Chronic Fatigue after every meal

For years I've suffered from superventriculartracardia. Every time I eat I almost pass out. I always have to sleep for one or two hours. I've talked to doctors and they always tell me its just my imagination. I get really tired of doctors who don't care and don't want to do any research and are looking for the easy way to get you out of their office as fast as possible. I'm tired of being tired always after every single meal I eat and I have a WELL balanced meal and I am NOT over weight. Does anybody have any suggestions??? ***@****

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
What you suffer from is probably narcolepsy, which is a neurological disorder. This is thought to be caused by low protein called hypocretin, which is made in the brain. The symptoms are an urge to sleep especially after meals. If the symptoms are not very prominent then you may just feel fatigue and a need to lie down. Sleep studies and EEG are done to rule out other causes of poor sleep and insomnia. Eating light and frequent meals during the day helps. Also assigning a nap time during the day often helps. You can take a light meal before this. At times some ante depressants are prescribed to control the symptoms.  Do consult your doctor and get a referral for a sleep specialist and a neurologist.  Other possibilities are pancreatic insulinomas causing a surge of insulin production after meals, hypoglycemia and an urge to sleep. In women it can also be due to PCOD. Please discuss with your family doctor. Take care!

[Dangwolf]

Thank-you. You are the first doctor that has taken this complaint serious. I will talk to my Primary Physician.