1- Medication:
Currently I am taking a medication to help manage my fatigue. When I took it for the first time it was like a sparkling wave of energy rushing through my body. I felt like a super hero whose magical power involved walking and holding a baby. Unfortunately, I no longer feel the wave of super powers rushing into my body, but I can tell it’s still helping me. When I last talked to the nurse practitioner at the MS center where I am treated, she prescribed an additional medication to try. I tried getting it at the pharmacy where she sent the script, but they told me it’s a specialty drug that you can’t find at a pharmacy. I tried calling the clinic a few times and through these attempts and a few conversations I was finally sent (via snail mail) a paper to fill out to receive a 90 day free trial of the medication. I then took it back to the clinic so a doctor could sign it and fax it to the drug company. I finally received the medication, and it has been helping. I’m not a fan of side effects though. Moral of the story: Medication can help, but it’s not the one way to rule them all.
2- True Rest
The second thing I have discovered is the power of true rest. When you have MS, you live unsure of how you will feel at any given point in time. As a result of this, I personally have experienced many a day when I push myself to do dishes, make food, carry the baby around, and some other chore before sitting down to allow my body to recuperate. When I get to this point I end up needing to lay down since sitting is still more exhausting than I feel capable of. The “rest” that I have discovered being best is to sit down and do something I enjoy (GUILT FREE) for 5 to 10 minutes. Guilt weighs you down and can be more fatiguing than ignoring your need for rest.
3- Assistance
When I say “assistance,” I am talking about help from other people, organizations, or even tools that simplify tasks. I have found that a reaching stick can be helpful when I’m cleaning up toys in the evening. Another life saver for me is having a chair in the kitchen. I sit down on that chair when cutting vegetables, making food on the stove, or even searching through the fridge. Choosing to sit down once doesn’t mean you will always have to sit down when you do these things. Each day is different, so listen to your body and allow yourself to get true rest.
