cmichelle
03-24-2009, 03:42 PM
So, bear with me, this is long...but as a starter I'm a 20 year old female, always been in excellent health, probably been seriously ill twice in my entire life with no known food allergies (aside from strawberries) and I'm also an athlete. Onto the story!
Summer of last year I realized I was pretty tired. I didn't think much of it, I just finished my sophomore year of college and I spent summer at a pretty low stress 40 hour a week job. However, I noticed I was gradually gaining weight (15 stubborn lbs in the past 8-6 months) and I was sleeping 9-10 hours at night. I figured I was "just one of those people," but when the doctor anyway. I was mostly concerned about the weight gain, since I am athletic and am naturally around a certain weight, which suddenly increased. He said it was nothing, ran tests (CBC, the usual) all came back negative. Whatever, school started up again and I went into that.
Then in September I started having what was called "chronic cervicitis," as in after intercourse I was bleeding vaginally. I bled during a pap smear, during sex, etc. They changed my birth control multiple times, and finally just gave up in January claiming "I was just a bleeder"
Well, in January the fatigue started again, this time with a passion. Not only was I naturally sleeping 9-10 hours a day, I was also falling asleep in classes, fighting to stay awake at work (I work with children) and taking 1-2 hour naps during the day. My sleepiness varied, sometimes I would be tired in the morning, sometimes at night, but every day around 12 or 2 I would start getting really tired.
This last week was spring break, and I went home to visit my family. I should also note I had to quit my job in order to do all my homework before I inevitably passed out at 9 pm, but anyway. I visited my boyfriend, and he was really concerned about my sleeping. I've always been a heavy sleeper, I could sleep through a marching band, but he was worried about how tired I always was, how I would yawn all day, how I would nap frequently. I've always been a "Get up and do it" kinda person. So he told my mom, who noticed the same thing, and they sent me to our GP. He took a serious blood test (Reticulocye count, epstein barr AND Mono separately, Fifth's Disease, EPO, etc.) and a chest x-ray. I just got a call back today that said it all came back normal and if I was still tired in a month I could come back and he'd test more.
Well, I don't have a month. I'm a pre-med junior in college so I don't really have time to cater to a 15 hour a day sleeping schedule, even if I recently quit my job and have 3 extra hours a day. I've tried sleeping only 8 hours a day for a week, and found myself falling asleep while walking. I've eliminated dairy from my diet, taken Iodine pills, drank energy drinks...all to no avail. I've run out of options, to the point where I'm wondering if I'm just crazy or depressed or what.
Any suggestions?
Summer of last year I realized I was pretty tired. I didn't think much of it, I just finished my sophomore year of college and I spent summer at a pretty low stress 40 hour a week job. However, I noticed I was gradually gaining weight (15 stubborn lbs in the past 8-6 months) and I was sleeping 9-10 hours at night. I figured I was "just one of those people," but when the doctor anyway. I was mostly concerned about the weight gain, since I am athletic and am naturally around a certain weight, which suddenly increased. He said it was nothing, ran tests (CBC, the usual) all came back negative. Whatever, school started up again and I went into that.
Then in September I started having what was called "chronic cervicitis," as in after intercourse I was bleeding vaginally. I bled during a pap smear, during sex, etc. They changed my birth control multiple times, and finally just gave up in January claiming "I was just a bleeder"
Well, in January the fatigue started again, this time with a passion. Not only was I naturally sleeping 9-10 hours a day, I was also falling asleep in classes, fighting to stay awake at work (I work with children) and taking 1-2 hour naps during the day. My sleepiness varied, sometimes I would be tired in the morning, sometimes at night, but every day around 12 or 2 I would start getting really tired.
This last week was spring break, and I went home to visit my family. I should also note I had to quit my job in order to do all my homework before I inevitably passed out at 9 pm, but anyway. I visited my boyfriend, and he was really concerned about my sleeping. I've always been a heavy sleeper, I could sleep through a marching band, but he was worried about how tired I always was, how I would yawn all day, how I would nap frequently. I've always been a "Get up and do it" kinda person. So he told my mom, who noticed the same thing, and they sent me to our GP. He took a serious blood test (Reticulocye count, epstein barr AND Mono separately, Fifth's Disease, EPO, etc.) and a chest x-ray. I just got a call back today that said it all came back normal and if I was still tired in a month I could come back and he'd test more.
Well, I don't have a month. I'm a pre-med junior in college so I don't really have time to cater to a 15 hour a day sleeping schedule, even if I recently quit my job and have 3 extra hours a day. I've tried sleeping only 8 hours a day for a week, and found myself falling asleep while walking. I've eliminated dairy from my diet, taken Iodine pills, drank energy drinks...all to no avail. I've run out of options, to the point where I'm wondering if I'm just crazy or depressed or what.
Any suggestions?
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Missused1983
03-25-2009, 07:36 PM
Well... I don't know anything about the bleeding thing....
but I do suffer from a couple sleep disorders.... one doesn't sound anything like what may be your issue.... the other.. well you know could be....
I'm 26... as far as I can remember back.... I didn't sleep well and woke up tired, tired all day, I could even fall asleep mid conversation....
