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Cyborg

Updated 1y ago

Dealing with Chronic Fatigue after TBI Recovery

I’m almost 5 months out recovering from a TBI after a car accident in the end of last year. I’m making good progress with physical therapy and treatments—my chronic migraines are getting much better and I can almost walk daily without a cane but I am constantly fatigued. I have HORRIBLE chronic fatigue. I have to take a 3-5 hour nap every single day and I’m constantly drinking caffeine. Nothing helps. Nothing keeps me awake. I’m always SO exhausted after the smallest amount of exertion. My neurologist told me exercise in time would help but I just feel like I’m getting worse and more fatigued the ‘better’ I’m getting. Has anyone experienced this and have any suggestions? Is this one of those ‘give it time’ things? Are there supplements that can help? Is medical MJ an option here? I feel at a loss because I’m pretty happy with my progress overall but the chronic fatigue leaves me completely disabled. It’s not the only thing but everything else seems to be getting better with the work I’m putting in while this seems to be getting worse and developing into a worse and worse problem. I’ve heard of chronic fatigue syndrome developing out of concussions and TBI and I’m wondering what kind of treatment I should explore, or questions I should ask my doctor, or new doctor I should seek out.

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Goose33

2y

I developed cfs from pots/covid and the first doctor I visited prescribed my physical therapy. it seemed nice at first because I enjoyed exercising and feeling stronger but I soon realized the pattern that for three days after physical therapy, I would be absolutely exhausted and unable to do anything—turns out this was post exertional malaise. I switched doctors and the new one told me to drop physical therapy because it was making me worse. he says that if I feel worse afterwards it means my body isn’t ready for the challenge yet and needs more rest. It’s been really frustrating feeling like my strength is withering away further but I have felt so much better since I stopped physical therapy. I’m not sure how applicable this is to your situation but I guess what I’m saying is that if exercise or other activities tire you out a lot then maybe consider taking a break from them and seeing how you feel. it’s so frustrating, but the most helpful treatment for my cfs has been to do nothing and wait, because even with pacing my body isn’t ready for the little things yet. from my experience and online research, doctors have many different takes on exercising with cfs—some say it helps, others say pushing yourself that much hurts. it seems that the second school of thought has been more accurate for my situation but of course that probably doesn’t apply to everyone. and just because one doctor recommends that you exercise doesn’t necessarily mean that another doctor would agree. another thing that’s helped me a lot is modafinil (aka provigil). it’s a medicine advertised for sleep apnea but my psychiatrist prescribed it to me for cfs and it’s done wonders in keeping me awake. prior to taking it I was sleeping all day, and although I’m still exhausted, this medicine gives me the energy to make it through the day without napping. I’ve also heard that taking the otc supplement niacin in small doses can help a lot with chronic fatigue. ofc you’d probably want to clear that with your doctor first though. good luck with everything!! this stuff sucks so much but you’re not alone you’ll get through it <3

The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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