"I am
struggling today to get anything done. I am currently trying to get my laundry
started. I've had to stop and come back to the washing machine three times just
to get it going. The exhaustion and weakness in my muscles is unbearable today.
So, I thought I would share what lupus fatigue can feel like ...
Lupus
fatigue isn’t just being tired. It is so much more.
It’s an
overwhelming, debilitating exhaustion that rest doesn’t fix. Sleep doesn’t
reset it. Naps don’t cure it. You can do everything right and still wake up
feeling like you never slept at all.
Some days
it feels like having the flu — your body heavy, your muscles weak, your head
foggy. Simple, everyday activities like showering, getting dressed, or making a
meal can feel impossible. Not because you don’t want to do them … but because
your body simply doesn’t have the energy to give.
This kind
of fatigue goes deeper than the body. It affects your mind, too. It can make it
hard to concentrate, remember things, or even find the right words. Conversations
can feel draining. Decisions feel overwhelming. Even minimal activity can wipe
you out completely, leaving you unable to function for hours — or days.
Lupus
fatigue is disproportionate to effort.
A short
shower can feel like running a marathon.
Folding
laundry can feel like lifting weights.
Making it
through the day can feel like survival.
And
the hardest part?
It’s
invisible.
From the
outside, you may look “fine.”
Inside,
your battery is sitting at 10%, or completely empty. Can you imagine living
every day with 10% of the energy most everyone has for their day?
This
exhaustion impacts every part of life. It can mean missing work, canceling
plans, skipping social events, and struggling with basic chores. It’s the
constant awareness that your energy is limited, and once it’s gone, there’s no
pushing through. Yes, there is a point of no pushing through. It is an
exhaustion where you have nothing left to give.
This is what
makes lupus fatigue different from normal tiredness. Normal tiredness is
relieved by rest. Lupus fatigue is constant, severe, and often unrelated to how
much you’ve done. It’s one of the most disabling symptoms of lupus, and one of
the least understood.
If you live
with this, please know:
You are not
lazy.
You are not
weak.
You are not
imagining it.
You are
navigating life with a body that is fighting itself every single day.
Every day
is different, but every day brings battles.
And you still show up in every way that you can,
and that makes you a warrior."
Με αγάπη,
Εύα 💗
