been away but can’t stop thinking about this. i know MS fatigue is different from regular tired - read about the neurological piece, the dopamine. but how do you actually explain that to someone who’s never had it? my wife asks if i need coffee or a nap like it’s fixable.
coworkers think i’m not sleeping enough. and i get why - i don’t look sick, so they figure it’s something a quick fix will solve. the thing is, there’s no metric for it. you can show someone an MRI with lesions, point to your EDSS, but fatigue?
it’s invisible. it’s different from spasticity or brain fog too - at least people can see those. fatigue just makes you look lazy. i’ve tried explaining it as “your battery doesn’t charge.” tried “it’s not tired, it’s broken.” compared it to post-flare exhaustion.
none of it lands. people either think i’m exaggerating or just not trying. has anyone found actual words that made it click for someone? or do you just accept that people won’t get it?