Is it normal to experience chronic fatigue

Fatigueis very common after a stroke and can frequently not be associated with activity or energy exertion.It can be difficult to say exactly how long these feelings of fatigue will last. We do know that Stroke survivors are more likely to experiencefatigueshortly after their stroke but we do hear of those who experience it sometime following their stroke.  Post-strokefatiguecan range from relatively mild to severeand the intensity of the tiredness does not seem to be related to the severity or type of stroke someone has had.  

There are lots of things that you can do to help managefatigue.It is important to balance activity and rest levels and understand that it is normal for it to take time to return to previous energy levels post stroke 

An Occupational Therapist can also help with energy conservationmanagementtechniques that may be helpful to combatfatigue

Here are a few resources you might find helpful:

Fatigue | enableme - stroke recovery and support, including out fact sheet on fatigue and two podcasts on fatigue

Stroke Foundation-Fatigueblog- with helpful tips and strategies to use 

Managing fatigue - Synapse 

 It is important to manage your fatigue. One way of managing your fatigue is through Pacing, Planning, and Prioritising.  

• Pacing is spreading out the activities you do and using numerous shorter breaks instead of one long break during an activity.  
• Planning is understanding what activities you are doing and when, make sure not to group up too many similar activities. This also means assessing which activities make you feel more or less fatigued for future planning. 
• Prioritising mean understanding what you need to do and what can wait. If you have a limit to what you can do each day you can plan to do those things which are important and save unimportant things for other days. 

It is also important to investigate and manage any external factors that may be contributing to your fatigue. Speak to your doctor about pain, sleep problems and your mood. Also ask about medications and nutritional deficiencies that may be contributing to fatigue.  When managing your fatigue, it is important to balance activity and rest, exercise in moderation, monitor your diet and have a good sleep routine. 

It's also important to remember that fatigue can exacerbate any stroke impacts you may have, for example, any leg weakness or mobility issues may become more pronounced, word finding difficulties may become more evident.

If you would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us on StrokeLine 1800 787 653 or email strokeline@strokefoundation.org.au. We are available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm AEST. 

Kind regards, 

Alicia