Tiredness - is it just me?

I am fed up of being constantly tired.  I seem to have been tired all my life!  The days where I'm not tired are sadly very few and far between and it is really really getting to me.  I want to go back to work because mood wise I'm relatively stable but what worries me is how I'm going to cope when I'm exhausted half the time.

I do have a good routine as far as diet and sleeping goes.  I do use a sleeping aid to get to sleep but 9 times out of 10 I'm asleep at the same time every night, only wake once and wake up around the same time (usually later than I'd like).

I have had blood tests to rule out anaemia etc.

Is it just me or does anyone else have to contend with this?    I'd be interested to know and if so is there anything you do to help?

[GeorgiaAnnie]

Isn't January always tiring?
  If you always feel tired, and you want to get back to work, I think you miss having a mission.  Suppose it could be a thousand other things, but I find it very hard to stay energetic when I'm on the sidelines.  People are a natural energizer for me when I'm up.  

Fortunate that there are alot of free things to do in my town, so can accomplish and learn, even when not paid to work...

Hope you start to feel better...Ann

[adel_ezz]

indeed i feel tired and exhausted most of the time, and this irritates me especially that i took a new job and want to prove myself. i was told it's ADHD associated with the BP disease.
could be !!

[LexiFaye]

I have been complaining that I'm more tired then usual. I also suffer from Narcolepsy, but I'm in denial right now because I've been off my Provigil for a while. (Too expensive). The thing is that I've felt dead tired, not like with my Narco that I could fall asleep any moment, I feel like I can't move. I also have Fibromyalgia. Now what I'm wondering is with all of these mixed together if I'm just bound to have to fight to live harder. Certainly makes a person frustrated at times, but I'm not dying.

What my whole point is, go in to the doctor, tell them what's going on. I suggest you keep track of your daily life for a couple weeks so that you can bring it in to them.

Being a person afflicted with numerous conditions, I can honestly say that life gets hard sometimes, but don't take it laying down! Tell your doctor everything, demand that they take action, but most of all stay in tune with your body. (Well that's the premed in me talking!) I've been to doctors who I wondered if they could even tie their shoes in the morning. You have that choice, if your doctor isn't helping you with what you need, find a new one.

Good luck with everything, I'm here to chat if you would like!

[bernie40]

Thanks everyone.  It does annoy me because I want to do stuff and then don't have the energy to do it!  I'm not exaggerating when I say its been all my life because it really has.  Of course its harder now with a family to look after so its more difficult to get the time to recharge and not neglect them.

I shall speak to the doc again about it.  I've not had much joy in the past but I'm not one for giving up :-)

I shall take my mood chart with me - thanks Lexifaye.

[aadel]

"i was told it's ADHD associated with the BP disease. could be !! "

Your comment interests me.  It's the first time I've heard about a possible connection between the BP/ADHD combo and fatigue.  That might explain a lot, at least in my case.

aadel

[LexiFaye]

I have to agree. I think that slipped my mind, until I thought about it, and yes it could explain many many things!

[aadel]

There is a very learned article on "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Its Connection with ADHD" at http://www.neuroimmunedr.com/Articles/CFS_-_CFIDS/Chronic_Fatigue/chronic_fatigue.html.

If your ADHD or your fatigue isn't acting up just now, you may even be able to read it from start to finish.  (I didn't.  My attention deficit got in the way and then I fell asleep.)

[freebird227]

Ask your Dr. for b12 shots once a week A year or so ago I was really tired and it wasn't depression ,So my levels were checked and my b-12 was a little low     and it is really hard to raise 12s orally.

[bernie40]

aadel you are funny, lol!  I doubt I would read it to the end as I have the attention span of a gnat most days!

freebird - I shall ask my Doc to have a look at the last blood test (they did a full one about a month ago).  I do take multi-vitamins with all the B ones in but I do have absorption problems because of my celiac.

Thanks

[irishwriter]

terrible isn't it either too tired or too wired or both! hope you get some respite from it soon, maybe your sleeping aids need to be tweaked?

