Major Fatigue Problem! Help!

[Israfil]

I have a fatigue problem. I am almost always tired – to the point where I can literally sleep anywhere.

 

I can doze off anywhere - on planes, buses, driving my own car (which I have done several times in recent memory), at work while I am mid-task. It’s really gotten to the point where it is affecting my life. Not only do I have this tendency towards sleep, but I am also always tired. I never feel refreshed when I wake up. I love my job, but I find it really hard to focus and concentrate, from sheer fatigue. I used to want to do things – now I can’t bring myself to do anything productive.

 

Before you tell me to go and see a doctor, I have. They tell me to exercise and sleep more.

 

I have, and I do. I sleep well, usually.

 

In the recent past, I was exercising intensely for 6 hours a week or more, and I was still exhausted. Everyone says you will have more energy if you exercise. Not me. Still tired.

 

Also, I am on some medication, but none of them, according to their information and the doctor’s affirmations, have any sedating side - effects.

 

Has anyone else experienced this kind of debilitating fatigue? Anyone with advice?

 

I would really appreciate it!

[elijahBailey]

In the recent past, I was exercising intensely for 6 hours a week or more, and I was still exhausted.

 

On exercising....

 

you do NOT start exercising intensely if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. You got to ramp up your exercise routine. It's just bad bad bad for the heart. You should start exercising mildly, like brisk walking. Keep your heart rate low, like 60% of your max (which is roughly 220-age).

 

Do that like 3 or 4 times a week. Just walking. You wanna be able to build up your Aerobic base, which will improve your endurance (so you won't be fatigued so easily). Do NOT run. Once you run, you'll breach the Anaerobic threshold. Your Aerobic fitness will not improve, contrary to what you may think.

 

People who lead sedentary lives tend to have poor Aerobic fitness. Intense exercises are for people with solid aerobic foundation. And, contrary to what people think, brisk walking is one of the best form of exercise to improve aerobic fitness, and suits the beginner exerciser perfectly.

 

The most likely reason why you still feel fatigued after exercising intensely is....

1. Your body has poor aerobic base

2. Because of the poor aerobic base, the time required to recover from each exercise is much longer than people who have good aerobic base.

3. When you exercise intensely with poor aerobic base, your recovery time is much longer than you thought. You said that you did 6hours a week. That is WAY too frequent. You did NOT have sufficient time to recover before you ran again.

4. In other words..... you're killing yourself. Stop what you're doing and start slow.

 

Also, if you can afford it, consider getting a basic heartrate monitor. Good luck.

[Israfil]

Thanks EB for the advice.

 

I agree with everything that you are saying, but I don’t think that applies to me. I was working out for quite a while, and did work up to it. Circumstance was the only thing that has forced me to stop recently, but I will begin again soon.

 

The fatigue, though, has persisted from before I started working out a lot (more than a year ago) to now.

[Art_Critic]

You might want to look into Sleep Apnea.

It sounds like you could have a sleep disorder.

 

Many people that have disorders like this do not know they have them and think that they sleep great.. Check into it

[whichwayisup]

I'm with A_C on that one...Going to a sleep clinic so they can assess you will help find out if you have it or not.

 

See your doctor and get a full physical too. You may be missing certain Vitamin's/Minerals in your diet that is contributing to how you're feeling. A blood test will show what it is either way.

[Craig]

It might be your medication. Sometimes full side effects are not listed in the information that came with your medication. You might want to have a look at the studies for the meds you are on to see if "somnolence" is listed as having occured in some test subjects. Some people have the effect you have noted with certain SSRI's.

 

It could be a sleep disorder. In addition to the sleep clinic idea your doc should be able to prescribe a low dose TCA (trycyclic antidepressant) to help you sleep better. If your energy improves after a short round of this then you'll know you have a good chance of having a sleep disorder. A TCA dose this low won't have any side effects other than helping you sleep better.

 

It could be a symptom of PTSD. If you've experienced any kind of trauma in your entire life that has kind of stuck with you (you'll know what I mean if this applies to you) then you might be having some symptoms of PTSD. The trauma doesn't have to be life threatening or anything dramatic to other people only that it impacted you personally.

 

If you sleep with a partner ask them if they have noticed you being active at night--talking in your sleep, nightmares, body movements that are not normal for a sleeping person, eg having your legs move like you are walking or running, etc.

