Why am I so ridiculously tired?

[CaptainBrickbeard]

I’ve been tired for years really but there has always been a reason. I had a very stressful job up until last October and my youngest child didn’t sleep more than an hour or so for several years so I was pretty chronically sleep deprived.

Now though I have a very non-stressful lifestyle and get 7-8 hours uninterrupted sleep most nights which my FitBit tells me is mostly restful and restorative sleep. About once a week, I’m so shattered that I go to bed about 8pm and might get 9-10 hours sleep.

In the past few weeks - really throughout lockdown - I am exhausted. When I wake up in the morning, I am just thinking of when I will be able to go back to bed, always hoping the next day I’ll have more energy. I fall asleep every afternoon - today I came upstairs to get a kindle charger at about 3pm and lay down on my child’s bedroom floor and fell asleep on the carpet. I woke up very confused!

I’ve lost over three stone since January which has taken me from a BMI of 39 to 32 and I’m still losing weight. Obviously I still have quite a way to go! I eat low carb, keep calories about 1400-1500 most days and have cut out a lot of sugar.

I have cut out all caffeinated drinks after midday (usually drink two coffees in the morning but that’s it). We go for at least one long walk every day. I get outside in the fresh air as much as possible. I take multivitamins. I eat lots of vegetables.

What else can I do to combat this exhaustion?? I can’t understand why I am so tired all the time.

My mood has been very low in lockdown - obviously the worry of the whole situation, the difficulty of home schooling and I know I am very, very drained by having very little time to myself. I’m pretty introverted and so that’s hard. But could this physical fatigue really have a psychological cause?

Falling asleep on the carpet today really bothered me. It doesn’t seem in any way normal.

I just want to feel like I have some energy again! I’m really struggling to do anything more than the barest minimum. Has anyone ever experienced this?

You need to get your thyroid checked as well as your vitamin levels asap. Another thought is your hormones due to obesity and recent weight loss. Both can cause havoc with your levels and that could make you very fatigued.

And yes, your emotions can definitely exacerbate tiredness. The last few months has been an absolute slog for everyone and it definitely has ramifications.

Yes I wondered about the weight loss but expected to feel more energetic the more that comes off! I feel a bit cheated being so tired when I thought I would feel so much more vigorous and healthy three stone lighter! I will see a GP when things go back to normal but wouldn’t feel able to ask for an appointment now unless it was for something urgent - I don’t think our surgery would see me as they are pretty much closed.

I feel exactly the same. I’ve been tired for years. I’ve always put it down to babies, stresses of life etc but now I’m locked down I’m not rushing around like I usually do and get lots of sleep but I’m shattered all the time.
I had a blood test a while ago and it showed my iron level was on the low side of normal. They also tested for thyroid, menopause, and some other things. Might be a good idea to ask your gp for a blood test

I’ve tried iron, vit d, magnesium, bereavement counselling, but nothing noticeable improved. I’ve been tracking my cycle and I think I feel worse at certain times if the month.
I think I feel better when I get up and do exercise but the problem is I can barely drag myself out of bed do exercise almost never happens

Let’s hope someone comes up with something that works!

Gerbi I know, it’s easy to get into a vicious cycle of being too tired to exercise. I do definitely feel better for a daily walk. Lockdown has really put it into stark relief - there really isn’t a good reason to feel this way so I am starting to think something is wrong. I guess a blood test would be the only way to find out.

Get a blood test

My guess is vitamin B12 deficiency could could be one if so many things we could speculate about forever on here that will likely be answered definitely by a visit to the GP and a routine blood test

Taking a hefty B12 and D supplement religiously has worked for me.

I had blood tests done a while back by Thriva (due to feeling like I needed a bit of an MOT) showing I was massively deficient in both.

I feel so much better now.

@Impatientwino How much do you take? I do take both but I’m wondering if it’s not enough

Depression can make you sleep alot

Blood test for deficiencies. I was low on vit d felt bone Achingly tired all the time. Didn't matter how much I slept. If I forget my vitamin for a few days I can feel the difference.

