Different people have different experiences of fatigue and it can impact on all aspects of life. It can come and go, or change over time and could be one of the first symptoms you experience, or something that appears years later.

While there is still much to learn about the exact causes of fatigue in MS, many people have found ways to minimise its effects.

Health and social care professionals can help with managing fatigue, but because fatigue in MS may have a variety of causes, and affects each person differently, there is no 'one size fits all' treatment. Some people may be prescribed drugs that help. But for many, a combination of self-management strategies, physiotherapy and exercise helps reduce the impact of their fatigue.

» What is fatigue?

• How is fatigue different from tiredness?
• Heat
• Everyday activities
• Explaining MS
• Those around you
  
  

» What causes fatigue?

• Factors involved in fatigue
• What might be happening in the central nervous system to cause fatigue?

» Analyse your fatigue

• Fill in a fatigue diary
• How do you sleep?
• How to use the diary

» Deal with the factors that contribute to fatigue

• Can fatigue be caused by other things apart from MS?
• Can other conditions cause fatigue?
• Sleep
• Infections
• Medication
• Anxiety, low mood and depression
• Other conditions

» Managing the fatigue that remains

• Consider realistic changes
  
• At work
  
• Professional support

» Tips to help manage fatigue

» Self management programmes

• What are self management programmes?
  
  

» Drugs for MS fatigue

• Amantadine (Symmetrel or Lysovir)
• Modafinil (Provigil)
• Prokarin (sometimes spelt Procarin)
• What research is there into fatigue drugs?