Medication For Psoriatic Arthritis Fatigue

Check In With Your Doctor About Your Medications And Vitamins

Lifestyle changes can help, but it’s also worth talking to your doctor about your medications and whether it might make sense to adjust your medication schedule or find an alternative treatment.

Years ago, when I was taking methotrexate once a week to treat my PsA, I felt constantly drained I learned a common side effect of this drug is fatigue. I talked to my doctor about this, and I found out methotrexate can deplete levels of folate in the body. My low folate levels were the reason I was feeling sluggish, and I should’ve been taking folic acid supplements! After only a few weeks of supplements, I felt peppy and could get through the day without napping.

Catch Your Inner Dialogue

Its normal for people with inflammatory arthritis, or any type of chronic illness, to catastrophize their pain, which can exacerbate feelings of helplessness, says Dr. Bartlett.

Catastrophizing is dwelling on how much your body hurts or how helpless you feel against the pain, which often leads to worst-case scenario-type thinking. This type of mindset can keep you stuck in depression.

Here are some examples of catastrophizing, according to Dr. Bartlett:

• What if I never feel better how am I going to be a good father or mother to my kids?
• What If I never feel good how will I feel in five or 10 years?
• What if I lose my job what if Im never able to work again?

Although learning to stop this response wont stop the pain, it can help you to better cope with your emotions and manage your condition. Seeing a mental health professional can help you recognize catastrophizing or other kinds of toxic inner dialogue and develop strategies to reframe your thoughts.

Have Your Vitamin D Tested

There has been plenty of research that shows a connection between vitamin D deficiency and psoriatic arthritis. For example, one 2015 study reported in Arthritis Research & Therapy finds up to 40.9% of the PsA study participants also had vitamin D deficiency, this compared to only 26.9% of the control participants.

Chronic fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. If you think you have a deficiency, talk to your healthcare provider about getting your blood levels tested. Vitamin D deficiency is easily treated by eating more vitamin D rich foods, and with vitamin D supplements.

Also Check: Bloating And Fatigue After Eating

Coping With Chronic Fatigue In Rheumatoid Arthritis

For some people with rheumatoid arthritis , chronic fatigue can be as debilitating as joint pain. A person might sleep for 8 hours and wake up feeling like he or she never slept. This exhaustion can affect mental concentration and lead a person to feel frustrated and helpless.

Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for eliminating chronic fatigue. Managing fatigue often requires a multi-pronged approach that incorporates both medical treatment and lifestyle changes.

See Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fatigue

Seek Support From The Psa Patient Community

Emotionally, psoriatic arthritis can make you feel isolated and misunderstood, particularly if you dont know anyone with PsA or other similar conditions. This is why its important to reach out to others and join an online or in-person support group made up of those who know exactly what youre going through.

Support from other PsA patients has helped me not feel alone and full of despair, says Frances D.

You can ask your doctor about local support groups , or look up groups online .

You can follow CreakyJoints on social media , , , Tik Tok, to connect with other patients who are seeking community for living with arthritis and other chronic illness.

Recommended Reading: Non Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis Fatigue

Discover The Reasons For Your Fatigue

Fatigue is complex and can be related to physical, psychological, and social reasons at the same time. Chronic inflammation may be a contributor, but there may also be other factors at play. Discussing the severity and frequency of your fatigue with your doctor can be the first step in discovering the causes.

What Is Psoriatic Arthritis Video

Psoriatic arthritis can cause pain, swelling and stiffness inand around your joints.

It usually affects 3 in 10 people who already have the skin condition psoriasis .

Psoriasis causes patches of red, flaky skin which is covered with silvery-like patches.

Some people may develop psoriatic arthritis before the psoriasis is even present. In rare cases people have psoriatic arthritis and never have any noticeable patches of psoriasis.

Psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis are both autoimmune conditions, caused by a fault in the immune system.

Our immune system protects us from illness and infection. But in autoimmune conditions, the immune system becomes confused and attacks healthy parts of the body, often causing inflammation.

Psoriatic arthritis is a type of spondylarthritis. This is a group of conditions with some similar symptoms.

People with psoriasis are as likely as anyone else to get othertypes of arthritis, such asosteoarthritisorrheumatoid arthritis. Theseconditionsare not linkedto psoriasis.

Recommended Reading: Best Anti-fatigue Kitchen Mats Reviews

Sleep Problems And Insomnia

Sleep disturbances are common in PsA. In fact, nearly 90 percent of people diagnosed with psoriatic disease have trouble sleeping. In many cases, this difficulty is due to painsomnia insomnia due to chronic pain or discomfort. PsA symptoms like joint pain and swelling can cause a person to have difficulty getting a good nights sleep.

Losing sleep contributes to fatigue and can even make PsA symptoms worse. In this cycle, poor-quality sleep causes the brain to become fatigued. A tired brain then becomes less effective at dampening pain signals. In other words, pain starts to feel even worse, which can then make getting to sleep even harder.

