Body aches

[Greenmachine]

I am fairly new to ms only being diagnosed in May this year and for the last month have been waking up with body aches all over in particular my legs. Most days lately I've been sleeping for a good 12 hrs a day and after only being awake a couple of hours I feel the need to go back to sleep. I just feel awful every day, tired aching and kind of weak. Has anybody else felt like this and do you have any recommendations to remedy this or do I just have to learn to live with this as being a part of ms?
I should add I am currently on Tysabri

[ElliotB]

In time, the symptoms will pass, including the sleepiness, and you will feel much better. Be patient. On the bright side, healing is going on while you are sleeping. Listen to your body.

After your attack is over and you get back into a more 'normal' (new normal) pattern, you may find, as many do, that a short nap in the afternoon can re-energize you for hours into the evening.

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[David1949]

I've had PPMS for 18 years. Recently I had the symptoms you described, but not from MS. It turns out I had mononucleosis. I'm 65 so its well past the age one would typically expect for mono. But anyone can get it at any age. The only solution is to get plenty of rest. It can take months to recover from it too.

I'm just saying MS is not necessarily the cause of all your health issues.

[jimmylegs]

coincidentally i helped a close family member who had chronic mono recover using nutrition. lab tested for serum nutrient levels and viral load before and after. bolstered up the immune system to be better able to fight off the virus. went from having a whole list of 'allergens' aka positive food sensitivity tests to none as well. i'm sure the docs would consider it all coincidence though

[THX1138]

coincidentally i helped a close family member who had chronic mono recover using nutrition. lab tested for serum nutrient levels and viral load before and after. bolstered up the immune system to be better able to fight off the virus. went from having a whole list of 'allergens' aka positive food sensitivity tests to none as well. i'm sure the docs would consider it all coincidence though

Would that be from zinc

[jimmylegs]

there were a few things that we worked on but zinc was one and yes i suspect it played a significant role in correcting inappropriate inflammatory immune system response to whole foods.

[Kronk]

Most days lately I've been sleeping for a good 12 hrs a day and after only being awake a couple of hours I feel the need to go back to sleep. I just feel awful every day, tired aching and kind of weak.

I was very similar after my diagnosis I would come home from work and nap. My recommendation is that you use what energy you have to exercise. Seriously. I don't mean Cardio either I mean strength training along with a healthy diet. You will build a new tolerance for tired, your body will adapt to new stress, and you will have a new level of energy. I push it in the gym 3 or 4 days a week even when I feel like garbage. Half the time I come out with more energy than I went in with. The other half I want to pull over and sleep on the drive home. But overall I have more energy, and its consistent throughout the day. When I take some time out of the gym, a week here or there, I always feel it in my energy levels towards the end of it.

Anyone who sleeps 12hrs a day will not be rested MS or not. Your setting a low demand on your body and so it is meeting the demand. Raise the bar and your body will meet it provided you are giving it the fuel (food) it needs. This worked for me, give it a shot and hopefully it will for you as well.

Best of luck!

[Greenmachine]

Thanks all for your replies. I think I'll have my magnesium levels checked next time I do bloods and I've never been a gym person but will try being a lot more active when I've got the energy. The way I've been feeling just the thought of exercise makes me tired, lol. But I know if nothing changes, nothing will change

[jimmylegs]

hey there gm
maybe for fatigue you could consider checking serum ferritin as well as serum magnesium - both are pretty key... has your serum ferritin been done in the past? if so, might be one idea to check what it was.
could also be wise to make sure you get your own copy of results (ie don't let them tell you it's 'normal')
targets: serum ferritin aim for 80 ng/ml and serum mag at least 2.3 mg/dL. if your levels are lower than those, then you can figure out next steps with diet mods and if needed, any supplements/cofactors.
personally i find having a gym or activity 'buddy' really helps me find the motivation to get out there, when it wouldn't necessarily happen just on my own initiative.

[Greenmachine]

havnt been on for a while thought I'd fill in the rest of the story. My doctor prescribed me a drug called Cymbalta and it worked immediately for the pain. The drug is used for nerve pain and depression. I was and still are taking lyrica also for the "ms hug" So both drugs target nerve pain but in my instance each drug affected a different type of nerve pain I was experiencing. I cannot say what a difference it has made to my life. I was thinking this ms is hell I havn't made it a year yet and I want to end it. All that has changed except for the sleep and tiredness. I am going for a sleep study tomorrow to see what is going on. Maybe sleep apnea as well.

[Scott1]

Hi,

I hear what everyone has said and see what you say. I hope you do get some respite.

The people who seem to be doing best are the ones who are best informed. Doctors love to treat pain with something that masks it and generally are silent on fatigue. You will do best if you can look at what others are doing and read extensively. The people who have replied generally have sensible (and sometimes divergent) ideas. All I can say is it like pealing an onion and offer my story as it touches on some of the questions you ask -http://www.thisisms.com/forum/regimens- ... 24019.html

Regards

[Greenmachine]

Thanks Scott, I'll have a read. Finally did the sleep study and found I am not entering REM sleep at all. It is not sleep apnea but maybe a side effect of the anti depressants so a bit of a change of type or dosage experiments to work out