Extreme Tiredness
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| Mon, 10-17-2005 - 8:26am |
Hi Everyone. I have a real issue with being tired lately and wanted to see if anyone has any ideas or suggestions as to what this might be caused by or what might be wrong. I know we are not docs out here, but just wanted to get some feedback.
Here is a little background on me:
Meds: I am on Zoloft, 50mg a day. I have been on 50mg since March. I am approaching 7 months on 50mg. I was on 100mg before that but it made me too dazed, but did certainly get me through a very difficult onset of anxiety that started in Sept last year in which became unbearable, so I started the 100mg in November last year and did that until March when I went down to 50mg. I saw my doc in August and we decided I should stay on 50mg for a while longer because I was still having some anticipation anxiety.
I am a person who falls asleep very easily and can typically sleep through the night without waking, and when I do wake, I do not have trouble getting up and about. This all still holds true. But, for the last week or two I would say, I am finding myself falling asleep anytime I am riding in a car even during the day, and falling asleep very easily in the evening several hours before bedtime even. I have also had trouble staying awake while driving to work in the morning and on the way home in the evening, which I have always had some issues with, but recently it has gotten worse. If someone else is driving I really conk out. At home, if I am not doing something active, I will fall asleep while watching TV or just sitting around. Same thing at work, if I am busy doing something, I am typically ok, but if I am just at my desk doing nothing major, I start dozing way too easily.
My Lifestyle: I exercise daily, eat pretty healthy, and do not take in caffeine much at all. I do not smoke or drink. I take a multivitamin every day that I have been taking for quite some time. I am on birth control pills, which is the same pill I have been on for nearly 10 years now. My thyroid was checked earlier this year and was normal. It was checked last year too and was normal. I just saw the gyn doc last month for my yearly exam and all of that came back fine (pap smear, pelvic exam, breast exam). I am 29 years old, soon to be 30 in December. I have no kids, just a husband and we are doing fine so no stress at home. I do not feel stressed at work either.
It is just weird because it is like something changed a couple weeks ago that has made me very tired and sleepy and I cannot figure out what it could be, which of course leads me to worry. Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks for listening.
Kim

Always good to see you, Kim:) Just reading your post brought 3 things to my mind. Extra stress, the beginning of a depression & a sleep disorder. The first 2 are the ones that have caused my insomnia. I have to be very careful because lack of good, sound sleep will set off my anxiety. Even
Do you also suffer from depression and/or SAD? Generally those who suffer from SAD start feeling this way this time of year from what I understand. I know there are probably others that know more about this but both may be a possibility. Also have you had bloodwork done? Anemia will also cause lack of energy and a need to sleep often. Iron pills can solve that, I believe.
Anyway, hope one of my suggestions might help and maybe someone else has more detail to the conditions I mentioned.
Alison
Kim, it's really hard to make a diagnosis because none of us are doctors. It sounds like medically you're already doing all the right things, so there is no reason for you to be this tired all the time. At the same time fatigue is a very common complaint for people with anxiety or depression, it is a psychological symptom. It doesn't have to necessary come with stress, sometimes it's the manifesation of anxiety or disorder. I dont know if what I said made sense, but it does in my head :)
regardless, my advice is to go see your doctor again...of course something could have changed two weeks ago, our bodies are constantly changing. it couldn't hurt to get a medical evaluation just to make sure nothing more serious is going on.
hope you feel better soon