Absolutely shattered by 6pm and ready to go to bed

[Toptheginup]

I take vitamins d3, b complex, cod liver oil and b12 plus zinc sometimes. I'm on sertraline and contraceptive pill (just to be clear). I have 2 children 8 months old and age 7. Once the oldest is dropped at school I do shopping, and go straight home to tidy up the morning mess left behind which includes the usual wash loads in and out, hanging up and folding away washing, dishes, sterilising, hoovering, you know, the things we all do on a daily basis to run a family/house. I live alone so do almost everything myself and I'm currently studying for a degree. My diary is filled with to-do's and appointments, little notes saying don't forget this or that. I'm just so tired by 6pm to the point where I can't peel myself off the sofa unless it is necessary and regarding children, my joints ache especially my knees and I lye here feeling guilty that there's still stuff left undone which I don't have the energy to complete. My mum, on the other hand, seems like super woman with boundless energy yet she smokes and hardly eats (although I'm no better being addicted to sugar). I'm just curious that this is not normal to feel this level of exhaustion every single day? And wondering if anyone has any advice
Thank you x

Go to your GP and asks for bloods to be done. Normal to be super tired with kids that age but not ready for bed at 6pm. You could be anaemic?

Thyroid? I have an underactive thyroid and was tired all the time. I thought I was just getting old! It was discovered during a routine medical and once the medication was sorted I regained my energy.

Other symptoms apart from muscular aches and pains and tiredness are hair loss, sore throat, weight gain, brittle nails...

Thanks for the reply. I think I will have to visit my GP. I was just curious if it is normal, I hear people comment that once the children are in bed they stay up until 10 watching TV etc, I see people head out for the evening and wish I had the energy they had, I'm seriously exhausted by that time and struggle to keep my eyes open. Youngest wakes up 5 am most mornings, I'm wondering if this is impacting?

Fraiser I have very weak hair and nails, joint aches and headaches most nights. The vitimans seem to be working wonders on my nails lately though so I'm staying up to paint them

Sugar definitely makes me tired tired tired. Like I could sleep for weeks tired. How much are you having?

Toptheginup Definitely get a blood test and ask around and see if anyone has underactive thyroid in your family. If so, get tested, it’s a simple (in the first instance) blood test.

It's really hard to know whethwr this is normal for you given the circs.

Are you up in the night with your baby or older child or both? If so that would explain a whole lot.

Do you have good family support or are you dealinf with professional childcare/ all the financial burdens that brings?

So many questions. Upshot of which is: no harm going to GP and saying look, I think this is more than (insert reason for being on sertraline) and the usual life stresses. Can you investigate?

Also apologies if this is too much of a personal question but do you feel a healthy weight? (I don't mean does your bmi check out as ok, just do feel like you are a good weight?)

I've been under and over weight and at both ends have been exhausted and felt how you describe most days. Though being overweight, especially in hot weather, was slightly worse

Hi op, no expert but if your comment in sugar was serious and you think you do have too much it’s not helping. How’s your diet otherwise? Now is def the right time to be eating lots of leafy green salads you can load with steamed veg etc.

Also fwiw - I have 6.5, 35 a d nearly one year old. Currently on mat leave. I am shattered at 2.30 and could easily nap... take me everything I have to stay awake and get to school pick up!

Early morning dc are a killer. 5am not nice. Hope you feel better soon. And also the heat / sun won’t hrkp depending on where you are.

You don't mention your iron levels. At 8 months past having my first child I was on the floor with exhaustion. Turned out I was anemic from not eating properly and just grabbing toast etc here and there.

Thyroid, thyroid, thyroid. Very common for it to crash after childbirth. Get blood tests from the GP and check your iron levels too

I'm thinking thyroid.

Bit of a side point but it is possible to do less of the housework crap. Like make most of the jobs weekly not daily.

Could be your iron levels but could also be your diet. Lots of sugar and white carbs will make you tired. Are you eating enough protein and fruit/veg too? And drinking enough water?

OP, sorry to butt in but did you take sertraline throughout pregnancy? Any problems with it? Sorry, just being nosy.

I also collapse on the couch at 7 so can't offer anything useful ha ha

Agree that too many carbs and too much sugar make me super sleepy - diet change? Get bloods done though

You may need an iron infusion. Also chill on the housework.. no one needs a show home

A few yeara ago i started to get so tired that i'd go to bed at 6PM or 7 PM after working on a 8 to 5 job. I thought it was work related stress but it turned out to be an underactive thyroid. I'm now on medication and I feel completely diferent. Get tested!

I think it may be a side effect of the Sertraline. What dose are you on?

If you are up at 5am every day, what time are you actually asleep? Some time between 8 and 9 sounds about right for an average person. Nearer 8 if you are disturbed in the night by babies/ anything else.
As for.going out in the evening on that schedule. Nnnnononono. I did not feel like going out when my two were getting me up at 5 and I was working. Don't feel bad. That is normal!
Anaemia, depression/anxiety, other vitamin deficiencies etc... could be. Your inkling could be right. We really cannot say here. It may just be that you are overwhelmed with stuff, which would be totally undsrstandable.

Sugar is the běte noire of the day but not much evidence it makes you tired. Ok, if you only ever eat refined carbs, maybe, but a bit of choc and cake here and there: I don't see it. The evidence suggest that if you are tired you will consume more carbs - i.e., 'sugar' is a symptom as much as a cause.