#fatigue scale

[stardust-maple]

I made my own pain and fatigue scale charts. Because I'm so adept at overcoming my symptoms the normal pain scale doesn't really work for me. I adjusted my numbers so that I could change the number into something I could tell a doctor when they inevitably ask me to rate my pain.

[Image Description: Pain Scale Chart with rainbow gradient background for each row, starting at red and ending at blue. Row 1: Mine Drs Pain Scale Description Row 2: 10 X I am not leaving my bedroom or bathroom, someone needs to bring me food and I need something to dull the pain or the pain will cause tears. Row 3: 9 X I am not leaving my bedroom and bathroom for anything other than food. Row 4: 8 10 Speaking is difficult. It is no longer practical to do activities outside of the bathroom or bedroom, but they can be done with assistance. Row 5: 7 9 Necessary care activities are sacrificed. Academic activities and social activities can no longer be tolerated. Row 6: 6 8 My pain is tiring. Paying attention is difficult. All activities require pacing and extra effort. Row 7: 5 7 My pain is so distracting it is making me tired. It is hard to think. Necessary care activities are no longer all doable. Row 8: 4 6 My pain is so distracting it is making me tired. It is harder to think. Necessary care activities are starting to be limited. Row 9: 3 5 I can continue to do most activities Row 10: 2 4 My pain bothers me but I can ignore it most of the time Row 11: 1 3 My pain bothers me, but I can ignore it most of the time. Row 12: 0 2 I am aware of my pain only when I pay attention to it Row 13: X 1 My pain is hardly noticeable Row 14: X 0 I have no pain. END Image Description]

[Image Description:

Fatigue Scale Chart with rainbow gradient background for each row, starting at red and ending at blue. Row 1: Mine Drs Fatigue Scale Description Row 2: 10 X Can barely sit up, needs assistance to get out of bed. Holding conversations is impossible. Laying down for most of the day is necessary. It is difficult to eat. Focusing is strenuous. Row 3: 9 X Able to walk and stand for short distances. Holding conversations is difficult. Laying down for most of the day is necessary. It is difficult to eat. Focusing is strenuous. Row 4: 8 10 Able to walk and stand for short distances. Holding conversations is difficult. Sitting for long Periods of time is difficult. It is difficult to eat. Focusing is strenuous. Preparing a meal isn’t possible. Row 5: 7 9 Holding conversations is difficult. Sitting or standing for long Periods of time is difficult. It is difficult to eat. Focusing is strenuous. Row 6: 6 8 Sitting or standing for long Periods of time is difficult. It is difficult to eat. Focusing is difficult. Preparing a meal is difficult. Row 7: 5 7 Standing or walking for long periods is difficult. It is difficult to eat. Focusing is difficult. Row 8: 4 6 Standing or walking for long periods is difficult. Focusing is difficult. Row 9: 3 5 Cooking for longer than 15 minutes is extremely challenging. Row 10: 2 4 Not everything can be done in the day. Activities are slowed down. Difficult mental challenges are sacrificed. Row 11: 1 3 Tiredness makes it difficult to enjoy fun activities. Row 12: 0 2 Things take more effort than usual, but everything is still doable. Row 13: X 1 Slightly tired but still able to carry on as normal Row 14: X 0 Not tired at all END Image Description.]

Feel free to use them yourself if you like them!

[andthingsleftover]

[deramin2]

Charts For Assessing Pain And Fatigue

As a person with chronic pain and chronic fatigue, I often find it helpful to use scales to communicate how I'm doing, both for myself to contextualize it and so others have an idea how I'm doing. It's especially helpful for doctors who take you more seriously when you have data.

But I'm really bad at just assessing it in my head, especially consistently. Internalized ableism means I always feel like I'm just being a wimp and I really minimize my pain. So assessment scales that make me look at my behaviors really help break me out of that and be more honest. They also keep me more consistent so the days is more useable.

Both scales in a spreadsheet

Pain Scale

This scale was given to me in a hospital with no indication of where it came from in a really basic badly formatted table. This is my cleaned up version formatted to be saved on a phone or printed.

