I am physically recovered although still have weak left side, people think I am better but I feel awful.

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Still struggling with fatigue, made worse over the last week with a toothache, which ibhave to wait to have taken out at the hospital due to having the stroke and being on thinners, trying to keep going but it is so hard.

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Fatigue is rubbish isn’t it. I still struggle loads 2 years on. Hope you get the toothache sorted soon x

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Fatigue is awful, the worst thing. It’s stops you doing everything, all the normal everyday things are so difficult. I am 6 months since stroke and still can’t accept this fatigue, I don’t understand it.
I do manage it a bit better but miss my old self and hobbies. Can’t bear that this is now life I’d rather I had lost more use of my arm but had energy to do stuff.
People think you are well they don’t see the overwhelming heavy fatigue you feel.
I am lucky I can drive but when I get somewhere I’m too tired to walk round!
I just try to remain positive that it will slowly ease in future. Frustrating that no one can tell you when it will ease.
Anyone on here that can tell us their fatigue got better please? !

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For a lot of people fatigue gets better but some of that os about learning how to manage it. That’s the hard but because on the days when you feel a bit better it’s natural to want to do more. Resisting that temptation is important especially until you have your fatigue under control. You can try & increase your activity lebels gradually & you will probably find you can do a bit more before you get fatigued.

I found keeping a diary was a really useful way of working out what had caused my fatigue but also to look back & see how far i had come.

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@Mrs5K thankyou so much for posting your experience

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I second what @Mrs5K says about managing it. That is absolutely the key thing! I am back at work 3.5 days a week (now 2.5 years post stroke). But feel like I’ve reached the limit of what I can manage.

My company (via their insurance) paid for me to have weekly sessions with a neuro Occupational Therapist to help me with my return to work. She kept on forcing the point about taking regular breaks through the day. On the days where I felt good and/or had loads on I would slip back into bad habits and pay for it big time the next day. I can’t stress highly enough about taking breaks (a bit of quiet time without interruptions).

You quite possibly won’t ever get back to the energy levels you had pre stroke but you most certainly can learn ways to manage it that will enable you to do what you want to.

Good luck & don’t get disheartened.
Mark

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@Ingo66 thankyou for the positive outlook it really helps to hear folks have been able to manage this, I am so fatigued I can’t imagine managing it enough to have a quality of life. So I hope I can in the future. Good to talk!

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