Coping with fatigue/exhaustion

[Mr.Jitters]

Hey guys,

I've been struggling with extreme fatigue / exhaustion as a result of anxiety for around two months now. At first I slept for 12-14 hours a night and woke up tired, with stinging eyes and needing to nap within 3 hours of waking. My doctor said that if you need to sleep, then sleep! Which would be lovely in an ideal world, but unfortunately we all need to function on some level during the day.

I've recently forced myself to get up after 8-9 hours sleep after changing meds, and employed a few tricks to keep myself energized but calm during the day. I sip cold water, take a multi-vitamin & mineral supplement, eat more fruit & veg than a swarm of locusts, and exercise gently for around an hour a day and take cool showers. I've even allowed myself 20 minute "power-naps" that became disastrous when I kept waking up 4 hours later. So far, nada. It doesn't seem to help that tiredness and depersonalization have become the sole trigger for panic attacks.

So, has anybody else experienced episodes of extreme fatigue or exhaustion as a result of anxiety? What has helped you? If you recovered, what was your secret, and how long did it take you to overpower the beast? :shrug:

[selphie]

yes yes and yes. i usaully go to bed at eleven and sleep through till 8am get up and half hour later im yawning and feeling knackered again same thing everyday and im still feeling it i dnt know how to get over it. i think if u suffer from anxiety even when u sleep your minds not resting and your not truly relaxed thats what i think your minds still working overtime no rest for the wicked hey?:closedeyes::closedeyes:

[Mr.Jitters]

Thanks for reassuring me that I'm not alone! It's been around two years since I had severe anxiety in my life, and then I had pretty insane insomnia. If it's not one thing, it's another, right? If I find a magic cure, I'll be sure to let you know :)

[ZHBully]

Sorry I haven't found a foolproof idea yet...I'll keep an eye on this thread though!

[Butterfly22]

hi there mr jitters, I struggle with the same problem, but havent found a way around it just yet, like ZHBully said, will keep an eye out on this thread for any ideas x

[Ddcoo]

Hi Mr Jitters, like you I suffer with extreme tiredness due to anxiety and I haven't found an answer to it yet. The anxiety just seems to take every ounce of strength, it must be a big strain on the system to stay in the anxious state. Do you find you have intense dreams or nightmares? I wake up feeling as tired as when I when I went to bed. If possible I have a nap in the afternoon, but as you say it runs a lot longer than 15 mins sometimes and I am always ready to go back to bed by 9pm. Sorry that I haven't given you any definite answers for a recovery, but at least you know you are not on your own. Thanks for your help with the vertigo - the cinnarizine are working and I got up today.

[eternally optimistic]

Hi there

I have, and I say "have" and not "am" thankfully, suffered extreme fatigue...

I was always unwell, exhausted, felt like I was carrying myself and another around and was extremely knackered. . .

I now know that was a build up of anxiety and it want until 4 years ago when I sort of had a break down and got put on a low dose of citalopram that one day, after about 6 months of taking it I woke up and realised I felt alive and energised - I felt rested.

I had probably been like that for at least a good 10 years maybe a lot more - OMG!

I didnt go on the meds for this symptom as I didnt, at the time, put the two things together and never mentioned it to my GP!!

He did confirm when I had to start taking the tabs again that this is what it was.

Soz to ramble but, if you can at least feel at rest with your body the other problems can get slightly easier. Otherwise, you are always fighting to keep going.

Hope this sort of helps, best wishes for the future.

[Mr.Jitters]

Thanks guys, it's comforting to know we're not alone. I guess we're not just dealing with anxiety during the day, we're battering ourselves with it all night too. Jay ann, I'm glad you found refreshing rest, and thanks for showing us there's hope for us yet :)

Ddcoo, glad you're feeling a little better. That's pretty much my profile, vivid dreams/nightmares, waking up feeling like I've been punched in both eyes and just as tired as when I went to bed.

I have an appointment with a trainee GP on Tuesday, if she offers me the secret to refreshing sleep and daytime energy, I'll be sure and share it :)

[Butterfly22]

So do we suffer the anxiety during sleep?

[bookworm58]

i am suffering from lack of sleep,i ended up having a breakdown because of it,i am often woken up by palpitations,what i would give for a decent nights sleep:weep:

[Butterfly22]

awwww, sorry to hear about this bookworm :hugs:

[Mr.Jitters]

Hey guys,

Had my appointment with a trainee GP this morning, and found it very enlightening.

