Autoimmune Diseases and Fatigue

John, I'm so glad you started this discussion specific to fatigue. As you know my mom suffers from fatigue and we're still trying to get to the bottom of the cause. I'm tagging other members on this discussion in the hopes that they'll share their experiences with autoimmune disease and fatigue.

@robbinr @jharsh @dawn_giacabazi @flowerbeauty @jillnc @kyjeanne @blindeyepug: John asks, Do you experience fatigue? How has it impacted your life and how do you deal with it? Have you found anything that you are sure mitigates it?

People say such and such "ruined my life". Well fatigue "ruined" a good part of mine and that is said without melodrama. I'm sure that other folks can say something similar. At some point it becomes indistinguishable from what people describe as depression. Unfortunately, remedies for depression don't always work for fatigue. Looking forward to hearing some takes on it. Never know what you'll find.

I have started taking D-Ribose with Magnesium and Malate (Again) in the afternoon. I have slept beautifully for three nights in a row. Wow!
We forget and then we remember what helped last time the fatigue got so bad. I also think I will try adding Glutathione also. It is supposed to be the mother of the Amino Acids, and a deficit can affect sleep, energy, etc.

Fatigue/Lack of energy plus extreme belly bloat plus memory/recall deficit have totally taken away my life as I knew it. I have been to Mayo multiple times. I have tried supplements up the wazoo. I have changed my diet to keto. I have tried acupuncture and healing touch and prayer. Cannot think of anything I have not researched and tried. No positive changes noted just gradually gets worse. Can you relate? Is modafinal the only thing that helps for you? <br><br>

I can't relate to belly bloat but I have tried everything except healing touch. Every possible supplement but I lay off of them now since I've had 2 bouts with cancer and per the oncologist supplements are Russian roulette. I guess I'm lucky in that I know the root cause, Sjogren's with sleep apnea tossed in as a bonus. They don't know why it causes fatigue but just does. Its not inflammation since I have no significant inflammation. It might be cytokines like IL-6 or IL-1. Lots of suspicion there but no proof as yet. Modafinil does help but there's a price, as with all medications. The longer you use it, the shorter the effect. Can also cause severe headaches or migraines. Also very expensive if not covered. I don't want to give the wrong impression. I've stitched together a decent life in spite of the fatigue, but it could have been a whole lot easier. Do you have any diagnosis that may point to a root cause such as thyroid disease, an autoimmune problem?

I've tried both d-ribose and magnesium without an discernible result but that doesn't mean it might not help you. This site tries to concentrate research on supplements: https://examine.com/supplements/d-ribose/
so it might be a useful resource. MD Anderson also has a site dedicated to alternative therapies. I now believe that jacking up an amino acid say without a proven need to isn't the greatest idea, but that's me. Pushing hard on any system in the body will likely cause a compensating reaction. Getting pretty conservative about supplements 1000's of $ later. Lean more on exercise, sensible diet and trying to have a laugh now and then. Good luck with it though.

Fatigue has been a major impact. I had to quit my job last October due to extreme fatigue. I have Sjogrens, Hashimotos, Fibromyalgia and many other illnesses. I've found that since I don't have to force myself to get up for work, I can sleep later and rest some during the day as needed. That has been my life saver. Plus, I have a very supportive husband. I have Restless Leg Syndrome and a lot of aches and pains, which make it difficult to sleep. I use 5 pillows at night, which helps, and take Ropinorole (for RLS) and Trazodone (for sleep). When I do sleep, it seems I dream a lot. Is dreaming a problem with anyone else?

Sjogren's and Hashimoto's seem to cluster together. The "many other illnesses" might be related to Sjogren's too but that's speculative of course. It seems to impact more the nervous system more than people thought 10 or 20 years ago. Have your doctors tried any therapies aimed directly at the fatigue? Have you been tested for a sleep disorder? A sleep study might help give you some clues. Since you have restless legs maybe you have periodic limb movements interrupting your sleep. Also speculative, of course. I have the opposite problem re dreaming. I rarely do.

I was tested for a sleep disorder. I was told I only have sleep apnea when sleeping on my back, which I rarely do, so nothing was prescribed. The same doctor discovered my restless leg though. Nothing except the 2 medications listed have been suggested for fatigue. I actually just filed for disability, mostly because of the fatigue. Doctors don't seem to treat it as a real problem. 🙁

If you had significant apnea, you might want to revisit getting it treated unless you're sure that you will never sleep on your back. I hate CPAP but it helped me somewhat. The rheumatologists acknowledge the fatigue as a big factor in Sjogren's but treating it effectively is another thing. Presumably your thyroid is being replaced if you have Hashimoto's. Iron deficiency has been linked to restless legs so I assume that your iron has been evaluated. A lot of things are being studied but obviously no smoking gun as far resolving fatigue. Moderate exercise, as in walking, might help, helps me, and it can't hurt so its worth a try. Good thing that you have a supporting environment and spouse. Gives you time to develop a strategy.