MS Fatigue: What solutions are there?

Fatigue: everyday in MS

Approximately 75% of MS patients complain of prolonged fatigue or interrupted (1), a symptom that can disrupt the daily routine. You will indeed not be able to use the same rhythm as before. Furthermore, this lead to fatigue misunderstanding of your surroundings, and your employer. According to a study by the International Federation of MS Societies fatigue is the first cause to stop working (2).

Distinction between types of fatigue

If you frequently fatigued, talk about it with your neurologist. He will first of all the other sources of fatigue, such as fatigue or apnea due to a drug side effects, not taken out. Depression is a possible cause, affecting 50% of MS patients (3).

MS fatigue can take two forms:

• hand an overwhelming fatigue that comes suddenly and without reason. That even when standing. Cause may include a lack of biochemical balance in the brains are;
• conversely, patients with fatigue to an effort. He will get tired faster, while doing less business than usual.

Additional symptoms are possible, such as visual fatigue or loss of concentration.

Virtually no medical treatment

Because the causes of this fatigue have not yet been found, there is virtually no treatment. The antiviral drug amantadine to help some patients. Researchers still do not know why. Other products are sometimes prescribed, but their effectiveness remains controversial. This is particularly the case with the stimulant drug Modafinil or 4-aminopyridine, an agent that counteracts fatigue by improving nerve conduction.

Master the fatigue

Fatigue, there is only one solution: Make time for yourself. Same rhythm as before trying to hold, you will be even more tired. How difficult it is to accept it, you will have to adjust your daily activities. Reduce the time to work and provide rest for organizing your business. The social life is a source of fatigue. Here, planning is also important: provide a rest period before and after the weekend if you want to go out with friends. Even if you feel well, do not be weary: Pay attention to your limits. Exercise can improve endurance. But follow a progressive program and adjusted, if possible with advice from a physiotherapist.

(1) Lerdal A, Celius EC Krupp L, Dahl AA, A prospective study of patterns of fatigue in multiple sclerosis, Eur J Neurol. December 2007, 14 (12) :1338-43. Epub 2007 September 26.

(2) Survey on Employment and MS MSIF, Avril 2010

(3) Siegert RJ, Abernethy DA., Depression in multiple sclerosis: a review, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. April 2005, 76 (4) :469-75.