Profound and debilitating fatigue is the most common complaint reported among individuals with autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.
The Autoimmune Association has heard from people who describe their fatigue in no uncertain terms: It's DEBILITATING! It feels like my body is lugging around a TON OF BRICKS. Because of my fatigue, I am not the person I once was.
ME/CFS shares some features of autoimmune illnesses (diseases in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues in own body, like in rheumatoid arthritis). For example, both ME/CFS and most autoimmune diseases are more common in women and both are characterized by increased inflammation.
Some people shared that it feels as though they have been drained of all their energy. A few explained it as feeling like their life force has leaked out and that they can even feel it as it leaves their body. After that, they know they do not have any energy to give to others or even themselves.
CFS is often misdiagnosed as depression.
Sjogren's Syndrome patients often complain of mental fatigue or “brain fog.” Brain fog impairs focus, causes fuzzy concentration, and contributes to difficulty in problem-solving. Keep your stress levels low, and give your brain a workout with crosswords, puzzles, reading, adult coloring books, or online brain games.
Most autoimmune diseases cause inflammation. But the symptoms they cause depend on the body parts affected. You can have pain in your joints or muscles. Or you may experience skin rashes, fevers, or fatigue.
The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) or drugs may trigger changes that confuse the immune system. This may happen more often in people who have genes that make them more prone to autoimmune disorders.
Common causes of tiredness and fatigue include: not getting enough sleep or finding it hard to get to sleep (insomnia) an unhealthy lifestyle (such as having an unhealthy diet and not getting much exercise) stress, depression and dealing with life challenges, such as bereavement or looking after a new baby.
Medical causes– unrelenting exhaustion may be a sign of an underlying illness or condition (such as flu, glandular fever, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disorders, heart disease or diabetes). Lifestyle-related causes – alcohol or drugs or lack of regular exercise can lead to feelings of fatigue.
Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels. If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition.
Some common autoimmune diseases, including Type 1 diabetes mellitus, are relatively easy to diagnose, while others, such as vasculitis, Addison's disease, lupus, and other rheumatic diseases, are more difficult.
Some of these "SLE mimickers" are very common, such as rosacea which can be mistaken for the butterfly rash, while others such as Kikuchi disease, type-1 interferonopathies, Castleman's disease, prolidase deficiency, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, Evans' syndrome in the context of primary immune deficiencies and ...
Background: Autoimmune diseases are multifactorial with environmental and heritable factors. Autoimmunity reflects an altered immune status, therefore the presence of more than one disorder is not uncommon. The coexistence of three or more autoimmune diseases in a patient constitutes multiple autoimmune syndrome (MAS).