Tiredness......yawn yawn..Zzzzzzzzz

Petal_3 · 31 August 2005 at 11:30AM

Hi there

I've been perpetually tired all my life. When it's been really bad (ie. dozing off at the wheel at 4.30pm etc etc) I've been to the Docs and said that there just HAS to be something wrong with me. Had all the usual blood tests on more than one occasion and been told everything's fine. I've even been in the queue at the supermarket with a trolley load and been so tired that I've thought that if I had to queue any longer I'd have to leave the trolley and go home to bed.....just toooo tired to cope. My concentration levels right now are non existant.....even the simplest tasks seem difficult. I go through periods where I can't sleep at night...waking at 2am EVERY night and being awake for hours...then when I sort that out (it can go on for months) I sleep like a log and then find it difficult to wake (even waking up in the night for the loo I stumble across the landing bumping into walls n stuff). I've resorted to a few strong coffees and some Pro plus in the mornings at work just to get me started :eek:

I've just started shopping organically and trying to eat healthily etc. I was wondering about vitamins/alternative therapies.....ANYTHING!! It really is having a negative effect on my life....and I have a 3 yr old son...and sometimes I'm a grumpy Mummy cos I'm tired and I don't want to be! Ideally, I'd go to bed at 7pm when he does!

Any experiences to share? Advice?

Many thanks,
x

rockpeblar · 31 August 2005 at 11:58AM

Myself and my wife regularly take Barley grass capsules and spirulina tablets and we find they give us an energy boost. Should be available to buy in your local health food shop.

cozzie · 31 August 2005 at 12:34PM

I've had the same problems for all of my life too, as a child it was really bad to the extent that once every 4 weeks or so my parents wouldn't be able to wake me to go to school and I would just sleep right through until the next day. I had endless blood tests with none showing up anything unusual.

It wasn't until I was towards the end of my pregnancy, (2 yrs ago), that I started feeling more energetic, (in a true ironic fashion I was very ill with other things though), but, have been fairly OK since.

My Doctor concludes that it is due to my weight gain as I was terribly underweight before I got pregnant, put on 1 stone during and another 1/2 stone since and am now the correct weight for my height. Are you underweight maybe?

Sorry it's not much help, am sure someone will be along soon with some other suggestions. Hope you find something to help.

Petal_3 · 31 August 2005 at 1:01PM

Thanks Rockpeblar & Cozzie

Nope....I'm def. not underweight. I could do with losing a stone or so.....I'm normal...ish weight for my height.

I get so frustrated cos this just CAN'T be normal! I work f/t but not in a particulary stressful or tiring job. At the mo. I would say I'm getting around 7/8 hrs completely zonked sleep a night ....but....I'm STILL tired! I actually feel quite ill at times...muscle/joints aching, head aches blah blah. My OH suggested that I have Well Woman check up or something. Have been quite tearful lately....but then extreme tiredness does that to me.

I dunno!

elona · 31 August 2005 at 1:40PM

Have you had your thyroid tested in the last six months?

It could be underactive which causes tiredness and lack of concentration etc.

Petal_3 · 31 August 2005 at 1:46PM

Hi Elona

Not in the last 6 months....but then nothing has changed really....I have the whole set of tests incl thyroid every couple of years (it seems). I was just looking at the symptoms for Lupus :eek: I don't want to try to fit my symptoms to anything but it's a bit scary! I'm just totally fed up with feeling like this....I can't remember the last time I actually felt well/energised.

I'm wondering whether to try acupuncture.

x

Petal_3 · 31 August 2005 at 1:50PM

D'you know? I see people who are upbeat and seemingly full of energy and I really, really envy them! I think I would rather be given heaps of energy than heaps of money!

Becles · 31 August 2005 at 2:28PM

Have you tried talking to staff in Holland and Barrat or a similar type of shop? If you tell them what is wrong, they might be able to offer some supplements to pick you up.

Daft as it sounds, exercise can really help. It's going to be very hard to get started in your current state, but do try and stick with something. Start with something managable, like a 30 minute swim once a week and build up from there. Once you get into it, you'll get the appetite for more exercise which will have a good effect on your overall health.

aliasojo · 31 August 2005 at 3:02PM

Too much carbohydrate makes me feel just like you describe. I find that if I have had too many carbs over a period, I feel as though I'm about to get flu. Achy/teary/really tired etc.)

Never met anyone who is affected similarly and Doc looks at me like I'm daft when I tell him my theory.

Unfortunately my diet does seem to have a lot of carbs as a rule (when I say a lot, I don't mean compared with whatever the normal recommended amount is...I mean compared with the amount I eat on the days I feel fine) which means I feel tired a lot as my diet isn't great these days.

I followed the Atkins plan for a while and whilst it's definately not for everyone, the reduced carb way of eating made a huge difference to the way I felt. I felt lousy for the first 2 weeks but I think that was my body adjusting, after that I felt great and had loads of energy.

Unfortunately high carb food started creeping in again and I'm back to feeling sluggish and tired again.

If all serious medical causes have been ruled out for you, it might be worth considering the foods in your diet. Perhaps some basic food that you eat regularly is causing an adverse reaction in your body?

I'm a firm believer in the way of thinking that says the foods we eat play a huge part in how well or otherwise or body works.

You can get tested for food allergies but it's costly if I remember rightly. I suppose it all depends on how desperate (or otherwise) you are to get to the bottom of it?

Might be worth considering if everything else draws a blank. It's all trial and error.

Petal_3 · 31 August 2005 at 3:17PM

Hi Becles and Aliasojo

Becles - until a couple of weeks ago I was going to the gym 3 times a week. However, as 2 of the classes during the week start at 06:45am I found that I was literally dragging myself out of bed to do them and ending up in a worse state in the evening. I decided to concentrate on sleeping (!!) for the moment....I just don't have the energy to get up for the class/pack my gymbag and take all my work clothes/do the class etc etc. Pants eh? In true money saving stylie I've cut my membership from £46.50 pm to £20 pm but I can't go into the gym after 9am (it opens at 6am). Suits me....apart from being too tired

Aliasojo - to money save my OH and I have been making sarnies for our lunches. I've eaten far more bread than I normally would do recently and I do find sometimes that I'm bloated etc and I quite often suffer IBS type symptoms. Anyhow....I agree with what you say about diet affecting how you feel etc....but....this has been going on for years on and off.

Toothsmith · 31 August 2005 at 4:19PM

Hi Petal.

Do you snore?

Tiredness......yawn yawn..Zzzzzzzzz

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