Fatigue syndrom ms

If you have MS fatigue, you may need to recharge with frequent and extensive rest and short naps throughout the day. Planning and scheduling your daily activities in a specific way may also help conserve energy.

These tips may help with energy conservation:

• Try to divide large or complex projects and tasks into smaller parts, pausing between each.
• Consider gathering supplies in advance of an activity, like cooking or cleaning, so you don’t have to run last-minute errands.
• Having your groceries and other supplies delivered may also help you spend your energy on other pressing tasks.
• Contemplate cooking all your meals for the week at once, if possible.
• Try to organize your house and office in a way that commonly used items are stored in easy-to-reach places.
• Using wheeled carts to transport heavier items around the house may be a good idea.
• Consider using adaptive devices for dressing, bathing, and household chores.
• If your fatigue tends to get worse when it’s warm and humid, you may want to use climate control technology or appliances, if possible.

While conserving energy is important, too much rest can be counterproductive. Exercising daily is essential for maintaining muscle strength and building endurance.

Other lifestyle changes and remedies can help you manage MS fatigue. These may include:

A 2016 study also found that people with MS who followed a low fat, plant-based diet had a significant improvement in fatigue after 12 months.

Managing stress with yoga, meditation, and tai chi may also help.

Managing fatigue is part of the comprehensive treatment for MS. While there’s no cure for MS, treatments may help improve or slow down the progression of your symptoms, including low energy and exhaustion.

A healthcare professional may prescribe these medications to manage fatigue specifically:

• amantadine (Gocovri), an antiviral drug that seems to help with MS fatigue. Its mechanism for treating fatigue, however, is unknown.
• armodafinil (Nuvigil) or modafinil (Provigil), used to treat narcolepsy. These medications promote wakefulness in people with MS fatigue and may also help with sleep challenges.
• amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall), used as a stimulant that may improve your ability to focus

Depending on other symptoms and conditions you may have, a doctor may also prescribe:

• iron supplements for anemia
• sleeping pills to treat insomnia, such as zolpidem (Ambien)
• multivitamins for nutritional deficiencies
• thyroid hormone therapy
• antidepressants like fluoxetine (Prozac) or bupropion (Wellbutrin)
• medications to help with leg spasticity
• medications for urinary dysfunction, if the need to use the bathroom is keeping you up at night
• methylphenidate (Ritalin) or dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) to improve wakefulness and increase energy.
• anti-inflammatory pain medications, like aspirin. A 2012 study found that taking 100 milligrams of aspirin twice per day significantly reduced MS-related fatigue.

Because fatigue may sometimes be a side effect of some medications, a doctor may also contemplate switching your dose or brand to see if your symptom improves.

Fatigue is a common symptom of MS and may greatly affect your quality of life.

Self-care, stress management, physical therapy, a nutrient-dense diet, and conserving energy may help you cope with MS fatigue.

Treatment for MS includes a combination of medications that aim to slow down the progression of MS. Sometimes, doctors may prefer prescribing additional medications that target fatigue specifically or that help you manage associated symptoms and conditions.