Fighting the Fatigue.

Earlier today I was reading an article on the how people are dealing with fatigue in Parkinson’s, which I can tell you is common problem and as always, never a simple solution due to the very nature of everyone’s different symptoms and stages within their PD journey. However, what strikes a cord with me is that there are very similar problems to all of us, despite age, gender, general health (other than with the PD/condition) and lifestyle.

Personally I find that fatigue saps my motivation, and if its a particularly bad day, I can also be less physically and mentally there. It will make my left side tremor and arm, shoulders and neck rigidity worse. My memory, and the ability to recall, what I would consider basic things slows down too, which is frustrating and occasionally embarrassing.

So what do I do. Well I try and avoid sleeping during the day, although as my other half would attest, that’s easier said than done! I’m still taking yoga classes and running, for the exercise and stretching but sometimes its not enough to keep my energy levels up. In the main though, I try and get through most of my work, or any errands in the morning and before mid-afternoon which is where I start feeling the pinch the most.

Diet is obviously important and eating balanced and healthy meals is important. Since I started my journey with PD, I have lost nearly two and half stone in weight, so I’m going in the right direction, but pizza being my Achilles heal really isn’t helpful. So, as one of my old school reports would say, could try harder!

According to various PD associations and medical professionals, there isn’t a definitive cause for fatigue, but it’s likely a combination of interacting causes, which they don’t fully understand, or can modify with medications. A study in the same article mentions a journal in NeuroImage: Clinical and shared by Science Direct “found that fatigue in Parkinson’s has also been linked to specific patterns of brain degeneration. These structural changes aren’t present in individuals of the same age who don’t have the condition.”

Well that’s positive isn’t it! Don’t worry though, I’ll try and keep fighting the good fight.