Always Tired: I've been feeling very... - Mental Health Sup...

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Always Tired

13 Replies

I've been feeling very tired lately I sleep all the time. I feel my life is passing me by and I have no control over it. Having severe depression doesn't help either. Any suggestions on what to do with my tired feeling? My doctor put me on deadline it does help but still feel like I have no energy to do anything..

Help me feel more alive.

13 Replies
Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62

Tiredness could just be a symptom of the depression but it could also be indicative of something else, eg a Thyroid problem or B12 Deficiency. Have you had blood tests for either of these - if you haven't then ask for one. If you have then please ask to have a print out of the results and, particularly with the B12 results post them on the PAS forum. There isn't a good test for B12 deficiency and many people are dismissed as 'normal' when there are actually strong clinical indications that they are deficient (depression is one possible symptom).

A list of some of the symptoms of B12 deficiency can be found here

pernicious-anaemia-society....

in reply to Gambit62

I'll check that out with my doc about the B12. Thank you for your suggestions I hear B12 can effect us in all sorts of ways. I do take it in my multi vitamins but maybe it's just not enough.

Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62 in reply to

B12 deficiency can be caused by long term lack of B12 in the diet (generally veganism as it is only found in animal products) but the most likely cause is a problem with absorption. It is a very complex vitamin and the mechanism for absorbing it is quite complex as a result - mostly B12 is absorbed through specialist cells in the ileum (part of the small intestine.

Malabsorption can occur because of an autoimmune response, through changes in level of acidity in the stomach (which is one reason why it is more prevalent in those over 50), or by drug interactions (eg anti-acid treatments, some pain-killers (NSAIDs), metformin used to treat type 2 diabetes.

If you have a malabsorption problem then it is usually corrected by injecting B12 and you usually need doses that are about 1000 x RDA (recommended Daily Allowance - think that is 1.2micrograms - so you need a supplement that would be giving you more than 1 milligram a day - and probably something that dissolves under the tongue - or is absorbed through a different membrane - eg a nasal spray. But best to get a diagnosis from the GP before you start supplementing.

WantToChange profile image
WantToChange

It could be due to the winter time? I know I have been sleeping a lot more and feeling sleepy a lot of the time.

Did you feel like this is summer?

in reply to WantToChange

Yes I did. Just more some now..

WantToChange profile image
WantToChange in reply to

Hm I'm not sure... Do you have a disrupted sleep?

in reply to WantToChange

No I can sleep for 12 hrs almost every night. and still take a nap in the afternoon.

WantToChange profile image
WantToChange in reply to

Have you mentioned this to your doctor? It may be worth doing this? Like Gambit suggested, you could be lacking in something in your diet.

in reply to WantToChange

Ya I told my psychiatrist and he put me on dexadrine it helps me a little but I feel still so tired. It's really frustrating.

WantToChange profile image
WantToChange in reply to

Yeah I can imagine. I hope it is only a temporary thing for you :( xx

LibbyR profile image
LibbyR

Hi Kary, sorry to hear about your persistent tiredness, it sounds really miserable. Did you have any more thoughts about B12 deficiency/malabsorption?

I seemed to have solved my tiredness problem (lifelong - I was always asleep in classes at school, and it never improved) by cutting out sugar and refined starch. Life without cake, bread and pasta seemed too awful to contemplate at first but the impact on my energy levels was rapid and I have stuck with it. Might be worth trying for 3 or 4 days if nothing else is working.

best wishes

Libby

HenryTheFirst profile image
HenryTheFirst

Hi K, How long have you had the feeling of being overtired? You say lately but can you remember the feeling going back longer in your life? BW.

Baddog profile image
Baddog

I am always tired and regularly sleep for the day and really struggle to wake up, it has now come to light that I have vey low testosterone caused possibly by opioid meds. I would get your hormones checked or otherwise you could be searching under the wrong tree.

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