Aa
Help needed please - severe fatigue
Hi medical forums,
I'm wasn't sure what forum to post this question in so I posted it in this one because I am a teen and that's about all I know that may be linked to my problem.
So about a year ago I started feeling very fatigued and not as social as usual. I would wake up feeling like a had one of those heavy weighted coats that the dentist puts on you prior to x-rays on me. Just talking with human beings took a conscious effort. I just didn't have that normal drive to connect with other human beings. This symptom grew and I started fading away from my normal, perfectionist personality and transitioned into a care-free, anger-free, non-motivated person as I didn't really have the energy to do many of these everyday things.
My mother, who is a behavioral therapist finally suggested that I might have a mild or major form of depression. We both researched the symptoms of depression and they matched up almost exactly with what I had. The only thing that I did not match with was the idea that depression was caused by something that happened in my life. Certainly nothing had caused me to feel sad at all, which left me puzzled. I was put on zoloft, and talk therapy for about 4-5 months and I tried to convince myself that I felt better when I didn't. I was still feeling physical fatigue, but no sadness.
I finally got off zoloft after a period of gradually taking myself off of it but I still felt fatigued. A few weeks ago my mother got on the web and researched my exact symptoms (which now included frequent nose bleeds) and discovered anemia. Now at first it all made sense but I quickly realized that anemia is dominated by women which ALSO left me puzzled.
Currently my mother as me on a B12, folic acid, and iron supplement pill which i guess has kinda been helping but I am seeing the same pattern: wake up dead tired, feel laziness and fatigue throughout the day, but then gradually gain energy into the evening.
Any ideas of what the problem may be?
I'm wasn't sure what forum to post this question in so I posted it in this one because I am a teen and that's about all I know that may be linked to my problem.
So about a year ago I started feeling very fatigued and not as social as usual. I would wake up feeling like a had one of those heavy weighted coats that the dentist puts on you prior to x-rays on me. Just talking with human beings took a conscious effort. I just didn't have that normal drive to connect with other human beings. This symptom grew and I started fading away from my normal, perfectionist personality and transitioned into a care-free, anger-free, non-motivated person as I didn't really have the energy to do many of these everyday things.
My mother, who is a behavioral therapist finally suggested that I might have a mild or major form of depression. We both researched the symptoms of depression and they matched up almost exactly with what I had. The only thing that I did not match with was the idea that depression was caused by something that happened in my life. Certainly nothing had caused me to feel sad at all, which left me puzzled. I was put on zoloft, and talk therapy for about 4-5 months and I tried to convince myself that I felt better when I didn't. I was still feeling physical fatigue, but no sadness.
I finally got off zoloft after a period of gradually taking myself off of it but I still felt fatigued. A few weeks ago my mother got on the web and researched my exact symptoms (which now included frequent nose bleeds) and discovered anemia. Now at first it all made sense but I quickly realized that anemia is dominated by women which ALSO left me puzzled.
Currently my mother as me on a B12, folic acid, and iron supplement pill which i guess has kinda been helping but I am seeing the same pattern: wake up dead tired, feel laziness and fatigue throughout the day, but then gradually gain energy into the evening.
Any ideas of what the problem may be?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I would agree with the gist of what the previous poster wrote -- it is not clear what is going on, and you would benefit from a visit to your primary care physician rather than "self-diagnosing." It could be a medical condition, it could also be a manifrestation of an emotional issue.
Just to be clear, it is me, wishforchange, who is logging out, not Dr. Greenburg. My excuse for all these typos is I can't see straight! Sorry for any confusion.
This is a bit of a swan song for me as I'm taking a break from this site, but was looking through posts here and there and have picked up lots on this forum before. I'm sure Dr. Greenburg will give you a great response.
I am just questioning this seemingly relentless attempt to self-diagnose the cause of your fatigue. Not really a wise idea. Yes it could be depression, yes it could be anaemia, but you really don't have all the facts or the objectivity to make that judgement. With respect, neither does your mother. Even doctors are reluctant to diagnose themselves or families, they are too emotionally involved.