[Lizz67]

I was just about to write journal entry about that.  I have had a lot of time off of work lately and instead of enjoying my "me" time and doing stuff, I've been in bed.  I can't stay out of bed for more than an hour or so.
I'm very frustrated.
And I'm not even feeling emotinally very depressed.  I don't get it, but I'm behaving like I'm in a depression.  I have  reg doc appt later this month, but I don't have insurance and don't want to run up more bills with lab work, etc.
This is depressing.
Last night I felt suicidal over this.  I feel like I don't have a life and I never will.  I go to work and I work out afterwards, but when I get home I'm in bed.
Sorry this is a bummer note with no advise, but at least I can tell you you're not alone.
(I'm waiting for increase in Prosac to kick in).

[bernie40]

Hi irishwriter and Lizz

They won't tweak my sleeping aids.  I'm on zopiclone (supposedly the least addictive) but apparently all this does is help me get to sleep but does not provide me with the quality REM sleep and I think this may be part of the problem (along with other things).  If I don't take sleeping pills then regardless of how tired I am I can't sleep, I sleep in spurts of a couple of hours at a time.

Lizz I know just how you feel.  Although I'm not sleeping all the time I am far too tired to get out and do anything and like you I'm not even depressed!  

Part of me is hoping that going back to work will help solve the problem in that working will give me a focus and help me stay above the fatigue which in turn will help me sleep more deeply at the right time.  The other part of me is worried to death that it will make me even more tired and I shall end up using all my "home" time fast asleep.

[alzandra]

The chicken or the egg?

Depression or depressive actions?

I noticed in your post that "I'm not even feeling emotionally depressed."  yet, a few sentences later, you mentioned "last night I was feeling suicidal over this.

I, too, suffer from chronic fatigue.  It is so constant that one day, when I was walking down the road, I was complaining in my head about how absolutely tired I was.  Then I realized that, no, I actually wasn't tired  that day.  I have a "tape" in my head that loops and not too long after, I felt fatigued and needed a nap.  I had sabotaged my own wakefulness because I couldn't stop the thought process.  I liken it to phantom pain (like after a limb that has been causing a person pain has been amputated, but the patient can still feel the pain for years afterward!)

I believe you hit the nail on the head with being afraid of getting more tired and using up your home time.

I recommend the following (because I have had much success with this!)

-force yourself to go out and do something EVERY day no matter how you feel.  BUT you need to follow your body and GO SLOWLY!  My best friends understand and even warn me when I am walking too fast.  We usually go the pace of their 18 month old when I'm really tired.

-My support system consists of my two best friends who don't accept any excuse if I haven't been out of the house for at least 30 mins every day (well, they are reasonable if I'm sick with flu, recovering from med probs, etc)

-I made a promise to myself that I would do dishes every single day.  I find that the messier my house is, the worse my fatigue is.  I enlist my son's help (as much as I can) to keep my house as clutter free as possible.  Of course, he is 13 so he's got better things to do like clutter the house with his mess.

-Most ppl are affected by all things electronic.  TV, computer, cells, ipods, video games, etc act as depressants on the brain.  I read an article in Scientific American Psychology suggesting that the brain does a more efficient job of going through all the brainwaves and cycles if a person was to stop all use of electronics at least half an hour before sleep.  This results in better, more restful sleep.  I know it worked for me, personally.

-Small changes in my diet worked.  You know the drill: more fruits and veggies, etc.  I did change to whole grain pasta which is huge and I make sure I get protein every day.  

-Avoiding migraine triggers is a biggy.

-CBT Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.  If you change the thoughts you change your behaviours.  So, when I start to think how tired I am, I immediately stop the thought by imagining a huge red stop sign and "yelling" (not aloud, of course) STOP. I will not allow this thought to interfere with what I am doing/have planned/my life.  I will continue to act in a manner that is conducive to producing energy and happiness regardless of how I think.

I also make sure to not push myself too hard.  I refuse to exercise to other ppl's standards (that's way too much for me!)  but I do what my body can do.  When I'm done, I'm done.  I'm able to accomplish more on sunnier days that rainy, for obvious reasons.

