I'm Always Tired.

[Lisa606]

I went to the doctor with a list of symptoms, including the fact that I have been sleeping around 14 hours a day. They disregarded my concerns and claimed it was mental after receiving confirmation that it was not recurrent Epstein Barr or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

I normally sleep around 3-4 hours a night, but about 3 weeks ago began sleeping much more. I wake up exhausted and struggle to get through the day.  I have been over-caffeinating in order to merely do the bare essentials of my day (yesterday I had 5 cups of coffee and 4 cups of tea). I am typically a very overzealous and excited person, but now I constantly feel as though I just finished a marathon. My whole body seems heavy.

I am not sad or depressed, instead frustrated/angry with my inability to accomplish daily activities. As per medications, I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD years ago and take 10 mg of Adderall as necessary. Since the symptoms began, my brain activity is much slower than normal and my short-term memory is dismal.

I am currently gluten and soy free to avoid headaches/ migraines. I have had a headache everyday since my sleep patterns have changed. My eating habits have not changed at all. These headaches frequently affect my eyesight.

These episodes have happened for as long as I can remember, but they come at different times of year and last for a varied amount of time (sometimes only a weekend and others for several months). I can also feel when they are coming and can attempt to prepare for it. Last year, one occurred at the exact same time of year and lasted for the majority of the semester.

I am a premed student who cannot afford to do poorly in school. I don't even have enough energy to go to class, let alone put in the necessary hours to perform in a mediocre fashion. Any inclination as to what is causing this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[khristen]

You may want to ask your doctor about KLS (Kleine-Levin Syndrome). I have had similar problems and finally a neurologist suggested this syndrome. Unfortunately, there is no cure or medication for it; however, for me, having an explanation (other than depression) was a relief.

[choo_choo]

I went to the doctor yesterday and she gave me some different medication that will help my breathing so it's on an even keel all the time.  She explained some of the effects that extended sleep deprivation can have, like cognitive stuff and functioning in general.  It was interesting because it was all stuff that I've been experiencing for a long time.  It's a horrible way to live and I can't believe any doctor would think that a patient that it's "in your head."  When a patient actually gets to the point that they seek out treatment for such a problem they're pretty desperate for help and to get told that they are full of **** is just unreal.  
Sometimes I wonder if doctors are taught in medical school that every medical problem has a current solution.  Like, for every medical problem they encounter, the current body of knowledge or technology is sophisticated enough to provide a solution.  If the solution to the medical problem cannot be found in the current body of knowledge or the technology isn't sophisticated enough, then it must be in the patient's head.  They cannot accept that, "at this point in time, we just do not know enough about human biology or the current technology is sophisticated enough to find the solution to your medical problem ."  
About 20 years ago, I saw a pediatric immunologist, for whom I have great respect, because he was honest enough to tell me, "I do not know what is wrong with you.  I know there is something wrong, but at this point in time we do not have sophisticated enough technology to look closely enough at your immune system to help us identify what is wrong.  Maybe if it were 10 years later we would be able to find out what is wrong with you."  After about 3 years my body got over whatever its problem was.   Granted I was bummed because I could only get symptomatic treatment, but I was so appreciative because he was so honest with me.  I had seen many doctors for my issue and one of them actually sent me to a psychiatrist!  One smart doctor finally sent me to the pediatric immunologist.

[anne816]

"Any doctor who tells you that it's "in your head" is full of **** and is only telling you that because they are too cowardly to tell you that they don't know the answer. "

well aint that the honest truth. ^^  I know what helped you won't help me as I have no allergies at all......... thank god it helped in your case.  maybe it will help someone else here...  it is a torture. there is a reason that sleep deprivation is used as a torture techniqe.  

They have taken healthy college age men in sleep studies and deprived them of sleep for just 48 hours.. and their functioning drops to that of someone who is legally drunk... can you imagine what we deal with who have been deprived of sleep for years and years and years and years and years. and they want to tell us we are making it up. //

[choo_choo]

Lisa and Anne, I feel for you.  Sleeping too much can really wreak havoc on your life.  It affects work, home life, everything.  And all you can think about all day is "When can I go to sleep again."

I had problems with excessive sleeping for many years.  I would sleep for 10-12 hours a night, wake up to eat and go back to sleep.  I'd wake up several times during the night sweaty and go back to sleep.  I'd wake up so tired and sweaty in the morning I'd have a hard time functioning for the entire day.  I tried soooo many things and went to a bunch of different doctors.  I went to a sleep clinic and had a sleep study done and they told me I had idiopathic hypersomnia.  I just dealt with it.  When it first really started becoming a problem, I'd get fired from my jobs for poor job performance.  Eventually it got to the point that I couldn't even work a full-time job.  
I have a lot of allergies and tried tons of allergy meds, but was still miserable, so I decided to go to an allergy specialist.  She sent me home with allergy meds and an albuterol inhaler.  One night I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to try my inhaler...my sleep has never been the same.  I don't sleep excessively anymore, I don't wake up tired.  I tell you, it's truly amazing.  As long as I use my inhaler, my sleep problems are gone...if I don't use it, my sleep problems return.

I wish I knew what was causing y'alls sleep problems, but I don't.  I really want y'all to keep hope and keep looking.  I know there is a cause...it isn't "in your head".  Any doctor who tells you that it's "in your head" is full of **** and is only telling you that because they are too cowardly to tell you that they don't know the answer.

Good Luck.  

[anne816]

All I can tell you is I feel your pain, I have had hypersomnia for more than twenty years, and *still* have a hard time getting people to believe me.

My entire life basically fell apart about eight years ago, I was sleeping about 20 hours a day by then -- and when I *was* awake, I was throwing up constantly.   This all started with a head injury when I was twenty years old and I knew it, but EVERYONE including all my doctors and most of my friends kept insisting I was making it up.

FINALLY I started keeping a sleep diary which consisted of 'sleep twenty hours, throw up'  -- 'sleep twenty hours, throw up' for about two weeks, finally i was taken seriously and given temazepam.. the day after being given temazepam, I have never taken another nap in the day since then. My insurance would not cover a sleep study, but the dramatic effectiveness of that medicine was enough to be diagnosed w/ a sleep disorder in my case.

I have also read that the average time for someone to get diagnosed with these things is fifteen years.. not being believed is apparently extremely common.

If you say they have 'always' happened - it could be traced to some early injury, maybe not even noticed at the time, this is apparently an extremely common cause of sleep disorders.

Also - what I learned about mine after having it for over twenty years (but researching it a lot) is that they dont often get better, they just get worse over time.  Especially as long as it is not treated.

Mine is just again getting worse.. I am feeling that same way, im sleeping 13- 14 hrs a day,  sleeping more and more, and waking up exhausted right away.  All day craving sleep and unable to function. So, I am really hoping right now that I can get someone to believe me and do something, increase the meds or something, because its really torment. That is what I am doing right now, trying to research what  I can do to be more convincing when I go to my dr.

Im ***dreading*** to hear "its just in your head".  My old dr has retired since then, and I'm petrified my new dr will resist this idea.

I hope you can get some help and someone to take you seriously... A sleep diary did really help me show how bad the symptoms really were getting. :}}  good luck.

[Knives]

I really don't know if this will help at all, but i saw an episode of House where a woman slept a lot like you and had similar symptoms, she had a parasite in her body. Like i said, idk if that will help, i am no doctor and my medical knowledge goes as far as Scrubs and House which basically makes it zero. Anyways i hope you figure it out, i went through a similar period but i was really depressed, and since you said you aren't then thats obviously not the problem.