Mornings are difficult, as they are for most of us because of the release of cortisol & nor/epinephrine that wakes us up & stimulates anxiety. My heart rate reaches 150bpm shortly after getting out of bed, and tends to taper off back to normal in the afternoon or evening, to around 90bpm at rest. Doctor suggested that I'm simply burning through my nor/epinephrine & cortisol because of anxiety, even when I'm not aware of it, which is leaving me exhausted. She's increased my nortriptyline dosage, as this will slow re-uptake and improve sleep architecture. If I haven't improved within a week she's suggested that I take a mild tranquilliser that will further improve sleep architecture.

Also recommended that I find a deep relaxation exercise that I like, and stick to it, just after waking, and just before bed. Have been using one at night, so will see if it makes a difference using it in the morning, too.

Will give it a shot, and see how it goes.

[ZHBully]

Interesting to hear about nortriptyline. Is that what you take normally for anxiety?
Let us know if the increase helps you.

[Mr.Jitters]

I've taken it for the past three weeks, after my GP withdrew Dosulepin (my saviour) because of NICE guidelines. Last night was the first night on the increased dose, and I was awake every hour on the hour with palpitations and that all too familiar feeling of impending doom. Woke up with my alarm clock for the first time in months, but in no fit state to face the day mentally. To be expected with any change of increase in medication and the anxiety we bring with it, so we'll see how it goes now.

Deep relaxation exercise seemed more effective in the morning than just at night. I've also discovered that cold eye drops are better than coffee :)

[ZHBully]

Oh no, sorry to hear your hard night last night. Hope the bad feelings decrease and are bearable

[Mr.Jitters]

Given up on the increased Nortriptyline as a bad job after 2 nights. Had the most crippling anxiety I've had in a long time for the past two days, every second has felt like it would be my last.

I'll spare you all the gory details, but going to see GP tomorrow at emergency surgery to request a return to Dosulepin or change to Imipramine for their anxiolytic properties. More noradrenaline would appear to be the last thing I need.

The quest for a quiet life and a good nights sleep never ends, does it? :)

[Ddcoo]

hi Mr Jitters, hope you get on OK at the doctors today and that you get to go back on your old medication Dosulepin; I am on Dosulepin and it suits me fine. As the doctor took you off Dosulepin, was it because they are no longer prescribing it as you mentioned something about NICE guidlines; I would be very interested to know.

I hate it when my meds get changed, the effect on my system is horrendous. I was put on Prozac once and I was completely up the walls with anxiety.

Will look forward to hearing how you got on.

[Mr.Jitters]

Thanks Ddcoo, how are you feeling now?

I had bloods taken this morning to check serum levels of Nortriptyline, results are in at 4:30pm and all being well a new GP at my practice has agreed to put me back on Dosulepin 150mg. Just trying to stay awake until then, which hurts, despite severe panic. The reason they're trying to get people off Dosulepin is the high mortality rate in overdose, which is still lower than Paracetamol. This GP is firmly of the opinion that if you're tired you need to enhance your sleep and take the edge off anxiety during the day, rather than just flood your system with more adrenaline.

Fingers crossed this time :)

[Ddcoo]

Hi Mr Jitters, thanks ever so much for the information on Dosulepin, I was dreading going to the doctors next Tuesday and him telling me I had to change to another tablet. Have you got your other results back from this afternoon?

I am still on the Cinnarizine but intend reducing the dose after the weekend and just hope the awful dizziness has gone. My head isn't quite right, I can tell as soon as I get up that I am foggy and eyes aren't sharply focused, and I am really tired all the time. Tonight I feel very anxious and I don't know why, but I have been up since 6am so maybe just normal tiredness, but it doesn't take much to get in a tizz. I feel like there is an impending doom looming.

I do hope that you feel much better soon, it is such a rotten feeling all the time, especially when there is no relief.

Let us know how you got on:blush:

[Mr.Jitters]

My results were fine and I got prescribed Dosulepin 75mg again and had my beta blockers changed to Atenolol because my pulse was 160 at the doctor's. I'm quite relieved. Incredibly tired after 3 hours sleep in 2 days, and can't wait for bed, so I sympathise with how you're feeling. I always dread tiredness as it's my single biggest trigger for anxiety and that horrible feeling of impending doom just won't go away. I hope you get a good rest tonight! We all need it, but it's easier said than done, eh?

Cinnarizine make me feel really foggy and a little over tired sometimes, so I hope you're fine when you start reducing the dose.