(Please don't read that I don't think you are really feeling tired.  Trust me, I know tired.  We have been friends for many years.  We are not best friends anymore, and my baseline has come up since learning CBT.)

Good luck!
And Good Morning!!!

Hugs!

[elwoodsf]

There is a lot of good information here. Great question. I too suffer from sleeping most of the time. This time of year is worse because the sky is grey or it is raining. The amount of daylight is minimal. When I stay home, I sleep more. I was off work for about a year (?) and found that I slept more, well, lets say all day. I had great intentions every morning but I couldn't bring myself to get up and follow through. Now that I am back at work I sleep better through the night since I'm busy all day. I have days where I come home and sleep yet the naps are decreasing more and more.

I too get very frustrated with the lack of energy. I've talked to my doctor yet he told me that they want to keep me more on the "down" side of bipolar since my "up" times are insane. I agree.

I believe part of my issue is that I don't get out enough. After being in the house for so long I've made it into my "safe" place and I don't want to go out into public. The doctor did give me a med for this anxiety and I'm getting better. When I exercise (should be a four letter word) I do feel better. I just don't have the energy to keep up a regular routine yet.

I'm with you and wish you the best. ~ Sherry

[bernie40]

Thanks for all the advice alzandra, there are definitely things there that I shall try.  I can relate to the "think you're tired therefore you are tired" and I know that some day it is exactly that.

Like elwoodsf I've turned my home into my "safe" place and I hate to leave it.  It's not down to anxiety but more down to lack of motivation.

It's good to be able to talk about this "out loud" because I don't want to give in to the tiredness anymore, I want a life back.

[LeftCoastChick]

Hey B!

I have a sleeping disorder, and many of the meds out there simply do not help. I had a sleep lab done and my brain woke up about 40 times a night. This doesn't mean you are fully awake, but your brain activity is higher. I used trazadone for a bit, i didn't like the idea of taking meds at that time - i was really against taking anything, i begrudgingly took an AD.  In 2005, i was just plain exhausted all the time, so i asked to go back on it. I sleep like a baby, sometimes it's such a dead sleep i wake up in the same position i feel asleep in! (not always the best if you have  bad back) I have a complete, restful sleep and when not really depressed i will get up fairly easily and i don't stay in bed too long after waking.

Hope this helps :)
LCC

[Boise Idaho]

Hi,
Have you had a sleep study done?
I went through one this past summer.
It ended up I have sleep apnea along with BP.
I am using a CPAP machine and it does help - - - - just getting use to the machine.
It is suppose to help the effectiveness of my medications.
Sleep is vital to our mental health.
All the best.

[lagatta]

I really agree with alzandra's post.  Honestly, the more you sleep the more tired you'll be.  You have to force yourself by taking little baby steps.  I've been depressed/tired for a good part of my life but was still able to be semi functioning (I worked all my life) partly because I never gave in to it.  I would force myself by taking little baby steps.  Almost like I would take it moment by moment.  In the morning I would tell myself, O.K. all you need to do is sit up.  Then a few minutes later I would think to myself O.K. now all you need to do is take a shower, etc.  After taking it step by step for a bit I found my energy would increase.  It works, it really does!  

I think it's really helpful to have a purpose to get up.  You need to have something to look forward to during the day?  Something you enjoy doing?

On another note, I suffered from depression a lot of my life without even knowing.  I didn't know much about depression and I didn't recognize the symptoms.  Since I've been on Lamictal I'm no longer tired.  On occassion, I have sleepless nights so of course this will affect my mood and energy but if I get a good night sleep I'll spring out of bed.    

Good luck!

[irishwriter]

sorry to be a downer, i did all the right things, exercised for at least 30mins every day i dragged myself out of the house. eat all the right healthy foods. no help in any of it! i still think that because of chemical imbalance it all comes down to the right meds, then the other things might work better. sorry again to be of absolutely no help. xanax works great for me for sleep and leaves me more relaxed next day.