I do recommend you stop this guessing game, and get yourself properly assessed. You could for example have a medical problem entirely unrelated to depression which leaves you feeling depressed and fatigued as a symptom. Anaemia you have already picked up on, but there are countless other possible causes eg. kidney problems, adrenal, thyroid, blood disorders, neurological, etc. etc. Go to your doctor, and try and find one who doesn't always opt for the 'all patients are psychological cases' approach and have a full medical check up. Most of this will likely be in the form of blood tests.
Depression, if that is ultimately the answer, does not have to be reactive. Our brains are sensitive to biochemical changes and if these are disrupted for any reason unusual symptoms can occur. Mental illness can strike the most emotionally stable person if these chemicals get out of whack. This is where anti-depressants ocassionally help.
Find a GOOD doctor, many will diagnose depression without bothering to assess the whole body system because they cannot be bothered. The worst case scenario is that this change in your energy is the first symptom of a potentially serious condition, and whilst you are self-diagnosing it the chance to treat it could be missed.
You have a great resource in your mother, who can help you learn strategies to make the most of your mind, but get the diagnosis right first. I personally am not diagnosing you but as your energy improves through the day I would be interested to know how how your adrenal gland is functioning, can be tested by looking at serum cortisol levels. Nothing more than a wild guess. The interenet can make us all into physicians of a type, but nothing can replace hands on blood and other testing with reliable results and interpretations. Only your physician has access to these resources. Visit them please.
Dr. Greenburg will be logging out indefinitely ater tonight and the forum's all yours! I know I have answered many posts alongside you as I felt I had another point of view to offer, and hope you have been okay with this. I have enjoyed flexing my old skills here and may have got it right or wrong, but you are the expert, so it's all over to you now.
I am just questioning this seemingly relentless attempt to self-diagnose the cause of your fatigue. Not really a wise idea. Yes it could be depression, yes it could be anaemia, but you really don't have all the facts or the objectivity to make that judgement. With respect, neither does your mother. Even doctors are reluctant to diagnose themselves or families, they are too emotionally involved.
I do recommend you stop this guessing game, and get yourself properly assessed. You could for example have a medical problem entirely unrelated to depression which leaves you feeling depressed and fatigued as a symptom. Anaemia you have already picked up on, but there are countless other possible causes eg. kidney problems, adrenal, thyroid, blood disorders, neurological, etc. etc. Go to your doctor, and try and find one who doesn't always opt for the 'all patients are psychological cases' approach and have a full medical check up. Most of this will likely be in the form of blood tests.
Depression, if that is ultimately the answer, does not have to be reactive. Our brains are sensitive to biochemical changes and if these are disrupted for any reason unusual symptoms can occur. Mental illness can strike the most emotionally stable person if these chemicals get out of whack. This is where anti-depressants ocassionally help.
Find a GOOD doctor, many will diagnose depression without bothering to assess the whole body system because they cannot be bothered. The worst case scenario is that this change in your energy is the first symptom of a potentially serious condition, and whilst you are self-diagnosing it the chance to treat it could be missed.
You have a great resource in your mother, who can help you learn strategies to make the most of your mind, but get the diagnosis right first. I personally am not diagnosing you but as your energy improves through the day I would be interested to know how how your adrenal gland is functioning, can be tested by looking at serum cortisol levels. Nothing more than a wild guess. The interenet can make us all into physicians of a type, but nothing can replace hands on blood and other testing with reliable results and interpretations. Only your physician has access to these resources. Visit them please.
Dr. Greenburg will be logging out indefinitely ater tonight and the forum's all yours! I know I have answered many posts alongside you as I felt I had another point of view to offer, and hope you have been okay with this. I have enjoyed flexing my old skills here and may have got it right or wrong, but you are the expert, so it's all over to you now.
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