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Fatigue is a common symptom of sarcoidosis but can be under-estimated by the doctors involved in your care. It can still be a problem even when other test results are normal.

• Underlying causes

  A number of studies have shown that underlying causes of fatigue in people with sarcoidosis may be due to:
  

  • pain
  • myopathy (muscle disease)
  • sleeping disorders such as obstructive sleep apnoea
  • lack of exercise
  • depression
  • small fibre neuropathy (a nerve disorder)

  All of these symptoms can affect your quality of life.

• Treatment and monitoring

  There is no effective treatment for fatigue and studies have shown that people with sarcoidosis that use prednisone have a higher level of fatigue than those not using it.

  As fatigue has a big impact on your quality of life, it is important that your doctor measures your levels of fatigue and the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) is one way of doing this.

  If you feel fatigue is affecting your mental health and you are finding it difficult to cope, talk to your doctor about any psychological support that may be available.

  Even if there is no specific treatment available, the fact that your fatigue is being taken seriously and discussed can be helpful.

• What you can do

  Live as healthily as possible to help you with your day-to-day management of fatigue:

  • Eat a healthy balanced diet.
  • Stop smoking if you smoke
  • Seek out support - talk to a friend or family member or contact a support group
  • Do some physical exercise every day
  • Create a healthy sleeping pattern

• Educating your employers

  It is very important to educate employers about sarcoidosis so that they understand that the absence of some symptoms does not mean that the individual is healthy.

  Job activities may need to be adapted accordingly.