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Medicine for MS Related Fatigue

MS patients may suffer fatigue for a variety of reasons, including bladder dysfunction, muscle spasms and depression. But lassitude, another form of MS related fatigue, has no obvious cause.

  1. MS-Related Fatigue

    • Lassitude occurs daily, typically getting worse as the day goes on, and comes on quickly. This fatigue is more severe than that which is a result of other causes.

    Cause

    • Lassitude has no known cause, and there are no tests that definitively diagnose a patient with this type of fatigue.

    Treatment

    • A doctor will first rule out other possible causes for the fatigue, such as depression or sleep apnea. Patients diagnosed with lassitude may need occupational or physical therapy, and sleep regulation and stress management can also improve symptoms. Clinical trials of the medications amantadine HCl and modafinil have shown potential for alleviating fatigue symptoms.

    Amantadine HCl

    • Amantadine hydrochloride typically treats Parkinson's symptoms, but it can also act as an antiviral against influenza. The medication may cause extrapyramidal side effects, such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome. This potentially fatal condition causes rigid muscles, fever and hypertension.

    Modafinil

    • Modafinil treats narcolepsy and sleep disorders caused by working atypical hours. The medication is sold under the brand name Provigil in the U.S. Serious potential side effects of modafinil include hallucinations, depression and swelling.

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