[Ddcoo]

Thanks again for the information on the Cinnarizine, it is really good being able to speak to someone who has experienced it.

I am so pleased that all went well this afternoon and that you are back on the Dosulepin, which I guess is such a relief to you. I have been on them for about 6 years now and they just suit me. My partner is on Atenolol as he had a heart stent put in this year and he has always had a very fast pulse and they work well for him.

So I wish for you tonight a really good night's sleep, you deserve it and tomorrow is another day which hopefully will be much better than the last few. Will catch up with you later.

[Mr.Jitters]

Thank you, I'm so relieved it's unreal. My doctor said that Dosulepin is a horrible drug, given all it's interractions and side effects, but he's shocked that everyone who takes it, loves it. I think it's so mild as an antidepressive agent, and quite potent as an anxiolytic, it's no wonder people like it.

Thanks for the reassurance on the Atenolol, and I wish you, and everyone else a really good night's sleep tonight too.

[zygfried]

Hi Mr Jitters, I've been absolutely knackered as a result of constant anxiety/depression and know how frustrating it can be. Resting is essential, I think, and gentle exercise is good too. What has really boosted my energy levels, however, is regular and vigorous exercise (I go spinning but anything that's intensely aerobic and gets those endorphins flowing is good). Now I know you have to have a certain amount of energy to do that and if you're really incapacitated (eg post-viral fatigue) then it's probably not appropriate. But if you can, and find an exercise that you really like, then I think it's really helpful. I know now if I don't exercise I can get really sluggish and more tired than usual. It has been a revelation for me. That's not to say that I'm no longer tired but it does help me. A good B vitamin and magnesium & zinc are also helpful. I've been told also that Siberian Ginseng is good and I've read that Rhodiola Rosea is good too. There are lots of things to try! Good luck with it and I hope you do find something that really makes a difference for you. Take care.

[zygfried]

ps when I'm really really tired (eg when I was working full-time) sometimes I just had to take to my bed to recover. It does take a lot of discipline to ensure you don't overdo it (which I have to say I'm still working on!), but if you're that exhausted, rest really is essential. Claire Weeks' books, though I found them very old-fashioned, are very good on resting! Prattling on a bit here, but good luck. It will get better!

[Mr.Jitters]

Thanks Zygfried, that was a lot of very helpful information. And thank you for giving me hope that it will get better! I'm taking Berocca, vitamin C with zinc and getting as many B vitamins as I can in my food and that's helped a little. Just been shopping online and picked up a Magnesium Calcium & Vitamin D supplement and some Siberian Ginseng, they definitely sound like they're worth a go. Now I'm on Atenolol instead of Propranolol and can realistically do some vigorous exercise, I'll give that a go.

Claire Weekes has become a staple in my daily routine, both her books and talks. As has Paul McKenna's free hypnotic induction before bedtime. Sceptical though I am, it really is relaxing.

I can't take valerian or most other sleep-architecture enhancing herbal products because of beta-blockers, but last night I tried some feverfew tea which apparently contains high amounts of melatonin and is safe with most medications, and the difference in my sleep was marked. I'll be carrying on with that for a while to see if it helps more, too.

[Ddcoo]

Hi again Mr Jitters, did you get a good relaxing nights sleep last night? Good to hear the feverfew helped. I had a much better night, just a pity when I wake the old anxiety feelings are there, but I guess they will be with me for a long time. I do hope you had a better day today.

[Mr.Jitters]

Much, much better, thanks. I'm glad you had a better night, too.

The feverfew was great, I'll give it a bit more of a trial before I endorse it though lol. I was overtired, and I have a hard time falling asleep initially when I'm like that, but it brought me down pretty quickly. Before I'd even taken the Dosulepin. It was recommended by a friend who works shifts in the fire service, and uses it to help him adjust his sleep patterns and he swears by it.

It's horrible to wake up to anxiety every morning. It seems to get better later in the day, and there's a period of grace before the anxiety from being tired kicks in. I guess we have no choice but to wait it out. Old habits die hard, as they say.

[Ddcoo]

Yes, agreed, the anxiety usually gets better as the day goes on unless I am having a really stressful period and the one thing that has bought me down quicker than anything is tiredness. When I had a breakdown when I was 40 it was the tiredness that was the worst and my stock phrase was "I can't cope". I have learned now to be kind to myself when I feel anxious. It eventually passes until the next time. How I wish I knew what triggers these sessions but I guess I inherited anxiety as 5 females in my family have varying degrees of anxiety.

Have another good day:)