The Stigma of Fatigue

[Guest guest]

The Stigma of Fatigue

One of the most bitter complaints people have about living with chronic hepatitis is that they always feel so tired. This is especially common during treatment. Of course, everyone gets tired and usually this just means it's time to slow down and go to bed a little earlier each night. But heppers talk about a tiredness that never seems to end. Imagine how you feel after the end of a long day spent mostly on your feet working hard, with few breaks. Now, imagine feeling this way after you've just woken up--after a good night's rest. It's almost like sleeping had no effect, and yet, many heppers talk about feeling just this way.

Talking about fatigue is hard for people with hepatitis because everyone knows what it feels like to be tired. "So, you're tired," someone might say. "Just take it easy for a while." But it's hard to describe the intensity of fatigue that chronic hepatitis can bring and especially hard trying to convince people (without hepatitis) that just "taking it easy" doesn't do the trick. An interesting study in the Journal of Clinical Nursing tried to document just how tired heppers feel. Here are some of the responses (paraphrased):

It feels like you're coming out of an anesthetic.It feels like you're weighed down with concrete.It's a tiredness you can't fight. It's an exhaustion that makes you feel defeated. It feels like your body breaks down. You feel that your body isn't your own. You want to do things but you can't. It takes 2-3 hours just to get going in the morning.

Many heppers would appreciate other people trying to understand what they're going through--and some seem to be affected more seriously and go through so much more than others. A good place to start is realizing that when they say they're tired, it's not from laziness or boredom. It's a feeling so deep that some describe it as "a heaviness where you feel your body will collapse under its own weight" (from article cited above). Unfortunately, at this time, there's not a lot that can be done about fatigue. However, here are some tips worth trying that may help mild fatigue and offer some relief.

Tips for Dealing with Fatigue

Fatigue is a common problem for those with hepatitis. Whether it is brought on directly by liver disease or is the side effect of medication, sufferers may feel extremely tired even after a full night of sleep. Dealing with fatigue requires patience since there are no easy solutions. However, these tips can help you control it.

Things You Can Do

Exercise regularly. Moderate exercise is a good way to help control fatigue. Maybe it seems a little odd to exercise when you're tired, but it is helpful for many people.

Eat healthful meals. A balanced diet is an excellent way to help manage fatigue. Start with the basic principles of what to eat if you have chronic hepatitis. Don't overdo your schedule. Prioritize your day by doing essential activities first and then start other tasks as your energy level allows. Avoid stressful situations. Here are five simple tips to help control stress. Plan for regular, consistent amounts of sleep every night. Take an afternoon nap. Regular 30-minute naps can be a big boost to your day and help manage fatigue. Learn to relax. In today's hectic pace, activities like yoga and meditation are extremely popular. You don't need to be a stressed out business executive or fitness guru to benefit from these relaxation techniques.

Things Your Doctor Can Do

It's a good idea to report fatigue to your doctor. Even though some fatigue is probably unavoidable with liver disease, there are ways your doctor may be able to help. Treat your hepatitis. Usually your fatigue will significantly lessen if you can achieve a sustained virologic response. Diagnose and treat anemia. Since anemia is a possible cause of fatigue, your doctor can determine if this is an underlying concern. Diagnose and treat other conditions that cause fatigue, such as thyroid disease. Prescribe medicine to help you sleep better. Doctors must use careful judgment here because the liver is usually responsible for breaking down drugs in the body. Any benefit from the medication must be weighed against possible risks of damaging the liver. In general, doctors can search for other treatable causes of fatigue. This may require blood tests, a complete physical examinations and asking you a lot of questions about your symptoms. Sources:

MD Consult. Fatigue Patient Fact Sheet. Elsevier, Inc. 2009

http://hepatitis.about.com/b/2010/01/21/dealing-with-fatigue.htm#

http://hepatitis.about.com/od/symptoms/a/Dealingwithfatigue.htm