When people hear the word fatigue, they usually think about being tired.
When a normal person gets tired, the solution is usually simple: rest.
But neurological fatigue from MS is different.
For me, it can happen suddenly, even when I am not doing anything.
Sometimes I can just be sitting down, and suddenly I feel like my energy is gone.
It is not always because I have been walking too much or exercising. Sometimes my body simply reacts to the environment.
A change in temperature can affect me.
Heat sensitivity can make my condition drop. My muscles can become stiffer, my balance can become worse, and suddenly I feel like my whole body is running out of energy.
Even taking a shower can make me exhausted.
Think about it. You are standing in a warm shower, moving around, washing your body, and trying to keep your balance. For someone with MS, that can take a surprising amount of energy.
That is why a shower chair can be very helpful for people with MS. You don’t always have to stand through the entire shower.
On my website, I also show a picture of the grab bar I installed in my shower. It may look like a small thing, but having something to hold onto can make a big difference when your balance is not reliable.
Sometimes you don’t realize how important these small changes are until you actually need them.
And it is not only walking outside that can make me tired.
Even moving around the house can use up a lot of energy when my condition is not good.
Walking from one room to another.
Standing for a while.
Going up and down the stairs.
Doing simple things that most people don’t even think about.
Sometimes even standing can feel tiring.
It feels like I have a sandbag wrapped around my body.
Every movement takes more effort.
That is why energy conservation is so important for someone living with MS.
You don’t always have enough energy to do everything you want to do.
You have to decide where you want to spend your energy.
If I use too much energy doing one thing, I may not have enough left for something else.
This is something I am still learning.
When I have a good day, I feel great.
I feel like my body is finally cooperating with me.
And sometimes I get too excited.
I think,
“Today I feel good. I can exercise more.”
So I push myself.
And then my body drops again.
I regret it.
I have learned this lesson more than once.
A good day can make me forget that I still have MS.
I feel strong, so I want to do more.
But sometimes doing more today means having a much worse day tomorrow.
That is why I have learned that you need to listen to your body and know when to stop.
Never push yourself beyond your limit just because you are having a good day.
I know this sounds simple.
But believe me, it is not always easy.
Your mind may say,
“I can still do it.”
But your body may already be telling you,
“Stop.”
And sometimes you need to listen to your body.
One thing I still haven’t completely figured out is how to control myself on a good day.
When I feel good, I want to enjoy it.
I want to exercise.
I want to move around.
I want to do everything I couldn’t do on a bad day.
But I have learned that a good day is not an invitation to overdo everything.
It is something to be grateful for.
So now I try to remind myself:
Enjoy the good day, but don’t destroy tomorrow.
MS fatigue has taught me that knowing when to stop is not giving up.
It is not being lazy.
It is not being weak.
Sometimes, knowing when to stop is how you protect the energy you need for tomorrow.
I may not be able to control when my good days come.
I may not be able to control when my bad days come.
But I can learn to listen to my body.
And I am still learning that every day.
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