Fatigue rating grades

Hi,

These are my letter grades for qualitatively judging how I feel each day. They may be modified with "+" or "-" to indicate a little better than or a little worse than described, respectively.

Perhaps people would like to standardize these grades for use on the forum, to talk about how people are progressing with at least a semi-quantitative rating scale. I hope you enjoy:


A: Bouncing out of bed and then off to play--I don't know what this is, I haven't felt like that since I was a child probably. My daughter is usually like this.

B: Good--This would be fully refreshed, ready to tackle any mental or physical challenge as soon as I wake up, and able to work all day and into the evening, with perhaps just brief rests and meals. This is the normal state for most adults.

C: Mediocre--Some annoying drowsiness and fatigue is usually present, but not significantly impairing. Can do most of what B can do, but with some struggle. I haven't even felt this good in several years, and 5 or more years ago C days were down to only a few times a week. C grade life is becoming moderately depressing, but with effort the battle is winnable so this is not yet serious impairment of being able to function. The point though is that one should not have to battle, so this is the first unhealthy grade. If you are always in grade C, there is something wrong.

D: Miserable/Unsatisfactory--Fatigue and drowsiness are a significant battle almost all day. This is a very emotionally draining state, where maintaining a positive mood is also a constant and often loosing battle. This is where partial impairment begins. In D life, one is not able to complete all of their tasks or completes them much slower than normal. Failure to achieve some goals is occurring. With intense and constant struggle however, full-time work is still possible--though it is starting to become questionable and occasionally one might miss a few hours or a day. One begins to fear that they will soon not be able to take it any more and will wind up disabled. Mental tasks are more impaired than physical. Exercise still provides a brief lift, if you can get "over the hump." One begins to exhibit coping mechanisms in D grade, ie., seeking stimulating activity to stay alert such as surfing the web when you need to be doing something more important but which you know will make you sleepy or will be too mentally stressful. Time lost to coping methods severely reduces efficiency at work and personal life tasks.

F: Disabled--In the F condition, severe impairment limits life to the extent that holding a job is nearly impossible. Even managing personal life chores is becoming very difficult with the horrible effect that even seeking the necessary medical care is extremely hard. Driving is almost impossible and very unsafe, unless a stimulant is taken. Even a stimulant might not work, or work for a very short time! Exercise seems impossible--you fear you might drop dead if you try. This state is so depressing for some that one might begin to think that they would prefer existence to be over--especially if this state goes on for a long time. Thus, this state is a significant risk for severe depression and even suicide, particularly if one does not know what is the cause of their suffering.

Cool scale. Prior to CPAP therapy, I was a C. After therapy, I am a C+ to B-. Sometimes I am a B. Prior to CPAP therapy AND hypothyroidism treatment, I was a solid D. Hopefully, I can get to an A- or B+ in the days ahead. I would be VERY satisfied with those grades.

Too bad, that like the Doctors pain scale it's totally subjective. Where are the middle school free lunches, that's what I miss. We need less rating and better results, that comes from eating better, exercise, and proactive XPAP treatment. Jim

Only "problem" I have a lifetime night owl (circadian rhythm somewhat out of sync) is that the gap between "B" and "C" seems over large to me:

AHI15 wrote: B: Good--This would be fully refreshed, ready to tackle any mental or physical challenge as soon as I wake up, and able to work all day and into the evening, with perhaps just brief rests and meals. This is the normal state for most adults.

C: Mediocre--Some annoying drowsiness and fatigue is usually present, but not significantly impairing. Can do most of what B can do, but with some struggle. I haven't even felt this good in several years, and 5 or more years ago C days were down to only a few times a week. C grade life is becoming moderately depressing, but with effort the battle is winnable so this is not yet serious impairment of being able to function. The point though is that one should not have to battle, so this is the first unhealthy grade. If you are always in grade C, there is something wrong.

"Ready to tackle any mental or physical challenge as soon as I wake up" is my issue with "B"---Except on the rarest of rare days, that does NOT describe me--unless I have the privilege to live on the sleep scale my body wants to live on---bedtime around 3:00 AM and wake up time around 9:30 or 10:00. But since I have to get up well before 9:30 most days, I need that first cup of (decaffeinated) coffee, a bowl of cereal, and 30-60 minutes to get to where my mind is fully alert. But after that long, leisurely "breakfast" period, I feel fine and function well for the rest of the day and well into the evening (as in until after midnight or 1:00 AM) ....

Perhaps the B should be restated as:

B: Good--This would be fully refreshed, ready to tackle any mental or physical challenge as soon as I wake up or after a nominal waking up period, and able to work all day and into the evening, with perhaps just brief rests and meals. This is the normal state for most adults.

AHI15 wrote:B: Good--This would be fully refreshed, ready to tackle any mental or physical challenge as soon as I wake up or after a nominal waking up period, and able to work all day and into the evening, with perhaps just brief rests and meals. This is the normal state for most adults.

That would probably fit a lot of us much better.
I have never ever been a morning person...even pre cpap needs. I have always needed my time in the morning to wake up, have my coffee and get ready to face the day. I have never ever had the A rated morning..I am just not a morning person.
I also know that I didn't have OSA all my life. I had no typical symptoms show up until about 2 years before my official diagnosis.

I'm somewhere between a C and D, with some days better than others.

Does this mean I'm not on the correct therapy? Data shows all is okay.

How much does pain play into these grades?

How much does age play into these grades? My thinking is that these "grades" suggest different things as we age and change.


Edit: And, occasionally a B creeps in... like today.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Not sure if there is an answer... trying to explore. Ideas?

Wow, Awesome scale! I'm going to use it.

I'm a "D"

"A" ? What is that, I may have been that at age 5 for about a year.

For me.

Pre xPAP I was a "D" most of the time with a "C" day very rarely.

4 months later I am a solid "B".

Even after a bad night when I toss and turn I have recovered enough to feel good the next day.

Unfortunately I'll have to claim the title for having nearly steady D- and F for over half a year now.