Psoriatic Arthritis And Brain Fog

Some people find that psoriatic arthritis leads to another kind of fatigue: brain fog. People have reported problems with concentration, memory and other thinking skills.

In part, this fuzzy-headed feeling may be the result of not getting enough sleep at night because of chronic pain. Its also possible that the inflammation caused by psoriatic arthritis may affect brain function in some way.

Read Also: Decorative Anti Fatigue Kitchen Mats

Can Psoriatic Arthritis Make You Tired

Yes. Studies show close to 80% of people with psoriatic arthritis have some degree of fatigue.

When you have this disease, your body makes proteins called cytokines that cause inflammation. They make your joints swell and become painful or stiff.

These proteins may also cause fatigue, although doctors aren’t sure why. When you have a flare, the cytokines set your immune system off. But instead of fighting an infection, your immune system attacks your joints. Maybe the fatigue comes from your body using energy to do this.

The joint pain and skin rashes that can come with this type of arthritis may also keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, talk to your doctor. A medication might help you get better rest.

Follow A Healthy Diet

Being mindful of what is on your plate is an effective way to keep your energy up. Avoiding processed and junk foods, saturated fats, sugar, and alcohol, will help keep your body fueled and your fatigue down.

Following a healthy and balanced diet primary involves eating lean proteins, whole grains, fresh produce, and healthy fatsa diet considered an anti-inflammatory diet. Your healthcare provider or a dietitian can be helpful in finding the right diet to reduce your fatigue and other PsA symptoms.

Recommended Reading: Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Syndrome

Psoriatic Arthritis: Flares And Fatigue

Psoriatic arthritis might cause fatigue in several ways. In part, the disease process itself may be to blame.

When you have psoriatic arthritis, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines. Those proteins trigger inflammation throughout your body a hallmark of the disease. Researchers believe the cytokines also cause fatigue, perhaps through several different pathways in your body.

Psoriatic arthritis symptoms come and go. Sometimes, they are relatively mild. Other times, the pain and swelling become significant. Those bad periods are known as flares. And when a flare occurs, fatigue often comes along for the ride.

Medications That Help Ease Fatigue

Studies have shown that medications used to treat your inflammatory arthritis dont do much to help fatigue, and some medications can make you drowsy to boot. But unchecked inflammation and pain caused by arthritis certainly contribute to fatigue. So, your first step in getting your energy back is to get disease activity under control.

You will also need to treat any other underlying medical conditions you have that may cause or worsen your fatigue. Here are a few types of medications that may help relieve fatigue.

Anemia medicine. If you have anemia, which can leave you feeling drained and fatigued, you may need iron supplements or the hormone epoietin .

Sleep aids. Sleeping pills may help promote restorative sleep. Newer medications, including eszopiclone , lorazepam , zaleplon and zolpidem , are less likely to trigger dependence than older sleep medications.

Vitamins. If your nutrition is poor, which can also result in fatigue, your doctor may suggest you take vitamins or other supplements to fill your nutritional gaps and strengthen your overall health.

Psychoactive medicines. You may benefit from activating medications that increase energy. These include some antidepressants, like bupropion , and psychostimulants, like modafinil .

Recommended Reading: Global Industrial Anti Fatigue Mats

Strategies For Surviving Psoriatic Arthritis Fatigue

Researchers and physicians are just starting to explore the link between the condition and fatigue. Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic health condition that involves inflammation, and inflammatory conditions can bring about some fatigue as a symptom, says Christine Alexander, MD, chair of the department of family medicine at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

A recent study found that severe fatigue was common in people who had psoriatic arthritis, and that fatigue intensifies with disease severity. Depression linked to chronic illness and pain could also contribute to fatigue, Alexander adds.

Whether your fatigue is due to your psoriatic arthritis, a coexisting condition such as fibromyalgia, or treatment, try these strategies to regain some of your energy.

Treating Fatigue From Psoriatic Arthritis

The key to treating or managing fatigue is identifying the contributing conditions and addressing each of those. Fatigue can be linked to both physical and emotional triggers, and the conditions that may be contributing to fatigue must each be treated.5

As with all symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, treating fatigue begins with treating the underlying disease. Recommended treatments include disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs . The first step for treatments is usually DMARDs such as methotrexate, leflunomide, or sulfasalazine. Other treatments include medicines that target tumor necrosis factor , a chemical that produces a wide range of inflammation in PsA. Examples of TNF blockers include etanercept , adalimumab , infliximab , golimumab , and certolizumab pegol . Other DMARDs that have proven effective in clinical trials include ustekinumab , brodalumab , and secukinumab . 6 The FDA has also recently approved Inflectra , a biosimilar to infliximab, for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.7

Lifestyle changes can also improve the symptom of fatigue. Exercise can reduce pain and improve well-being, both of which have an impact on fatigue. Some patients also find anti-inflammatory diets improve their energy levels and reduce fatigue.5

You May Like: Anti Fatigue Kitchen Mat Runner

Here Are Five Strategies To Help Fight The Fatigue From Psoriatic Arthritis

Medically reviewed in March 2021

While psoriatic arthritis is a fairly well-known condition, the fatigue thats so common among people with the condition is much less understood.

