Lethargy

[username345]

I'm really suffering from lethargy. I have no motivation to do anything. I'm lying in bed till 5 or 6 in the afternoon. I'm meant to meet my care coordinator to go for a walk and keep cancelling as I'm in bed.

It's very frustrating and I don't know how to combat it. I fall asleep early morning even though I go to bed at 12. I can't sleep. I then wake up in the afternoon. I've tried everything: good sleep hygiene and melatonin but nothing helps. I've also tried staying up through the night and going to bed early the next evening but fall back into the same sleep pattern again.

I'm on venaflaxine and am wondering if I need to increase my medication. I feel exhausted and down. I know this is depression. I've organised to see my psychiatrist but there's a long waiting time, so it could be months before I see him.

I feel like crap. I'm betting myself for being lazy. I'm missing appointments because I can't get myself out of bed. I'm not attending to cleaning either myself or my flat and my hair is all matted. I had to cut a chunk of it out as I couldn't untangle it.

Has anyone been through similar and come out the other side? What helped?

So sorry that you are going through this. Has your GP carried out blood tests?

@username345
I really feel for what you're going through. Different circumstances but I had post natal depression and my main symptom was insomnia, so I can really identify with your frustrating sleeping issues. It's so hard not to focus on your sleep. I obsessed about mine. I too was lethargic. I did find some things helped me alongside anti depressants and this isn't advice, but I do think it's useful to hear about other peoples experiences with depression.

I would do long walks every day and make sure I got some sunshine on my skin. I'm not big into exercise but found that being out listening to podcasts helped shift my mind away from obsessing over my sleep issues.
I stuck to a routine bedtime and wake up time (partly down to my baby!) same bedtime every night and reading in bed.
Talking to someone helped loads. I see you say there's a long wait to speak to your psychiatrist. Is that a private service they offer or do you get that through the NHS?
Ultimately I regained a lot of myself but my sleep issues remained and I felt like they were killing me. I ended up on the antidepressant Mirtazapine 15mg which is meant to help restore your sleep at that low dose. It's worked fantastically for me but obviously medication works differently for everyone so I'm not recommending it as such but it's one id never heard of.

Try not to beat yourself up over cancelling appointments and your personal hygiene. You're just doing what you have the mental capacity to do at the moment and that's ok. Sleep issues can be all consuming and when you've had restful sleep you really feel the mental and physical benefits. Have you got a friend you can talk to about what's going on with you at the moment? Plenty of friends to be made on here too x

My GP hasn't done any recent blood tests and it's actually a good idea for me to contact my GP and see what she suggests re that. Thanks

Thanks for such a great response. Going for walks is what I keep cancelling. I have agoraphobia so arrange walks with a care coordinator and a support worker. Ideally I'd be going for walks twice a week with them but I'm making the appointments and cancelling them as I just can't get out of bed.

I'm worried my support worker is going to dump me because I keep missing appointments. My care coordinator basically told me to get it together and force myself but if I could do that I would.

I also have chronic fatigue which doesn't help. I think is common or garden depression as Im really feeling down alongside the lethargy.

OP you will know more about this than I do

I was suggested venafalaxine because of insomnia - but the only people I know who tried it said they could sleep all day.

could it be the cause of your lethargy?

I've been on venaflaxine since March and the dose was slightly increased a couple of months ago. I was on Mirtazipine and came off that because it wasn't helping but I believe since cessation that it was helping me sleep.

I'm not sure if the problem is venaflaxine. If it's known for creating sleeping problems and exhaustion, then yes it is which means I have to talk to my psychiatrist. I've already arranged that appointment but it won't be for a while.

Yes, I won't take Mwotsit either as I gather it causes lethargy and weight gain.

basically I won't try an SNRI. The doctor really wanted me to try it, instead of fluoxetine, because they are so against prescribing the odd diazepam. i managed to argue that fluoxetine + occasional diazepam was giving me a normal life.

if you have a psych though, you should hopefully be better placed to get what you need?

can you arrange a phone appointment before?

PS def gets blood tests, could be low iron etc.

I won't do an ssri because they make my anxiety worse. Yes I have a psychiatrist through the NHS so there's a long wait to see him. I'll contact my GP and see what she says. I'm glad you've found something that works for you.

OP I realise you won't want to type out all the details here

but just in case, were you told that anxiety would get worse before it got better on SSRIs? It certainly happened to me but it levelled off.

I was first diagnosed years ago, when it was a Big Deal to label a patient as having mental health problems and things were very thoroughly explained to me by an excellent GP. Sadly for all her patients, she us retired now.

I am concerned that some patients don't get all the pertinent info these days.

I do realise you also might have years of experience with meds of course.

Thanks for being so helpful. I do have a long history of SSRIs. I've been on 7 of them and they all put me over the edge with anxiety. I was on one for five years which helped my depression but made it impossible to leave the house due to anxiety.

Right, so based on your update I'd say

get blood tests
if nothing there, and you feel your anxiety is improved on the current drug, could you look at reducing it?

do you know what I mean when I say I find there's a terrible see saw of anxiety and depression? Is it possible the see saw has tipped too far the other way?

I'm going to make an appointment with my GP tomorrow. I think it's a good idea to let her know what's going on and see what she suggests.

As far as the medication goes, I need to speak to my psychiatrist regarding that. I do see what you mean re the see saw of depression and anxiety. My anxiety hasn't got better but it hasn't got worse in venaflaxine. I was actually looking to increase it, not decrease it. But that's a conversation with my psychiatrist.

Thanks btw, I appreciate you taking the time to help.

Hope you get a good result

Thanks I appreciate your help 😊