0 - No Pain - Pain free

2 - Minimal - Pain is barely noticeable; tightness

3 - Mild - Feel a low level of pain entering awareness only when my attention is devoted to it

4 - Uncomfortable - Pain is troubling but can be ignored most of the time; am able to continue activities

5 - Moderate - Moderate pain but no break in activity or concentration; guarded movement patterns

6 - Distracting - Pain is troubling and breaks through concentration but is tolerable; activity level changes.

7 - Distressing - Pain is intense and preoccupies my thinking; can complete tasks but it is difficult and must cease some demanding activities; considering pain medication or other pain reducing agent.

8 - Intense - Severe pain that makes concentration difficult; can do only non-demanding activities; taking pain medication, etc. Can't carry on a conversation well, pacing , etc.

9 - Severe - Cannot concentrate on anything else; sweating, unsteady breathing, can do almost nothing. Can barely talk.

10 - Immobilizing - Excruciating pain, constant; unable to move.

Fatigue Scale

This was floating around Tumblr in the colorful version. I can't print it, I can't read it with the colors when I'm tired, and I wanted the scales to normalized going the same direction so here's my formatting version:

0 - Not tired at all.

1 - Slightly tired, but still able to carry on as normal with little to no difficulty.

2 - Finding everything more effort than usual, but still able to carry on.

3 - Tiredness makes it hard to enjoy activities that are usually fun, but still able to work or study (with some difficulty).

4 - Possibly able to do some work or studying, depending on how much effort it takes. May choose to work or study from home. Avoiding activities that take a lot of energy.

5 - Mostly unable to work or study (except low effort tasks that can be done from home) can go out (for example to buy food) but only if essential.

6 - Too tired to go out, but still able to move around the house and do activities that require little energy and focus. Preparing a meal is difficult. Can't work or study.

7 - Doesn't need to lie down and can walk around the house, but can't stand for more than a few minutes without resting. Finding it hard to eat some foods. Can't focus on anything easily.

8 - Able to sit up for a while and walk around the house if absolutely necessary. Unable to eat most food. Holding a conversation is difficult.

9 - Able to sit up for a short time and can walk short distances (with difficulty), e.g. to get a drink or go to the toilet. Can't eat.

10 - Can barely sit up. Needs assistance getting out of bed.

Sources

I don't know where either of these came from originally or who to credit, but I'd like to. (Normally I wouldn't repost people's work but the public benefit here outweighs those concerns for me.) Please reblog if you do and I'll edit it in. I just want them available to more disabled people.

[vela-aureum]

I found this helpful scale in reddit!

0% - FIT & WELL FOR AT LEAST THE PAST 3 MONTHS No symptoms at rest or following activity. Capable of full-time employment.

[image ID: Two screenshots of a me/cfs scale from the Page mesupport.co.uk. The scale is called expanded disability status scale (EDSS)

10% - GENERALLY WELL No symptoms at rest. Occasionally mild symptoms may follow activity. Capable of most forms of full-time employment.

20% - OCCASIONAL MILD SYMPTOMS AT REST More noticeable symptoms following activity. Some restriction of capabilities which require physical exertion. Able to work full-time but difficulty with work that requires physical exertion.

30% - MILD SYMPTOMS AT REST Limited ability to carry out some tasks which require physical exertion. May be able to work full-time.

40% - MILD OR MODERATE SYMPTOMS AT REST Variable ability to carry out tasks associated with normal daily activity. Unable to work part-time in a job involving frequent physical exertion. May be able to work part-time in other types of employment.

50% - MILD TO MODERATE SYMPTOMS AT REST Moderate to more severe exacerbation of symptoms following physical and/or mental exertion. Unable to carry out any strenuous physical tasks. Able to perform light duties or deskwork for several hours a day provided adequate rest periods are provided.

60% - MODERATE SYMPTOMS AT REST Moderate to severe symptoms following any form of physical or mental exertion Unable to carry out any strenuous duties. Able to carry out light duties/deskwork for one to three hours per day. Generally not confined to the house.

70% - MODERATE TO SEVERE SYMPTOMS AT REST Severe symptoms follow any physical or mental activity. Able to perform deskwork or light duties for one or two hours during the day. Often confined to the house and may require wheelchair assistance at times,

80% - MODERATE TO SEVERE SYMPTOMS AT REST May only be able to carry out a very minimal range of physical activities relating to personal care (eg. Washing, bathing). Frequently unable to leave the house and may even be confined to wheelchair or bed for much of the day. Unable to concentrate for more than short periods of time.

