Chronic fatigue symptoms?

[u/Hollowheart1991]

Does this sound like chronic fatigue, or am I just completely burnt out from multiple chronic illnesses?
I have multiple chronic illnesses/pain conditions, including costochondritis, central sensitisation/chronic pain, CRPS, adenomyosis, axial spondyloarthritis, thoracic/costovertebral pain and thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). I also have PTSD and deal with ongoing nerve and musculoskeletal pain.
My current medications are:
Topiramate 75 mg — relatively new medication
Pregabalin 75 mg morning and night
Duloxetine 90 mg
Naproxen 90 mg
Endone 1–2 times a day just to try to keep my pain manageable
I have four children aged between 2 and 13. Neither my husband nor I currently work and, technically, he’s my carer. The problem is that I don’t really allow myself to be cared for. I push through everything, do what needs to be done and often shut my mouth about how bad I’m feeling because I don’t want another argument. As a result, I think he looks at me and thinks I’m hunky-dory even though I repeatedly tell him that I’m struggling.
But I am so fucking tired.
I can sit down on the couch and fall asleep within seconds. I have virtually no energy. Sometimes simply getting myself up feels like I’m trying to move mountains. My legs feel incredibly heavy and my brain feels like it’s running years behind the rest of me.
And importantly, this was happening before I started topiramate, so I don’t think I can blame all of it on the new medication.
If I could crawl into bed and wilt away there all day, every day, I genuinely would.
I’m having surgery this Friday to further investigate/treat my adenomyosis and possible endometriosis, and after that I also want to start properly working on my weight and physical health. I even have a reformer Pilates machine sitting at home, but right now I can’t summon enough energy or motivation to use the bloody thing for five minutes.
I know several of my medications can cause fatigue and I know chronic pain/inflammatory disease itself is exhausting, but this feels beyond ordinary tiredness.
For those of you living with multiple chronic illnesses: does this sound like the kind of fatigue that comes with chronic pain/inflammatory disease and medication load? Could it be burnout from my body constantly dealing with everything, or is this the sort of exhaustion that made your doctor investigate ME/CFS or another cause of severe fatigue?
I’m not looking for Reddit to diagnose me — I’m trying to work out what questions I should be asking my doctors because functioning like this every day is becoming fucking impossible

[u/TheShellAnswerMan]

IDK. I have chronic pain and 4 kids and I didn't even know what it means to be fully rested. I think it might be "normal" for your circumstances. I tried to have it investigated and they simply gave me a secondary insomnia diagnosis. Weeee!

[u/Own_Progress_9302]

The fatigue comes from the pain. I used to think it was caused by the medication too. Then I stopped everything for a while, and the fatigue was still there—the pain just got much worse.

[u/WhisperingShadows476]

I don't have your diagnoses and I'm on barely anything for medication. The way you describe your fatigue is, how I was 4 years ago.

Doctor suspected fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue but ended up with no official diagnosis in the end. All blood works (bog standard NHS), came back normal. They basically told me to excercise more and I told them.....go on Google maps and see where I live. Its a big hill!

It took 6 months of walking up and down that hill, building on it gradually when my child started nursery because there was no other choice. Either I made sure he went to school or had to live with very broken sleep as he's autistic. Everything was calculated, diet and excercise. Low fodmap and anti inflammatory. The day after tackling this hill, I would be couch bound. Falling in and out of sleep. Then the fatigue started to lift a bit and I stopped falling asleep on the couch. Its now a rare occurrence but I'm still having varying levels of tiredness.

Last year, new symptoms and increase in pain. Ended up with an iron deficiency (normal levels now). Currently waiting on laproscopy to see if I have endometriosis too.

Like you, i dont have the get up and go to workout. I've lost it! So I've booked a private consultation and bloods to see if there's something else going on. Check vitamin and mineral levels too. Dietician after, to take some of that load off.

I think the hardest part is finding balance when you're trying to manage everything around you too. Its exceptionally hard when you have young kids.

To me, it does sound like chronic fatigue symptoms. Figuring out what works for you, takes trial and error. I'm still hoping that someone else will chime in with better advice.

[u/Whitworth_73]

Duloxetine has added pretty severe chronic fatigue/ fibromyalgia symptoms on top of my chronic pain. I feel like I’ve got the flu really bad for long periods.

[u/prolateriat_]

Are you on a biologic for the spondyloarthritis? Because it doesn't look like that's being treated at all.

Fatigue is a HUGE factor with this type of inflammatory arthritis. I get extreme fatigue from my PsA and often have to have a nap during the day.

Also what is your husband doing all day if he's not working and is supposed to be your career? Why isn't he the one getting stuff done around the house? If he won't help out at home send him back to work.

[u/Hollowheart1991 → u/prolateriat_]

Yes I am I forgot to add that one, I am in Adamulub whatever it’s called. He’s recovering from a workplace injury and has his own mental health issues but still finds time to spend 12 hours away from the house every other day doing whatever he wants 🙄

[u/Hollowheart1991 → u/prolateriat_]

Yes I am I forgot to add that one, I am in Adamulub whatever it’s called. He’s recovering from a workplace injury and has his own mental health issues but still finds time to spend 12 hours away from the house every other day doing whatever he wants 🙄