Healthcare providers and researchers believe that inflammation caused by the body attacking its own tissues and cells may contribute to this overall feeling of tiredness. And side effects from medication, lack of sleep and the emotional toil of the condition could also play a role.

Regardless of the reason, if you experience PsA fatigue, you understand all too well the debilitating effects of frequently feeling worn down and exhausted.

Fighting fatigue from psoriatic arthritis While theres no proven medical treatment to stop or prevent PsA-related fatigue, there are things you can do to put some extra pep in your step:

Treatments For Your Skin

If your psoriasis is affecting your quality of life, or your treatment is not working, you may be referred to a dermatologist.

There are a number of treatment options for psoriasis.

Ointments, creams, and gels that can be applied to the skin include:

• ointments made from a medicine called dithranol
• steroid-based creams and lotions
• vitamin D-like ointments such ascalcipotriol and tacalcitol
• vitamin A-like gels such astazarotene
• tar-based ointments.

For more information about the benefits and disadvantages of any of these talk to your GP, dermatologist, or pharmacist.

If the creams and ointments dont help, your doctor may suggest light therapy, also known as phototherapy. This involves being exposed to short spells of strong ultraviolet light in hospital.

Once this treatment has started, youll need to have it regularly and stick to the appointments youve been given, for it to be successful. This treatment is not suitable for people at high risk of skin cancer or for children. For some people, this treatment can make their psoriasis worse.

Retinoid tablets, such as acitretin, are made from substances related to vitamin A. These can be useful if your psoriasis isnt responding to other treatments. However, they can cause dry skin and you may not be able to take them if you have diabetes.

Some DMARDs used for psoriatic arthritis will also help with psoriasis.

Don’t Miss: Can Prostate Cancer Cause Fatigue

What Does Fatigue In Psoriatic Arthritis Feel Like

Many MyPsoriasisTeam members have shared how PsA-related fatigue affects their daily lives. One member wrote, I feel exhausted during the day, especially after work, and take a nap. Then, I cant sleep at night. When I do, I never feel refreshed. Ugh! When does it end?

Another member shared that it takes them ages to go to sleep. They added, Then I wake up hours early and lay awake again. When its time to get up, I finally want to sleep. I go on like this until the fatigue hits where Im so tired I can hardly put one foot in front of the other, then sleep during the day. By night, it all starts again.

One member explained that they live with several conditions that contribute to their fatigue: On top of my arthritis, I have thyroid problems, which add to the fatigue, so its sort of a double whammy. They added, When the arthritis is really painful, its so tiring, but I still cannot get to sleep. Then, when I do eventually snooze, its for very short spells at a time throughout the night. I find I want to sleep during the day when I need to be alert and refreshed to go out to work, but it is something I have just had to put up with over the years. Now its a way of life that I am used to.

Icipating Physicians And Patients

Rheumatologists and dermatologists were eligible to participate in the study if they had worked 3 years as a physician, had qualified between 1979 and 2012, and were responsible for treatment decisions and management of patients with PsA.

Patients were eligible for inclusion in the study if they were 18 years old with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of PsA and were not currently enrolled in a clinical trial. Patients were eligible for inclusion in the analysis if they were receiving TNFi for 3 months and completed the SF-36v2 health survey. There were no exclusion criteria in the study.

Patient characteristics were provided by physicians, covering demographics, comorbidities including fibromyalgia, disease status including duration of disease, presence of inflammation, presence of enthesitis and treatment details including type of immunomodulatory therapy and use of prescribed and non-prescribed pain medication. Patient-reported happiness was assessed using SF-36v2 question 9 How much of the time during the past week have you been happy? with possible responses: all of the time, most of the time, some of the time, a little of the time, none of the time.

Read Also: Can Mild Sleep Apnea Cause Fatigue

Talk To Someone If You Feel Depressed

Depression and fatigue go hand in hand. People with psoriatic arthritis are at a greater risk of depression according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. The reasons for depression may go beyond the obvious discomfort and uncertainty of the disease. Scientists are now exploring a link between the inflammatory response and depression. Treating the immune response may have a direct, biomechanical effect on depression. Communicating how you are feeling can put you on the path to more energy.

Tips To Manage Psoriatic Arthritis Fatigue

If you have psoriatic arthritis and need a nap to get through the day, some simple changes can boost your energy and make you feel better.

Show Sources

Read Also: How To Combat Ra Fatigue