Tired..

[Rainbowgirl]

Anyone experience extreme fatigue?

I get 8 hours of sleep every night (I have a sleep tracker on my Android that I set every night before I fall asleep and turn off as soon as I wake up), I don't have anemia, my thyroid is fine, and I don't have apnea.

I'm ok until about 5 p.m. (2 hours into my shift) and then boom, I feel like I could sleep for 4 hours. I get home and the feeling doesn't go away but I push myself to stay up until my normal bed time of around 2-3 a.m. (I work until Midnight).

I haven't been eating much red meat but then I don't normally eat a lot of red meat either (maybe once a week, if that). My diet hasn't changed significantly, I'm broke and moving back to my parents in a few months so I've put weightloss on the back burner for now.

My nurse practitioner (like a family doctor) told me "drink more water" in response to me being sleepy; which is her response to just about everything.

Blugh. I just want to SLEEP!

[astrophe]

Have you tried melatonin? Maybe you are low.

Getting some sun? Working nights can mess with your circadian pattern.

A.

[Alwaysbeenbig]

I have struggled with fatigue since I entered my teenage years. The only time when I do not feel tired is when I am on holidays and my body is able to actually abide by its natural sleeping pattern. I naturally want to sleep between the hours of 2am and 11am. Unfortunately it is something that I have simply had to deal with, that I am pretty much always exhausted.

[mandalinn82]

Is this a long-running problem or did it come on pretty suddenly?

[Rainbowgirl]

Within the last month. Usually I know that I'm fatigued because I'm getting less sleep, but this time, I'm tracking my sleep so I know I'm getting 7-8 hours worth of it.

The only thing I can think of that is significantly different is that I haven't been consuming as many meat products as I have before (not even just red meat; but fish, eggs, chicken, etc). I'm wondering now if it's a B12 deficiency as I also have bowel troubles too that have come on suddenly and that, with fatigue, is a symptom of a B12 deficiency. Although, I don't have any of the other symptoms (hallucinations, nausea, etc).

[mandalinn82]

So I have to ask - any chance you're pregnant? Because that was the FIRST thing I felt...just exhausted.

[Rainbowgirl]

Not unless I'm an elephant; last time I did the nasty was in June lol

[mandalinn82]

Have you had your thyroid checked? Is your weight loss still at the same rate or has it slowed?

This is such a general symptom - might be worth a checkup.

[Rainbowgirl]

Thyroid's been checked before (as recently as October) and there was nothing abnormal. Weight loss is in reverse; I'm gaining weight but I'm also not TRYING to lose any at the moment given what's going on in my life.

If this keeps up for the rest of January, I'll go in for a repeat thyroid level and maybe a overnight sleep study. Maybe I have apnea.

[Emyanne]

my regular doctor sent me to a phychiatrist. I went for my consultation. It was great. We figured out together that when I was "sleeping" for eight hours it was not a deep rem sleep. I was having nightmares that were preventing me from staying in rem sleep. we worked out my medications and now I am refreshed when I sleep, thru the entire day.

[MiZTaCCen]

oh I have this problem! I've always had this problem...but I haven't had my Thyriod checked or anything...but I can sleep for 12 hours, be up for a couple and nap again later in the day. It's ridiculous! I can get 8 hours of sleep, and still be tired! if I get 9 or 10...that's usually when I'm good which is weird. But anything less than 9, and more than 10 I'm dead tired!

[Gogirl008]

I know you said you aren't anemic, but could your iron be slightly low? I take a supplement and it's because I was a tired mess. My dr suggested it based on blood tests results, but technically, my iron isn't low enough to be considered anemia. Just a thought.

[Rainbowgirl]

I ate some chicken today and I feel much better than I have in the past few weeks. I think it's likely a lack of B12 and protein.

I'm going to try the supplement too, and get blood work drawn.

[astrophe]

Had the b12 and d3 checked out?

A.

[Rainbowgirl]

Not yet, but I'll ask for them when I get bloodwork done next week.