My issue is basically... no matter how much I sleep... 4 hours or 14 I hit approx 25% of the normal amt of REM for an adult that I should hit.... maybe this is your issue.... but you'll only find out if you have a sleep study run... if it is... there are medications they can prescribe you, and they flipping work wonders and no... it's not speed.... just a pill that helps you stay awake and functioning during the day... hope this helps, I'd tell you to get some rest... but it probably won't help! hahaha;)
but I do suffer from a couple sleep disorders.... one doesn't sound anything like what may be your issue.... the other.. well you know could be....
I'm 26... as far as I can remember back.... I didn't sleep well and woke up tired, tired all day, I could even fall asleep mid conversation....
My issue is basically... no matter how much I sleep... 4 hours or 14 I hit approx 25% of the normal amt of REM for an adult that I should hit.... maybe this is your issue.... but you'll only find out if you have a sleep study run... if it is... there are medications they can prescribe you, and they flipping work wonders and no... it's not speed.... just a pill that helps you stay awake and functioning during the day... hope this helps, I'd tell you to get some rest... but it probably won't help! hahaha;)
LL37
04-03-2009, 07:46 AM
I would really look into having more blood work up done now. I also have to ask if you might now be on a medication that could cause this, several SSRI make people extremely tired amoung other antidepressants.
lell
04-19-2009, 09:47 PM
Hi,
You might want to get your thyroid checked.Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include feeling tired, weight gain, sensitivity to cold, dry brittle hair,constipation,
difficulty with concentration and this strange one:loss of the outer 1/3rd of your eyebrows.Hope you feel better soon.
You might want to get your thyroid checked.Symptoms of hypothyroidism can include feeling tired, weight gain, sensitivity to cold, dry brittle hair,constipation,
difficulty with concentration and this strange one:loss of the outer 1/3rd of your eyebrows.Hope you feel better soon.
Canyondweller
04-21-2009, 07:33 PM
Well, I would think they would want to do a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea and also check into narcolepsy which I think comes on in adulthood. You should probably see a sleep Neurologist.
ThermoTech
05-14-2009, 05:37 AM
What are your iron levels exactly?
I'd recommend a cortisol saliva test. It could reveal hypothyroidism or another endocrine system problem. The regular blood tests for cortisol aren't reliable enough. You need to test four different times during the day, not once. Most med school-educated doctors order one 8 am blood draw cortisol test. That's not good enough, so you may need to bypass a reg. doc to get the test done+interpreted.
The weight gain plus fatigue suggests a possible hormonal problem that could be caused by an endocrine problem. (Adrenal glands affect metabolism.)
The typical initial noticeable symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue followed by a complaint of an unexplained weight gain.
I'd recommend a cortisol saliva test. It could reveal hypothyroidism or another endocrine system problem. The regular blood tests for cortisol aren't reliable enough. You need to test four different times during the day, not once. Most med school-educated doctors order one 8 am blood draw cortisol test. That's not good enough, so you may need to bypass a reg. doc to get the test done+interpreted.
The weight gain plus fatigue suggests a possible hormonal problem that could be caused by an endocrine problem. (Adrenal glands affect metabolism.)
The typical initial noticeable symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue followed by a complaint of an unexplained weight gain.
xFruitBatx
06-05-2009, 05:17 AM
Don't ever try to fix a sleep problem with things like caffiene. No. Go to your doctor.
The first thing is to have some bloodwork done: Hormone levels, thyroid levels, any deficiencies such as iron, and cortisol, if you can get a test for it (unavailable where I live). Second is a referral to a sleep centre-Make sure you are going to be seeing a psychiatrist or neurologist, not a respiratory specialist. Have an overnight sleep study done, and then work with the doctor to find therapies and medications which might help.
I also recommend getting a referral to an endocrinologist.
The first thing is to have some bloodwork done: Hormone levels, thyroid levels, any deficiencies such as iron, and cortisol, if you can get a test for it (unavailable where I live). Second is a referral to a sleep centre-Make sure you are going to be seeing a psychiatrist or neurologist, not a respiratory specialist. Have an overnight sleep study done, and then work with the doctor to find therapies and medications which might help.
I also recommend getting a referral to an endocrinologist.
Carena
06-08-2009, 12:27 PM
I used to sleep about 16 hours a day and was always tired, never had energy or strength to do anything, even cleaning the house was a big deal.
I did fasting with colonic irrigation (24 day total) in a fasting retreat (under professional guidence), my energy levels sky rocketed after that. I havent had the oversleeping problem since.
I heard lack of iron can be the cause of feeling tired and weak as well, but then the same goes with lack of iodine, b-vitamins and lots of things.
Another thing that worked for me one time, when I started feeling sluggish and constipated and had to drink coffee to stay up, was taking a de-worming medicine. It was called Albendazole. Then did some reading on Wikipedia about hookworms and found that hookworms leech iron from your blood. That made a lot of sense.
I did fasting with colonic irrigation (24 day total) in a fasting retreat (under professional guidence), my energy levels sky rocketed after that. I havent had the oversleeping problem since.
I heard lack of iron can be the cause of feeling tired and weak as well, but then the same goes with lack of iodine, b-vitamins and lots of things.
Another thing that worked for me one time, when I started feeling sluggish and constipated and had to drink coffee to stay up, was taking a de-worming medicine. It was called Albendazole. Then did some reading on Wikipedia about hookworms and found that hookworms leech iron from your blood. That made a lot of sense.