Was just going to suggest getting some bloods done by Thriva but someone beat me to it Thyroid, VitD, B12, Iron should be checked.

I’ve just google thriva. Are they accurate? Did you find out anything was deficient?

Depending on how low carb you are...if you are very low carb...it acts as a dieuretic and so you need to add electrolytes (salt and potassium) to your food / or via supplements

It’s why people used to add salt to everything when the typical diet was very low carb

www.carbmanager.com/article/the-importance-of-electrolytes-on-keto-3fdfab8c-f02e-b547-55d7-5d09b643646a

@RunningAwaywiththeCircus do you need an injection? Do supplements not work?

I’m interested in Thriva as I think getting a blood test at the GP would be difficult right now.

Electrolytes could be a good point, hamstersarse, I did know that but forgot.

I’ve now googled B12 deficiency and one thing that chimes is that I do get pins and needles a lot and that’s quite a recent thing.

I get outside a lot LittleMissEngineer and it always helps. I used to wake up naturally around 6am and go out in the garden first thing but over lockdown I’ve started sleeping later and later which leaves me feeling very jet-lagged.

I got up in the night every night for years, as my child has a medical condition that needs me to do that. I eventually made their dad have them for a whole week - the most time ever in a row since our divorce. Well even after that week I was still tired! I had thought I would feel amazing.

In the end I found out I have an underactive thyroid, and I also had low vitamin D levels. So all the things i was blaming for my tiredness (lots of kids, night waking, etc) were only part of the reason for it, and I would have felt crap anyway!

I agree a blood test when lockdown eases shpuld help.

I take 100 micrograms of B12 and same of D.

I've used Thriva four times now, I've found it really useful and I like seeing my levels changing. I signed up via Facebook and got a 50% off my first test so it was only £25. They run a huge amount of tests for my quarterly £50 - can't remember them all but off the top of my head B12, D, Iron, cholesterols, liver function etc.

I did one test after a particularly boozy time period and they gently reminded me about sticking to the guidelines In my defence I was still in the good zone but higher than normal!

BTW, I stupidly forgot to congratulate you on your weight loss. Such an amazing achievement! You are doing brilliantly by trying to take control of your health. You absolutely need to try to find a cause of your tiredness, no matter what it is. Don't give up your strides to lose weight, and make sure the tests you need are done.

If you google it there have been some articles about fatigue in lockdown due to not moving much.

Last few weeks I've been completely energyless but mine has been down to hayfever overwhelming my system.

Could be iron levels too I take spatone once a day.

Also don't over sleep.

One last thing make sure your drinking enough water too

I would push to try and get bloods done at the GP. They are still getting paid their normal NHS contract monies so can't just shut for months on end. If they are genuinely refusing to do a phone consultation and then take bloods I would consider contacting your local CCG, who may be able to help.

Tiredness can be caused by such a number of things: thyroid, iron, bit b12, vit d I think, that seems safer to discuss with doctor.

Annoying question but have you considered if you're safe to drive if you're so fatigued you can fall asleep on the carpet mid afternoon?

I hope the doctor can help you, being that tired is horrible.

Ask your GP surgery - I got a blood test a couple of weeks ago, phone consultation, wasn't urgent but GP said she'd like to check something. Worth asking, she said they weren't that busy and most appointments are being done over phone (I then went in and nurse took blood). If no luck try thriva

I had a blood test a couple of weeks ago because I felt the same. Convinced myself I’d developed anaemia. They did bloods for all the usual stuff as well as kidney, liver and thyroid function. Nothing wrong. In fact I have WAY more B12 then normal so the opposite of anaemia GP put it down to a combination of anxiety and suddenly having a very sedentary lifestyle whilst previously having a very active one.

Definitely get checked out, my extreme tiredness turn out to be diabetes. I was diagnosed after a really hot summer, so while I had been drinking more I'd put it down to the heat.

I have never felt so tired as I did then.