Does everyone feel like this? Really tired all the time.

[Confuzzeled]

For the past 2 months I've been getting really exhausted all the time.

It's fair to say my children don't sleep very well but this has been the case for years and they probably sleep better now than they did last year. I used to be able to function quite well, do all my housework, look after kids and go to bed fairly early each night.

But for the last few months I've been falling asleep when I sit down. I get fuzzy eyes when I try and concentrate and don't feel safe to drive. I've been going to sleep at the same time as the kids but even with 10 - 11 hours sleep, I still find it hard to function the next day.

I've made an effort to at least make sure mine and the kids diet is really good and I get them out each day.

Other than that, I'm failing to get anything else done. DH is having to do more and since he works really long hours I feel like I'm being lazy. He says it's just because I have broken sleep and the kids are hard work. But I don't feel that things are any worse than they were so I don't understand why I'm finding it hard to function.

I gave blood 3 weeks ago and got a letter saying my blood was all good so that rules out a few things.

I have a doctors appointment on Monday but I fear he's just going to tell me I'm just run down and I'm basically wasting his time. Do other people feel like this? If this is normal I'll cancel my appointment and just get on with it.

[planetpotty]

Most definitely still go to the Doctor - you know your body so keep going until you are happy that you have found the source of the symptoms.

I have zero medical knowlegde but what I do know is what has happened to me recently.... I have DS 2 and DD 6 mths. When DD was first born I had so much energy, no problem was too big, honestly I felt like I could take on the world! As time has gone on my super heroness has dwindled and I now realise just how bloody knackering having kids is. I think it has has a lot to do with pregnancy hormones/BF hormones wearing off but I also think its just the day after day work of it all, it all seems to have just added up and I have a HUGE sleep debt (and my two sleep well - im touching wood quickly!) I do all the things you stated in your OP but not to the point where it worries me in respect of it being a health issue and I dont do them all the time just on busy days. Ha I also do things like completely forget the word for things - this is most definitely a new thing for me as it used to bug the hell out of me when my Mum used to do it :) Also I dont finish sentences and think ahhh well they get my drift I dont have time to say the whole thing.....ha I must drive DH mad!

So I suppose on one hand im saying it sounds normal compared to what I am experiencing but on the other im saying its not as its worrying you.

Def go to the Doc and be totally honest with them.

I hope this makes sense ....... im not sure ....... ill blame it on my knackered baby brain

[CaptainNancy]

Umm... there's no chance you're pg is there? You're describing the first 5mo of my last pregnancy, sorry!

[Confuzzeled]

Thanks Plenty, it made perfect sense. I have more symptoms as well, like you, most certainly baby brain and thats been 4.5 years of it now :)

I hope I'm not pregnant, I'm on the injection. Ive got really fat from being on it and it runs out the end of this month so not getting it again. I was late at getting it redone last time so had to wait two weeks and do a pregnancy test, wasn't pregnant then and should not get pregnant on it. I think it can do awful things to the fetus.

[pippop1]

How about low levels of your thyroid hormone? You can be tested for this by a blood test and given the replacement to perk you up. Symptoms include being tired all the time and putting on weight, also feeling cold and some hair loss but you don't have to have all the symptoms to have a low level. Get a test from your GP.

[LittleMissProcrastinator]

Could be anaemia or depression or just not enough sleep/rest?
I'm only guessing as I'm not a medical person.
I would go to see your GP just for peace of mind.

[Iamseeingstars]

Go back to the doctor and ask for extensive tests. Also, as a few weeks have passed since your last test, something else might show up.

Dont let it go. Keep a dairy of daily symptons, what you have done, etc., so that you can show the pattern

Also record your body temperature through the day.

Might be irrelevent at moment but down the line when doctors ask, when when when you have hard facts to give them

[redvelvetpoppy]

Definitely keep your GP appt as it sounds like something is amiss if you are still exhausted & nodding off after 10-11hrs sleep at night.
Am a nurse and there is a profile of blood tests which can be arranged called TATT ( tired all the time) which checks things like diabetes, thyroid function, anaemia checks as well as some other routine things HOWEVER you can also have more indepth checks done following on from these. I was in similar state to you last year, bloods all normal but on further testing I got diagnosed with pernicious anaemia (less common) and now have B12 injections....
Any chance you have sleep apnoea? Do you snore or wake up gasping for breath? Sometimes the only clue to this is exhaustion and/or history of snoring..
Your GP might check you for symptoms of low level depression too which could be result of you not having had good levels of sleep for the last few years. Oh and last thing - the Depo contraceptive is not known to cause harm to pregnancy - the harm risk is not knowing you're pregnant cos you don't get regular periods & therefore might miss out on good ante-natal care, and it is VERY rare to get pregnant on it. Are you on the 8w or 12w one? Don't be shy about being a little bit pushy for tests, trust yourself, only you can know what "normal" or "abnormal" tiredness is for you.