bslchump Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 For the past 5(ish?) months I've been extremely tired all the time. I make sure I get 8+ hours of sleep every night (sometimes I can even sleep 10-12 hours), but every day I just feel drained and sluggish. I work a fairly physically demanding job at the moment, but I'm always tired before working, regardless of what I did the day before or how much sleep I got. In addition, I've been occasionally feeling extremely dizzy when I stand up with any speed. I don't know if it could be related, but since both problems seem to have started at similar times, I figured I should mention it. It's been frustrating me a lot lately, because I have a hard time getting anything done. I'm almost always too tired for any sort of activity, and caffeine only makes me tremble a little but still feel very sleepy. I'd prefer not to go to my doctor (just yet) because I'm imagining paying $50 for him to say "Hm. Maybe your blood sugar is low?" and that's it. I'll do it as kind of a last resort, but I figured I'd ask the fine folks here. So what the heck is wrong with me? Link to post Share on other sites
Calutaxi484 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 For the past 5(ish?) months I've been extremely tired all the time. I make sure I get 8+ hours of sleep every night (sometimes I can even sleep 10-12 hours), but every day I just feel drained and sluggish. I work a fairly physically demanding job at the moment, but I'm always tired before working, regardless of what I did the day before or how much sleep I got. In addition, I've been occasionally feeling extremely dizzy when I stand up with any speed. I don't know if it could be related, but since both problems seem to have started at similar times, I figured I should mention it. It's been frustrating me a lot lately, because I have a hard time getting anything done. I'm almost always too tired for any sort of activity, and caffeine only makes me tremble a little but still feel very sleepy. I'd prefer not to go to my doctor (just yet) because I'm imagining paying $50 for him to say "Hm. Maybe your blood sugar is low?" and that's it. I'll do it as kind of a last resort, but I figured I'd ask the fine folks here. So what the heck is wrong with me? If I were you I'd get to your MD ASAP. Getting dizzy when you stand up is called orthostatic hypotension. Basically it's a sudden drop in your blood pressure when you stand up. There's quite a few things that CAN cause it, but that's why you need to go to your doctor. It can be caused by dehydration, anemia, sodium deficiency. As well as it's related to a few diseases. Being constantly tired is called fatigue, or malaise. Again this is usually indicative of something going on. You basically need to go get some blood work done. Your body is extremely resilient. One of the things most people in mainstream healthcare won't tell you, is that you can "fix" a lot of health problems with proper diet. Different things work for different people, but it's amazing what will happen once you cut out ALL processed/unnatural food. No sugar, no lunch meat, no dinners in a box, no cereal, no bread. It might be tough, but you'll thank yourself for it! Link to post Share on other sites
Marie63 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I hope you feel better. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Get your blood levels check..Sugar, Iron, B12, and minerals too. It's amazing how much something that is slightly off or low in our blood count can affect us! I get monthly B12 shots, it helps so much! Keep track of your diet, when you eat, what you eat and how much too. It could be your diet, not eating enough, not getting the right calorie count in per day. A full physical will get you the answers.. Feel better soon! Link to post Share on other sites
2011 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 You don't state your diet so I do not know if it might be that but I thought I might mention I used to get this constant tiredness, tired all day, awake more in evenings, although always got a good sleep. basically it is caused by heavy starchy/sugary foods like bread, sweets, crisps, basically the more processed and sugary the worse for you. I only breakfast in morning then eat fruit during the day and my dinner at night. Eating the fruit means I don't get tired and sugar hangovers during the day. Please don't take this as medical advice just my slant on my own condition. 2011 Link to post Share on other sites
Author bslchump Posted September 24, 2011 Author Share Posted September 24, 2011 Thanks for the advice so far guys. I appreciate it. As far as my diet goes (I should have specified), I think I eat pretty well. I've taken a few nutrition courses, and I try to follow that advice as best as I can. I don't drink soda, eat fast food, cake, pie, etc. I will have ice cream and the like sometimes, but really never enough to make a difference (I don't think anyway). When I eat bread I buy whole wheat (and read ingredient labels to make sure it's not refined or modified), and I'll pretty regularly make my own smoothies (fruit, yogurt and milk). I can snack on nuts or Special K cereal or something. The only thing dietary I could imagine is maybe calorie intake? I know that before my break up, I was regularly 140-145ish, and I'm now 127-130 (I'm 5'6). So I have lost weight. I dunno. Someone suggested I try to take a multi-vitamin, so I guess I'll try that first. It's the least expensive, least obtrusive option so that seems like a good place to start. It's also been suggested recently that this could be depression. I hadn't really considered that, but I guess it fits. It kind of feels like a cop-out blaming it on depression, but it could be. I appreciate the continued thoughts. Link to post Share on other sites
FitChick Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Does anyone in your family have thyroid disease? Even if they don't, google hypothyroid symptoms and see if that applies to you. Link to post Share on other sites
Calutaxi484 Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 It's also been suggested recently that this could be depression. I hadn't really considered that, but I guess it fits. It kind of feels like a cop-out blaming it on depression, but it could be. Maybe yes, maybe no. Personally I think you should go have some labs done, because the fatigue WITH the hypotension can be an indicator of a much much more serious problem. Depression doesn't account for a circulatory problem (which is part of what you're having). Link to post Share on other sites
Dark Phoenix Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 The only thing dietary I could imagine is maybe calorie intake? I know that before my break up, I was regularly 140-145ish, and I'm now 127-130 (I'm 5'6). So I have lost weight. I dunno. Normal to lose weight after a breakup and you seem to be eating pretty well. But from the symptoms that you described and your weight reduction leads me to consider the possibility that you may be diabetic? One of my friends experienced that fatigue you described, sleeping longer hours, and drastic weight loss... almost lost his life because he didn't go to the doctors right away to be treated with insulin. Although, with your breakup that would also throw depression into that realm of possibilities and would explain the weight loss. Someone suggested I try to take a multi-vitamin, so I guess I'll try that first. It's the least expensive, least obtrusive option so that seems like a good place to start. I would suggest a high grade multi-vitamin. doesn't have to be the most expensive one on the market but I wouldn't settle with the cheapest one either. I went through an episode where I was feeling the fatigue/tiredness you are feeling (minus the weight loss) and just by adding a multi-vitamin and being more active it pulled me out of it. Juicing is also a good way to get nutrients, specifically beets which are extremely good for your blood and circulation. Link to post Share on other sites
HappyPanda Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Have you been exposed to mono? That was my knee jerk notion, based on your symptoms and especially the duration of those symptoms... dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite. Typically there's a sore throat that comes along with it though... anyhow, it would show up in a blood test. I would definitely go to the doctor asap. Link to post Share on other sites
betterdeal Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Those can be symptoms of depression. As suggested, add a mutlivitamin to your diet and if you don't want to pay for a doctor, maybe consider St Johns Wort, which is prescribed in Germany for mild depression. Link to post Share on other sites
Afishwithabike Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Don't wait too long to see a doctor if this continues even after taking the multivitamin for a while. Get your blood pressure checked. You might have anemia. Do you get a good intake of iron rich food like meat? It could also be diabetes, thyroid problems and depression as mentioned by the previous posters. You could have sleep apnea. You might not be getting as much sleep as you think are even though you think you're asleep. A sleep study would tell you if you enter the restful states of sleep that you should when you're asleep. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts