Since my return to the site I’ve noticed that same old topic of fatigue keeps cropping up. I’m now nearly two years post stroke and I still find that I am fatigued during the day. I recall one of my physio’s trying to reassure me that I would learn to ‘manage’ it. She told me to take each day slowly and not compare too much what I used to be able to do and what I now find tiring. One strategy she gave me that did help a little, I’ll share, but excuse me if its not for all. She asked me to keep a note of what I was doing, how long it took, then grade myself how tired I was. I was reluctant (but anything to keep our lovely physios happy) I did it for a few days. I soon saw how much I was doing during the day and when my ‘dips’ of energy occurred. Doing this, I could then do certain tasks at different times instead of getting it all done at once. It seemed a little alien; things like mucking out the bathroom at 3pm in the afternoon; preparing veg for the evening meal at 9am. But it did work, I was able to see over a week how much I was doing and when I flagged.
It may not work for all, your recovery team will probably have other ideas for you to try. Hope it might help. Best wishes Norma
@Norma751 i too kept that diary and scored my fatigue levels. I also wrote fown one positive thing in mine too. It also helped me plan what I could do when. I still suffer fatigue a lot but that’s because I am working so resting opportunities are limited. I still keepy diary 3 1/2 years on just in lesser detail than I did. It still helps.
I would encourage others to do the same.
Neuro-fatigue and fatigue or tiredness in general are not mutually exclusive. It is difficult because we don’t live without the neuro-fatigue to be able to compare. I can only look back to moments pre-stroke when I was mentally exhausted and add circumstances to how I feel now when really fatigued. There will be times now when I am “brain tired” and not stroke brain fatigued, and there will be moments when I am stroke brain fatigued and not “brain tired”, depending on what I am doing; circumstances in my life, stresses, sleep routine, eating, general weariness, other physical conditions, poor health, social interactions, thought processes, receiving information &c. And then there will be times when I am both “brain tired” and stroke brain fatigued. It depends on what the brain needs to cope with and do each moment of the day.