Help with exhaustion?

[harasgenster]

Hi, I've not been on this forum for a while but there's a particular symptom that's proving a massive struggle for me and I'm not really sure what to do about it.

I'm suffering from crushing exhaustion that's making it very hard to drag myself through the day at work (I now work part time as have never been able to hold down a full time job for long) and it's difficult to socialise, do the housework etc as well.

This symptom has gradually got worse over a few months, although I haven't had a 'normal' amount of energy for about five years and have left jobs and study specifically due to exhaustion in the past.

I'm sleeping fine, and if I'm not woken artificially can easily sleep for 12-14 hours. It's generally a full bladder that wakes me! But even when I just have the 8 hours I feel I need I wake up feeling limp and weak, with no energy in my body. I try to drag myself on because I don't think just lying around will help but after around three hours of functioning (regardless of whether it's work, socialising, housework or shopping etc) I will feel so overwhelmed by the lack of energy and tiredness that I just have to give up and go home (or if I'm at work my very understanding boss allows me to take a little while to close my eyes and stay still until I feel like I can continue, but my work has suffered greatly over the last few months as I'm struggling to stay awake and focus). This week I have even started to have a rest after taking off my coat! My arms go limp and tired and ache a bit when I'm undressing/taking off my coat and I feel like I need to sit down and recover.

A few weeks ago I went to the doctor because I'd tried walking to give me more energy but after half an hour my muscles would start shaking as if I'd run 10 miles and I would feel unbearably unwell. Doing things and exercise actually seems to make the symptom worse. He tested me for thyroid function (both high and low) and diabetes but I was fine. I'm going back on Monday to ask if it's worth checking for anaemia, but I expect it will turn out to be psychological.

Have others suffered with this level of low energy? I'm starting to dread every day because I know I need to try and carry on and keep going, but I feel like my body is screaming at me to stop. I'm not very busy, my life has become more and more empty since I have felt too tired to go on - I don't even have sex anymore because I don't feel well enough - and I have very early nights now because I can't stay awake for long.

My doctor has suggested that pills aren't suitable for me as I've been on a large number of them and none have had a significant effect, so I'm waiting for therapy (that I was referred for years ago but still no appointment). I'd like to be able to combat this in the meantime but I'm running out of ideas.

I think the thoughts I'm having that are behind the ill feeling are that I feel very overwhelmed by life itself in that I don't expect to enjoy any of it, so all I see are the rolling of many more bleak years ahead of me that I feel I must endure. The fact I see life as an endurance feat and I'm finding it very difficult to feel good about anything is probably tiring me out, but I'm not sure what I could try to help me see life differntly as I've looked at it every which way and can't imagine anything being enjoyable.

Any thoughts?

[clio51]

\i to get extremely tired but mine is due to high anxiety. if i do something for an hour i need a sit down because im knackered.
are you an anxious person because dont be put of by how anxiety zaps your energy.
if you dont mind me asking how old you are? im 55 and menoupausal just had a period after 10mths of none thought i was coming through the other side not my luck!!
also ask the doc about your b12 count as last time i went mine was low and told me to buy a good multi vit and come back in month. but been really ill with anxiety so havnt been back yet.

[harasgenster]

\i to get extremely tired but mine is due to high anxiety. if i do something for an hour i need a sit down because im knackered.
are you an anxious person because dont be put of by how anxiety zaps your energy.
if you dont mind me asking how old you are? im 55 and menoupausal just had a period after 10mths of none thought i was coming through the other side not my luck!!
also ask the doc about your b12 count as last time i went mine was low and told me to buy a good multi vit and come back in month. but been really ill with anxiety so havnt been back yet.

26 so fingers crossed not my menopause! I will mention b12 to the doc and see, thanks :)

I can't really tell whether I'm anxious or depressed really. I don't have panic attacks anymore and don't have anything in particular to be stressed about, although I do find myself worrying about various (relatively implausible/irrational stuff).

Sorry to hear you've been feeling so unwell. Hope you feel better soon!

[miraiiro]

Like you, I've been severely lacking in energy for a few years now. I've almost forgotten when it's like to feel normal! I've been to the doctor quite a few times now and have had blood tests to check for problems with diabetes, anaemia, thyroid etc, but everything always comes back fine. It's very frustrating and makes you feel like a pain for bothering your GP so much, but it's just not right to always feel shattered, all of the time. The thing about exhaustion is that it could be anything really, CFS/ME, Lyme disease or even renal failure, so I suppose it's difficult for doctors to pinpoint exactly what's wrong. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a magical pill that could give you instant energy? I'd love to be able to function properly again, but I've more or less given up. The general response seems to be "deal with it" when you try to explain just how tired you are. You don't seem to get much sympathy, that's for sure. Some people will even accuse you of being lazy, which isn't very nice. (I'm sure they'd soon change their tune after swapping places with us for a week, ahaha). At least you have an understanding boss, so that's one thing in your favour.

There's not much else I can say really other than I know what you're going through, so please feel free to PM me if you ever need to talk. :)

[harasgenster]

Like you, I've been severely lacking in energy for a few years now. I've almost forgotten when it's like to feel normal! I've been to the doctor quite a few times now and have had blood tests to check for problems with diabetes, anaemia, thyroid etc, but everything always comes back fine. It's very frustrating and makes you feel like a pain for bothering your GP so much, but it's just not right to always feel shattered, all of the time. The thing about exhaustion is that it could be anything really, CFS/ME, Lyme disease or even renal failure, so I suppose it's difficult for doctors to pinpoint exactly what's wrong. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a magical pill that could give you instant energy? I'd love to be able to function properly again, but I've more or less given up. The general response seems to be "deal with it" when you try to explain just how tired you are. You don't seem to get much sympathy, that's for sure. Some people will even accuse you of being lazy, which isn't very nice. (I'm sure they'd soon change their tune after swapping places with us for a week, ahaha). At least you have an understanding boss, so that's one thing in your favour.

There's not much else I can say really other than I know what you're going through, so please feel free to PM me if you ever need to talk. :)

Thanks for your reply and yep, the doctors try their best but they're up against it with me I'm afraid :) I'm always coming in with something bizarre! I just try to remind myself that weird stuff has happened before and even the doctors have thought it can't just be psychological, but it all passes eventually. :) Hope you feel better soon.