 

How is your diet? Getting enough variety and eating good foods or are you living on sugar and caffeine?

 

Any history of anemia in your family?

 

Do you wake up with a headache or feel very groggy in the morning?

[basscatcher]

I have sleep problems but I don't fall asleep anywhere.

 

I have fibromyaliga, low blood pressure, SAD, arthritis, have a prior history of anemia and am magnesium and zinc defincient.

 

All these things are contributing factors to a lack of sleep. ALSO stress is a biggie....

 

You may want to look into these factors as well as to why you seem to suffer from narcalepsy (spelling???)

[lilmoma1973]

You need a set sleep pattern and keep to it .. my dr told me this and said if i was going to sleep at different times it would throw me off... Good luck hope this works

[ButtonPusher]

I don't know what your doctor has looked for with your problem, and maybe this had already been done, but like someone said, you may have some vitamin/mineral deficiencies. In particular you might have a low B12 level, which would affect your energy levels, and explain why you fall asleep at anytime.

[sophia34]

I'm with those posters who suggested you check for a sleep disorder first and foremost. Sleep apnea would interrupt your sleep to such an extent that you would feel exhausted during the day, while narcolepsy would cause you to fall asleep in mid-task. But you won't be able to count either one in or out unless you see someone who specializes in sleep disorders.

 

I hope you can find the cause--good luck!

[Neptune]

There could be a long list of possibilities. I went through a time when that was happening to me. I did not go to the doctor. But, I changed my diet. Gave up caffiene, ate only fruit in the morning. Started taking vitamins. Started eating less carbs. Recognized I was exercisng too vigorously. I suspected I had a condition know as candidiasis. Or however it is spelled. But, it went away and I have never looked back. I was eating some bad food combinations too.

[scobro]

I am not sure if you are male or female.If you are male then you need to get your testosterone levels checked,if they are real low you will always be feeling lathergic etc.....I would also recommend taking a ZMA supplement at night before bed(even if you are female)it is zinc,magnesium and b6 and it helps with a more deep sleep.You could also take any growth hormone supplements or even 10grams of glutamine before bed.Tribulus terrestris or any male libido enhancer supplement will help with not feeling so tired etc.

[Israfil]

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful responses. I haven’t been able to get online in the last few days, and my connection now is very unstable. So I just want to say thanks to you all. Will write more when I am able.

 

Isra

[Sami_D]

Did your doctor check for thyroid function? Could be underactive thyroid. Though I would assume that was one of the first tests your doctor did.

[brashgal]

How long do you sleep each night? Do you manage to be asleep before midnight? Someone else mentioned going to sleep at the same time every night - all part of resetting your body clock.

 

I read that many adults in the US are sleep-deprived, that most of us really should be getting at least 8 hours a night even though we feel we do fine on less. Over the long haul, it affects your health.

 

Hope you get some sleep this weekend!!

[MakeMeBeautiful]

it can also be too much sleep. i used to be very dependent on my afternoon naps. i get home from work at about 3:00-4:00 and take a nap for several hours. i sometimes wake up at like 9:00 PM and tell myself that it is already bed time so i might as well continue sleeping. i eventually broke the cycle.

 

another thing is diet. if you eat crappy food, your body feels crappy. at one point i was addicted to the mcdonald's chicken sandwich. i am overly obsessive about everything. i ate it twice a day. i felt lethargic that week. your body needs good food. it's fine to have the fries every once in a while. i had a bowl of steel cut oats with golden raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar for breakfast this morning. if i am too busy to cook (i live alone) i have a stash of amy's organic entrees in the freezer. i go through a gallon of soy milk a week. i'm not lactose intolerant. our bodies were just not programed to digest cow's milk.

 

another thing is caffeine. i love coffee but i will only drink it before 11:00 AM. I usually have it about 7:00 AM. I see people at work go through several cans of diet coke a day. when i have caffeine after a certain time, i toss and turn in bed and as a result i am tired the next day. every once in a while i will crave chicken liver. i know my body is craving iron.

 

exercise is also very helpful. i took a friend to my yoga class and she said that she had the best nights sleep after starting the yoga. it relieves stress, teaches you how to breathe properly, and lengthens your muscles.