My Pain is managed but the fatigue is out of control!!

[staunton]

I have been on Cymbalta for over a year now and the pain is well managed. My major problem right now is the fatigue!! My sleep at night is sketchy, with waking several times, sometimes for an hour, but during the day all I want to do is sleep. I drag myself through the basics of the daily routine that I have to get done and then as soon as I can lie down I'll sleep DEEPLY for 3 hours, and within another hour I am wanting to go back to sleep. Sometimes if I take a sleep aid I'll have a solid 8 hours at night but I am still exhausted all day. Does anyone have suggestions for a medication or some other type of therapy to increase my energy??

[neil25]

I don't take anything to manage pain but i take Amitripytline tablets at night to sleep and they work wonders. I sleep solidly f or 8-9 hours. I don't wake up refreshed but I'm still just able to manage gettin through the day without a nap. Another thing i would suggest is some deep breathing exercises these can give you short bursts of energy.

Another bit of advice is try not to stay at home even when your tired drag yourself outside. When your at home its easier to sleep. If you start going out more you will eventually sleep less. Trust me i'm talking from my personal experience and i was sleeping for 18 hours a day and now i don't even nap once.

[Fibrofog]

I've had some success in lifting the fatigue by getting restful sleep at night. People with FM can sleep for hours and not wake refreshed because they don't sleep deeply. I tried Amitripytline but gained weight very rapidly, so I switched to Nortriptyline, which works for me without side effects. I also use a sleep supplement called Rest and Restore, which is made for the Fibro and Fatigue Centers.

Good sleep hygiene is really important, too. Go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, even on weekends; don't nap during the day; take sleep supplements and meds half an hour before bed; don't use your computer for an hour before bed because the light from the screen tells your brain that it's daytime and not night; do quiet activities for the hour before bed. It takes time but eventually your body adjusts to sleeping well at night.

Hope that helps!