Feel worse in mornings?

[winter2013]

Hi all

I know we are all preoccupied with this horrendous covid19 crisis so perhaps not the best time to post. But have been meaning to ask this for a long time so will!

I am awful in the mornings. Sometimes ! I can wake up feeling not too bad lying in bed with my cup of coffee ( not always), then start getting up and feel so fatigued. Can’t function without really pushing through ... which isn’t good I know. I always get up very late.

On a” good” day I can pick up by about 1 to 1.30. I don’t pick up on a” bad” day until the evening or not at all.

So wondered if generally people find they are much worse in the mornings.

Stay safe x

[Regalbirdy]

Hi Winter2013,

Generally I’m not a morning person - never have been, even prior to my diagnosis. My overall symptoms are relatively mild when compared to some, but I still find that I often pick up at about 4 pm on my resting days.

My energy levels have noticeably improved since I drastically cut down on the number of carbs I eat in any one day by going on a Keto diet. It has meant cutting out bread potatoes, pasta, sugar, biscuits and cakes etc (and was quite a culture shock) – but overall it has been worth it. I tried this lifestyle for ten months, then started to go back to the way I was eating before at around Christmas time. Within a couple of weeks the difference was horrible - I was so fatigued I couldn’t believe it! Needless to say that I’ve now returned to eating a low carb diet again...

Coffee: Unfortunately as tasty as it is, drinking coffee at all can also be quite problematic. The caffeine stresses out the adrenal glands - which with our potted histories, already have more than enough to do.

Btw, I find that I need to carefully control my bedtime in order to be able to function decently the following day. My understanding is that the body can regulate and repair itself much better if one is asleep by 11 pm. Again this is due to adrenal function processes - which work in conjunction with the internal body clock.

Good luck in the mornings!

Stay safe. x

[winter2013 in reply to Regalbirdy]

Ah thank you for the detailed reply.. much appreciated.

Unfortunately I was very much a morning person so makes it harder.

Have read Dr Myhills book which favours the keto diet so interesting how it helps you. I don’t eat a lot of carbs but I’m a vegetarian which makes it abit harder to do but also I don’t get on well with pulses / tofu. So my protein sources as well as nuts , egg white shake, does also come from cheese. Having IBS and loosely following the low FODMAP diet again doesn’t work too well with keto diet I think.

Yes agree re coffee and I have small amounts of decaf coffee and tea.

Agree re not getting too stimulated before bedtime as I need to be very routined and peaceful to stand best chance of sleep.

Glad your routine works ! Xx

[winter2013]

Ps hope you’re ok with me “ following you?” Also noticed that you say some of issues go back to childhood and I can relate to that too xx

[Regalbirdy in reply to winter2013]

Hey I don’t mind.

If you’ve read my bio then you will have seen that I am a diagnosed Coeliac as well as having CFS (and I think there could be an unseen connection between the two health issues, as both have responded well - in different ways – to adjustments in my diet).

What my Bio doesn’t mention is that I’m also vegetarian (and have been for 36+ yrs), dairy intolerant and soya intolerant!

So yes – living a keto lifestyle is a seriously tricky thing to do!! However I feel that I don’t really have a choice if I want to feel ok each day.

Eggs, nuts and shelled hemp are my main protein sources. Myhill advocates going Paleo-Keto, which I have interpreted as being allowed to go off piste occasionally - so that I can include other essential nutrients and the (very) occasional treat. I also ensure that I take a regular CoQ10 supplement; a good multivitamin every day; about 2g of vitamin C (min); plus 5-10g of d-ribose. The last two items make a subtle but noticeable difference in my opinion (ie. my recovery times are slower and I’m more sore when I’ve accidentally pushed myself too hard and I’ve forgotten to take them).

However enough about me....!

Good luck and take care of yourself!!! 🙂

[winter2013]

That’s interesting you’re a vegetarian! I take the same supplements you mention... Vit c , multivitamin . I’ve bought some ribose but have yet to try as I have such IBS problems and Dr Myhill whilst advocating it does acknowledge it can make the gut worse xx

[Regalbirdy in reply to winter2013]

D-ribose is my only source of sugar of any type. I wouldn’t advocate using it when eating a traditional carb focused diet though.

Incidentally a number of secondary gut niggles cleared up soon after I went Keto. I got rid of the bloating; had no more heartburn and definitely now produce less deadly farts! 😊

[winter2013 in reply to Regalbirdy]

Interesting as I have have a lot of bloating. Do you have oats or rice at all? X

[Regalbirdy in reply to winter2013]

No - oats bloat me (and cannot be tolerated by about 20% of coeliac‘s anyway - I think I’m one of them).

And for some strange reason, I discovered that eating rice makes my fatigue noticeably worse the following day!

Eating soya has the same effect. I tried to re-introduce tofu again recently - and was quite knackered for several days afterwards.

[winter2013 in reply to Regalbirdy]

Ok... thanks again x

[Patdoyle]

Hi you describe me to a tee. I wake up terrible and feel a little better by lunchtime and if I have anything to do I usually do it about 4pm. Before this illness I would be out of bed and raring to get going. I get the odd day where I can feel like doing anything before midday. I try to get appointments for afternoon. Had to give up work because of this 8 years ago. Just getting showered and dressed finished me off.

[winter2013 in reply to Patdoyle]

Thank you for replying Patdoyle. So hard to manage emotionally as well isn’t it?!

Stay safe x

[Patdoyle in reply to winter2013]

Yes it’s very hard. I get really down some days. I have to stop concentrating on what I can’t do and focus on what I can do. Not easy

[Hidden]

Hi, I see that you're vegetarian, do you make sure that your B12 levels are sufficient?

[winter2013 in reply to Hidden]

Had them tested by GP awhile ago who says they’re fine but realise that doesn’t necessarily mean a lot!

Take a supplement .

Thanks for replying x

[Kowalski442]

Just saw this old post and couldn’t believe it. I could have written it word for word. I always thought ME sufferers generally woke up shattered, but the ones I know seem to be ok in the mornings?

It basically ruins my days as I only have the occasional day when I’m up and functioning well by lunch. I find I have about 4 hours if I’m lucky to cram everything in between 4 and 8pm. I wake up feeling poisoned and take about 2-3 hours to come around. I wish I could figure it out, I’ve tried everything over the years. Had it 29 years so far. Maybe time for another diet change?