90% - SEVERE SYMPTOMS AT REST Bedridden and housebound for much of the time. Experiences considerable difficulties with many aspects of personal care. Marked problems with mental function (e.g. memory, concentration). Requires a great deal of practical support.

100% - SEVERE SYMPTOMS ON A CONTINUAL Basis Bedridden and incapable of living independently. Requires a great deal of practical social support.

End image ID]

[thebookewyrme]

POTS is kicking my ass today. I woke up at an 8 on the fatigue scale and it’s hovered around 7 or 8 all day.

NB: This is the fatigue scale, someone just introduced me to it and it’s so exactly perfect and also, I max out the scale on a semi regular basis and I don’t know how I feel about that.

Anyway, it means I’ve barely been able to take care of my pets or myself all day. It sucks living alone because there’s no one to take care of me on my chronic illness days. I mean, I wanted to move out because the situation with my Ex was becoming toxic for us both. And I’m reveling in my newfound freedom. But. I very much need a caretaker sometimes, and now I don’t even have my son to help because he’s only with me on weekends. Not that I like leaning on him too much, but at least he can help with the animals.

The kittens are gonna be such good ESAs when they grow up though. Bella is too old and lame to get on the bed and snuggle me all day anymore, but both kittens came in and snuggled me almost all day. Today was more Yuan than Binghe, but Binghe came in later.

Sick days are better with kittens!

[grouchydairy]

fatigue scale

[eclecticelectriceccentric]

wait shit does depression count as fatigue

[batmanego]

my pain scale invention. it goes from 0-16. you fill it out like this:

i made this because i find pain to be a multifaceted thing that influences me in different ways. i can accomplish lots of small tasks while in pain but that doesnt mean i can move around or even think clearly. its name is the goldstein expanded pain index or gepi. you can use it if you want. or not.

[disabledprincesses]

Wait, you're telling me having a pain so intense you can't move is considered the most painful?

I've been experiencing level 10 pain on and off for most of my life?

Aw shit...

Level 3 is just "uncomfortable??!" 5 is distracting?????

Stubbing a toe is what i would put as a 2, but if its distracting me for a while its 5??

God I wish....

[enbycrip]

A thing about how *I* experience chronic pain: it’s not always easy to quantify when I’m in “routine” pain, esp when it’s dull rather than sharp, but it absolutely *does* affect my functioning.

So much stuff about chronic pain, especially relating to pain scales, talks about relatively lower-level routine pain that “you no longer (actively) notice” as if it then becomes a zero sum game; you no longer notice it, therefore it no longer affects you?

But a lot of the pain I live with daily *is* dull rather than sharp. And quite a lot of it I’ve been living with various kinds of intermittently for most of my life. For example, digestive pain and nausea, dull headache, and ongoing musculoskeletal pain *definitely* do affect me even when I’m not actively noticing it. It eats spoons to do things. It makes me actively *considerably* more fatigued and actively reduces my emotional capacity to process rather than react. It also reduces my executive function *enormously*, and that is *not* great at the best of times.

The best analogy I can give is that it’s like background programmes running on a computer, eating processing power.

[pcos-and-endo-awareness]

[chronicallydragons]

People with chronic pain trying to figure out how to answer the “rate your pain” question at the doctor’s office

[image ID: a .gif of a man with complex mathematical equations floating around him. It starts with a close up on his eyes and then a second close up on his mouth. He has a light brown beard. End ID.]

[sicknsadsicknrad]

using this to rate my pain from now on lmao

[zappylionlover]

Hm. I miss the old days of long headcanon posts.

Reblog this post with ur fave hcs in the tags. Both ooc and source compliant. I wanna see self indulgent and basically canon alike. I want to see yall get project-y and silly with it. I want to see ur 10 page essay on ur headcanons.

Headcanons are a belessing we all deserve to indulge in bc theyre silly and fun

[scribefindegil]

periodic Curse Cycle of "Huh, is this hyperfixation calming down?" followed shortly by "No, I was just too physically exhausted to experience emotions for the past several days"

[smol-bean-of-the-smols]

got that kind of eepy where I can't read a paper for school work but have zero problem reading a detailed fanfiction