Very, very tired!

H

haley s

New member
I realize this seems to be a pretty common issue with many people on Healthboards... I'm always tired! I'm a healthy 23-year-old female and I typically get enough sleep. I've had blood work done and everything comes out normal. I'd like to visit some doctors/specialists soon to take some additional tests to hopefully figure it out. I'd like to get some advice on what would be suggested to look into first!

*I'd like to get my thyroid checked. I've only had the TSH level looked at, not the T3 or T4.

*I currently take Prozac and am considering going off of it to help with the tiredness and brain fog. I do feel that it makes me a bit more forgetful and "out of it" a little, but I've always been tired even before Prozac. I just feel like it might be a little worse because of it. I take it mainly for anxiety, but also for some depression. I might try Wellbutrin instead since it typically gives energy, but I know it won't be as helpful for my anxiety.

*I'd possibly like to try some sleep tests. I have some symptoms of sleep apnea and narcolepsy. Either way, they would not be severe.

Overall, I have a difficult time staying awake throughout the day and often feel drugged up or "out of it." I sleep about 7 hours per night and never have any trouble getting to bed. I can take a nap for several hours and STILL fall asleep very quickly, even with a workout in between. I just can sleep at any time and never feel well rested. Some days I MUST take a nap or I'll feel like I'm just going to collapse. I'm at a healthy weight and have no known health issues. I work out regularly and eat a pretty healthy diet. I try to eat a lot of lean protein, low glycemic carbs, and fruits and veggies, and limit processed foods.

I do take Yasmin, birth control pill. I've been on this pill for at least 10 years though and do not wish to go off of it. While I have been tired for many years, I have not felt "drugged up" as much as recently, so I don't think it's Yasmin. Since I don't get many of the common b.c. side effects, I really, really do not wish to change brands.

I feel like being tired so much is really affecting me. My husband has become concerned and wants me to look into this. I FEEL that I sleep pretty well, but I know I grind my teeth at night and sometimes I wake up with night sweats and then I get very cold. I dream quite often, sometimes very odd dreams, and I feel like I start dreamining right away as I'm fallilng asleep.

I'm thinking of changing Prozac FIRST, because I feel like that could very well be one of the major causes. Then I think I'll look into my thyroid, and lastly the sleep test. From there, I guess various scans would be the next step. Does anyone suggest otherwise or anything else you recommend me looking into?
 
Sounds like you have a good game plan.

I'm on Prozac too,and also tired all the time.It's weird because I've heard that Prozac is supposed to be energizing,but it's not for me!
I've been on it over a month and keep thinking maybe it's just a temporary side effect,but it hasn't gone away.
Wellbutrin sounds like it may be better.

I also have a under active thyroid,which in itself can cause fatigue.So definitely get that checked out.You don't have to be over weight to have a thyroid problem,although some people gain weight when they are hypo.One of the biggest things for me was feeling FREEZING all the time.
 
Tur: Even though you're only 23, I'd recommend getting your hormones checked. If you've been on BCP for 10 years (starting at 13) then the hormones could be in need of adjustment. See an endocrinologist if you can since a gyno might not want to do the full work-up. How do you know the Prozac isn't interferring with the BCP"s. The tiredness and brain fog go right along with menopause symptoms which are the hormone problems. People don't realize how much hormones regulate your brain. I'd start there if I were you.
 
Are you taking a daily multivitamin with iron (eg Centrum)

If your thyroid tests come out normal, then it might pay to ask about sleep aopnea

Taking one of the energising antidepressants (such as Welbutrin) or even the stimulant Provigil could help

Forcing your self to go for a 30 minute walk every day can help boost energy levals.

Also, keeping some Vivarin (cafeine) pills on hand can help give you a quick boost when you need it.
 
Hi there! Thanks for your reply. I was also reading similar things about Prozac, saying it can be energizing, yet I hear a TON of people say that it makes them tired. I've also read that Prozac often doesn't let you sleep as deeply, so you never really feel well rested. This makes a lot of sense if it's true and definitely agrees with how I feel. Most people do feel better and not as tired with a little time, but for some reason it seems worse for me the longer I've been on it! Who knows.

I'll definitely look into my thyroid too. I feel that I will check on my medications and thyroid FIRST because those seem like some of the easier things to check on, as a sleep test can be pretty complicated since there are various parts that might need to be done.

I am also cold quite often, but lately I notice that my temperature tends to go up and down a lot. This might be because I tend to try to drink caffeine more to counteract the tiredness, and the caffeine warms me up. I don't want to have to rely on caffeine, but I can't stay awake without it, even with a normal night's hours of sleep. Eating helps too, but of course, I don't want to overeat just to stay energized! My husband is hypothyroid and funny thing is, he is always very WARM natured. I'm always cold, he's always warm. He had some of the hyperthyroid symptoms and some of the hypothyroid ones, but he is hypo. I guess symptoms really do vary by the person.

Since eating tends to help me wake up, I thought it could be an issue with low blood sugar, but this seemed to be perfectly fine with several different blood checks. I tried checks while fasting and also while eating regularly. One time I got blood drawn and just from a small vial being removed, I got extremely dizzy and almost passed out. I had orange juice and came back and felt normal again. I don't have a fear of blood or needles one bit and even watching the vial does not bother me, so it isn't that. Another time more recently, I was able to get blood drawn just fine, but the nurse was really good about talking to me and asking questions to keep me talking and more stimulated in my mind so I didn't feel strange. I'm glad it didn't happen again!