[bernie40]

Hi LCC - the doc won't give me anything stronger than the zopiclone and to be honest I don't very often have a problem with sleeping at night, I just don't feel rested from it.  I sometimes wonder about a sleep study (relating to both yours and Boise posts).  I don't know if its something that is done over here without having to pay hefty fees for it.  I don't have medical insurance as we have a free health service and there is no way I could afford to pay privately for something like that.

Hi lagatta, I don't sleep in the day, haven't done for a good few months now, some days it's harder than others to force myself to stay awake.  I've been this way right since I was little its not a new thing.  Regardless of schooling, work, bringing up kids I have always been constantly fatigued.  Believe me I've looked into everything - exercise, vitamins, diet, fresh-air etc etc etc.  I shall go back to work purely because I want to but how this will impact on the family when I come home to exhausted to move is another matter - one that I will deal with if it happens.  It makes no difference if I'm looking forward to something or not.  I can have planned a terrific day but if I wake up feeling half dead then I wake up half dead, can't change that.  If I try and work through it I end up really ill and probably need 2 days to recover.

Irishwriter - sounds like you were/are  lot like me.  I've not found a med yet, I even jokingly asked my doc if they'd give me some speed!  Of course when I'm hyper it's not a problem and I think that's why I like my hyper moments.  My hyper, energy wise, is probably akin to a lot of people's "normal".

Solution:-  keep trying every day.  go for this job and do my best and try my hardest - can't say fairer than that.  I looked up CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) the other day and this is something I am going to discuss with my doc.

[theguts]

I too suffer from constant tiredness.  Even when I have good things planned.  I don't have any advice for you. Sorry, but I haven't found anything that works for me yet.  I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone!

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes I am napping throughout the day but that's because my medications are activating  and I am up half the night so that is the reverse angle of it. But the Clonidine is proving to be sedating though (and in combination with the Zofran, dropping blood pressure so I have to go slow) and I hope to be able to go to bed at a normal time. I too had a sleep study done (reccomended if someone has concerns, someone I know isn't aware they snore and wake up with nightmares repeatedly, I'm encouraging them to get tested, a friend has sleep apnea and there are always other things to check for that are common) and they found that I was thrashing around all night. However, everything I take to treat that (in me at least) is activating as is the antipsychotic agent I am on but I had that problem with more common medications such as Abilify and Geodon in the past (best to take earlier in the day if a problem).
    But back to the primary topic among mood stabilizers, Lamictal was the least sedating for me. Depakoate the most (I slept basically all day). As per sleep aides Lunesta is good and especially Rozerem as it adjusts the sleep cycle. I never tried Provigil because I was afraid it would make me manic (though I may be wrong) and in the sleep study as they emphasized the concept of sleep hygeine is important. Regular bedtimes, etc. and stop all activating activities an hour before bedtime especially the internet. Sometimes a book that is not of much interest can be helpful. It depends. I put a fan on all night as a white noise machine and use an eye mask in the summer when otherwise I would wake up too early because of the sun rise. You have to make your room into an environment conductive to sleep. I avoid any natural remedies that are supposed to help you sleep such as Valerian (which kept me up all night) although a family member finds herbal tea helpful.

[irishwriter]

well done you for being so determined. (maybe some of it will rub off on me as putting one foot in front of the other is a challenge!) good luck with going back to work and i hope it doesn't exhaust you.

[bernie40]

Hi ILAD, I have found that making environmental changes in my bedroom certainly helped with my staying asleep at night.  I have complete darkness and no electric items on (such as the laptop, alarm clock etc).

Irishwriter, thanks for the well wishes.  I know what you mean about putting one foot in front of the other.  I was the same 2 years ago.  I'm concerned that it has just become a habit for me being at home.  I've chosen to go for a job which is low in stress levels etc.  It's nowhere near the level I was previously working at but experience has taught me I just can't function high level for long periods of time anymore.  It's been hard accepting that I've got to "lower my sights" but I try and concentrate on the positive side of things -