Severe fatigue and brain fog destroying my life

[zheshi14]

Hello friends,

I have been dealing with these same issues for far too long! Little long, but here goes:

Starting when I was 16, I woke up one day and noticed I was a little tired for some odd reason. I have been tired ever since that day. I am currently a 23 year old otherwise healthy male. Not even a day or a minute of feeling well again. I've gradually gotten tireder and tireder over the course of the past 6-7 years, to the point where I'm at now where I can hardly function because the exhaustion and resulting symptoms have become so debilitating. All of the symptoms seem to match sleep deprivation but I have been using a CPAP machine for very mild mixed sleep apnea (AHI of about 6.5) for a few months with no change in energy. Although the CPAP has gotten rid of my bad night sweats that I previously experienced nearly every night. So basically, my life revolves around me being exhausted. Most of the symptoms below have gradually gotten worse and worse as time goes by.

Overall, it feels like I was hit by a truck. From the moment I wake up to the moment I pass out from sheer exhaustion at night. Everything feels like it's suppressed by this fog that has gradually gotten worse. For example, caffeine’s effect, sex drive, post-workout adrenaline and endorphins, getting plenty of sleep, etc. I can sort of FEEL all these things for the most part, but it feels suppressed and pushed down from this utter exhaustion. It’s like nothing can surpass the fatigue and fog. It's gotten to the point where I feel like I'm living my life from the backseat and am just going through the day mindlessly. And the thing that sucks is that I WANT to do things and live life, and am still pretty optimistic, but I'm just too fucking out of it, it's embarrassing.

SYMPTOMS:

•Chronic fatigue that has very gradually gotten worse and worse over 7-8 year time span. Never a moment of feeling better. Used to be more of a fatigue feeling, now it's escalated to bad fatigue plus intense sleepiness

• I now feel drugged/hungover 24/7.

•Absolutely zero energy now

•Cognitive decline (EX: concentration, alertness, memory, focus, BRAIN FOG, processing/recalling words, etc. Like it’s gotten to the point where I have to often plan what I’m going to say in advance and make sure I get each and every word right.

•Decision making is awful

•Coordination/balance feels out of wack like I'm drunk at times

•Motor skills, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness have declined sharply.

•Feel like I move extremely slow now both mentally and physically

•Dizziness upon standing often

•Extremities/body parts feel so utterly exhausted and numb-like to the touch. Gradual decline as well.

•Head almost always feels very tired and heavy

•Consistent yawning throughout the day

•I feel more anxious/stressed easily, where everything feels like a chore

•Feel intoxicated MUCH more easily/quickly. It's been a gradual decline as well

•Have a perpetual drunk-like feeling like I'm not quite in real life. Never fully feel "there"

•Lower libido

•Night sweats often

•I fall asleep very easily most nights

•Sensitive to sunlight/bright light. Also get eye floaters

•I literally feel awkward and dumb now because I am SO fucking out of it and I'm sure others have noticed.

TESTS I'VE HAD DONE:

Blood panels tests, urinary tests, vitamin/mineral deficiency checks, hormones, heart scan, chest scans, head MRI, cortisol AM and PM levels, HIV, hepatitis, celiac, anemia, food allergy testing, full thyroid testing, antibodies, h. pylori, ENT doctor to rule out any structural issues. As mentioned on here many times, YES I have had my magnesium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 serum, testosterone, calcium, iron, glucose, folic acid levels thoroughly checked numerous times, and basically anything else that could pop up as a result of testing

THINGS I'VE DONE/TRIED:

Currently on my fourth anti-anxiety/depressant Prozac (really don't think this is the issue, but I'm low on options now), Modafinil, Adderall, kratom, CBD, a few months using a CPAP machine for very mild mixed sleep apnea, methylated B12, methylated folate, more sunlight/sports, not masturbating, more caffeine/no caffeine, glucose tablets, quality dark chocolate, antihistamines, diet changes, more exercise/less exercise, therapy, meditation and deep breathing exercises, spiritual healing, sleeping elevated, taping my mouth closed when I sleep, naturopathic docs, and SO MANY damn supplements including kava kava, chamomile, 5-HTP, ashwagandha, magnesium, melatonin, fish oil, vitamin D3, etc.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

I find it kind of weird that strong stuff like Adderall, Modafinil, kratom, CBD gummies, caffeine, or antidepressants make virtually no difference in me, no matter the dosage (not taken all at once). Some of this stuff sometimes makes me feel a little anxious/on edge, but that's about it. Exercise doesn't really seem to affect me one or another, I do not suffer from insomnia (in fact I fall asleep very easily most nights), I have not been exposed to toxic mold (lived in 5 different places since this started), my diet is extremely healthy, appetite is good, I do not have any joint pain, never had surgery, stay very well hydrated, my childhood and family life are extremely well, I have slightly elevated CO2 levels in my blood (but nothing dangerous), slightly elevated bilirubin levels, slightly elevated B12 serum levels, and slightly elevated ferritin levels. I might be missing a couple things but this is pretty much the jist of it.

I know since this is indeed an anxiety/depression group so I'm sure people are going to say "This sounds like anxiety/depression!", but I figure I'd ask anyways since this group is so large. I also know everyone's symptoms for depression/anxiety vary, but does the following still sound like anxiety?:

•Don't really feel anxious or have the "classic" depression symptom. I would say my anxiety levels are about a normal human amount, at least not enough to perpetually feel like this

•Never have had issues with self-worth or low self-esteem

. Never been suicidal.

•Have never suffered from insomnia

•Never get even the smallest break or let up from the exhaustion and brain fog. I know that for many people with anxiety/depression, the symptoms can come and go and vary, but not me

•I WANT to do things and still force myself to much of the time, although it's gotten much harder.

•I truly don't think this is the issue, but obviously there is no way to 100% prove it

•I've tried multiple anti-depressants/anxieties

. I also find it weird that multiple strong stimulants don't do anything either..

.

Please share your thoughts. I hate feeling like this everyday and watching my life fly by me!

[gerg]

It kinda sounds like you are working on so many medical issues that it is causing you to have medical issues.

Acceptance is the key to many of our problems. I have found that if I accept certain issues, and go on with my life, these issues seem to sort themselves out. It is sorta like trying to remember someone’s name, thinking harder only causes frustration, give up and the name pops into your head a while later.

If you have something seriously wrong, those zillions of tests would have resulted in some serious answers. I would try to live life to the fullest extent possible and not think about medical issues for a while. But this is just my cruddy opinion.

[zheshi14 in reply to gerg]

Thank you for the reply.

I do agree that focusing on this so much has possibly made me feel worse, but it's tough not to when it's something as overpowering as 24/7 exhaustion and cognitive decline. If it was a shoulder problem, a kidney problem, etc. I could ignore it for the most part, but my symptoms literally change me as a person.

Also, I've gone plenty of months, years at a time of giving this very little thought and not doing any research. I didn't feel any better than either...

[Mumma_h]

Any chance you had glandular fever before this all started?

[Kittykat2]

ME/cfs I feel same constantly fatigued and wodering if I have this along with all my other ailments.

[Calm_mama]

Hi zheshi!

I'd get fresh GP eyes on all your tests/labs/history if possible

If you are on meds something to consider is a med washout- wean off all meds to see how you feel without them (of course under a professional's care)

This is grasping at straws but want to ask if any doc has considered Lyme's or other infectious process?

Have you seen a neurologist?

Yes all this could be anxiety/depression and I am one of the first people to say that - but the picture you paint suggests continuing to keep looking for some causes for how you feel IMO. I really hope you feel better soon!