Now hopefully I can go to the doctor soon. I'll be out of town starting this weekend for a week for business, and the month of June will be pretty busy. It's been enough where I typically have to eat lunch at my desk while working. I might consider going to an urgent care clinic for blood work because they are open later hours and weekends. The copay is more, but it'll be worth it so I don't have to wait a while to get a doctor's visit during work hours!
 
Thanks again for the other replies. Okay, must have been 8-9 years on birth control, not 10, because I went on it around the age of 14 to help with getting sick during my periods. The thing is, it's been worse since the Prozac, so I do think that has at least something to do with it. 92261, you mentioned menopause symptoms. Is that ever possible for someone my age to start feeling those symptoms so early?

jonnstar, I am not taking any multivitamins right now because I often eat protein bars and make protein shakes and get quite a few vitamins that way. My iron levels are great, so I haven't taken anything for that. I might look into Wellbutrin instead, but I worry that it will affect my anxiety. I take Prozac for anxiety, not depression. I'm still going to talk to my doctor about it though! I do work out regularly, so a 30 minute walk is very little compared to what I normally do. I'm typically a pretty vigorous exercise person, but it's been hard getting myself out there lately! I am a runner and I love to do various kinds of workouts. I really enjoy it, but I notice myself yawning my way through my workouts even!
 
Have you been checked for Mono? Also, how is your blood. Are you aneimic? That can cause tiredness. If you have your thyroid checked, have them do all the tests, not just the T-4.
 
Tur: I know you're only 23 and that's young for menopause stuff. Some women do start feeling peri symptoms at 30. But if you're on these BCP's they mess with the hormones. That's why I said go and get your levels checked. When's the last time you had them checked? Plus, we live in a toxic world. It's poisoning us and upsetting our systems. That's why alot of women go on HRT. Get the work-up done by an endocrinologist.
 
Nope, I have not been checked for mono. I thought mono lasted about a month? This has lasted much, much longer than a month. It's just really starting to affect my life more recently.

I have checked for anemia and nope, that wasn't the case! All I need is that full thyroid check for my blood tests, but they did check my iron level and that turned out fine.
 
I can relate-- back in middle school, I literally had to force myself to stay awake while running on the track!
I have had the same problem as you my whole life, have been on and off antidepressants since the teen years.
The severe fatigue, lack of concentration, poor sleep, etc. have only begun to get better around this year (I'm 30.)

Why?

The main things I'm doing differently is taking Vitamin D, never staying up late (make myself get to bed by 10:30 pm), and have much less stress.

I feel the lower stress is what has helped the most. Life was always a constant battle to get straight A's, worked since age 15 at least part-time, worked stressful full-time jobs while not in school and didn't know how to be "zen" about the jobs or school. I let the stress "get to me" everyday.

Now I'm unemployed and not in school and much less stressed than ever before... and finally, finally don't have to force myself out of bed in the mornings or crave 3 hour naps every day.

I think, for me, it was adrenal burn-out and the effects on the body and mind of long-term constant stress.

Do you often feel stressed-out and unable to relax?
 
It does seem that many of us have low energy problems. It is possible that the medicines that you are taking are contributing to your problem, but I wonder if other medical causes may be present. In my own life I know this to be the case. Several months ago my heart began to beat fast while seated, walking or sleeping. My normal heart rate is 65 to 80 bpm, but now it frequently beats 100 to 160 bpm without expected cause. Additionally, in the past month my heart beat has becomes irregular. My BP will be 115/68. These episodes last from 1 to 16 hours. I
 
I'm the type of person that does enjoy an active lifestyle... I don't really like to relax for too long or I just get bored out of my mind. I've been trying to add in bits of relax time here and there. I'm usually not one to watch TV because I just can't sit still that long, but I have been trying to watch a little TV here and there with my husband, read, things like that. It helps! I tend to not really feel that stressed, but I do get anxious. I notice that when I get anxious, I feel a burst of energy, then I feel very tired afterwards. I've been trying to work on my anxiety. I had trouble with some issues of people saying things to me that make me uncomfortable (random men approaching me) and it's really bothered me a lot to be harassed in that way, even if it's nothing too severe. I try my best to just avoid situations that make me feel too uncomfortable, yet not to the point where I can't do anything. I'm trying to find that balance.

I've been weaning myself off of Prozac and already notice a huge difference. I take it every 4 days now and eventually won't be taking it at all. No withdrawal symptoms! I also noticed something kind of funny... I was frequently having trouble sleeping due to night sweats, although I tend to get cold at night. It seems that the coverlet I usually sleep with on my bed makes my body temperature go way up and down due to the satiny material. I switched comforters and now I don't get the night sweats at all! I honestly think that was disrupting my sleep.

I do notice that this week I feel very tired, but that's because it's the week of my period and I expect that. Last week I did some traveling for work and felt pretty good all week, even with an uncomfortable bed.

Do you all find that sleeping a full 8 hours instead of 6-7 hours, plus a nap, helps? I tend to have vivid dreams EVERY night and pretty quickly (during naps too), so I believe I'm getting plenty of REM sleep. I don't always have time for a nap, so some nights I'm stuck with the 6-7 hours and I think I'm the type that needs a full 8 hours of rest. I tend to go to bed closer to midnight, but I can get to bed earlier if I don't work out that day. I've been trying to work out earlier, but I tend to be hungry for dinner around 6 (when I normally get home) and then have to let my stomach settle. Working out before eating makes me feel light headed and weak! I'm going to try to start getting to bed a little earlier each day to avoid needing naps.
 
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