Fatigue

[kidswarrior]

Every post I read had a good idea or two, and I'm certainly not qualified to offer much of a diagnosis, but I'll just mention that 1-2% of us have sleep apnea. Most don't know it. My whole life I would sleep 9 hours a night and as I got past 40, it still wasn't enough. Now, with the diagnosis and treatment, I can survive fine on 6 hours, although 7 is good and 8 is heavenly. And my body is not giving itself that shot of adrenaline once a minute while I sleep in order to keep me from choking--a great health relief. Anyway, just a thought.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Every post I read had a good idea or two, and I'm certainly not qualified to offer much of a diagnosis, but I'll just mention that 1-2% of us have sleep apnea. Most don't know it. My whole life I would sleep 9 hours a night and as I got past 40, it still wasn't enough. Now, with the diagnosis and treatment, I can survive fine on 6 hours, although 7 is good and 8 is heavenly. And my body is not giving itself that shot of adrenaline once a minute while I sleep in order to keep me from choking--a great health relief. Anyway, just a thought.

Hmmm...I know a little about sleep apnea but haven't looked into it much. I'll do a web search on it today for more details. I know it's when you stop breathing for periods of time while you sleep. I must admit there are times I have actually woken myself up for a gasp of breath. I obviously don't know if I do this regularly.

So Mark, did you have to go through the whole sleep study thing for diagnosis?

I swear, I fell asleep by 7:30-8:00 last night, had to get up at 5:30 this morning, and I feel like I could easily sleep a few more hours.

 

[kidswarrior]

Hmmm...I know a little about sleep apnea but haven't looked into it much. I'll do a web search on it today for more details. I know it's when you stop breathing for periods of time while you sleep. I must admit there are times I have actually woken myself up for a gasp of breath. I obviously don't know if I do this regularly.

So Mark, did you have to go through the whole sleep study thing for diagnosis?

I swear, I fell asleep by 7:30-8:00 last night, had to get up at 5:30 this morning, and I feel like I could easily sleep a few more hours.

Pam, you really need to have the sleep study done, to rule it out if nothing else. It's pretty painless--one night in a center, which is often like a hotel, and a 15 minutes follow up visit with their specialist/dr. Found out later it's also a serious health issue. So, yeah, I'd really recommend it to you.

Considering I don't snore anymore (so my wife can sleep now, too), don't wake myself up (usually from that gasping/choking you're talking about), and still at my age have the energy to keep working with one of the hardest student populations in any K-12 setting (street-savvy kids), it really isn't optional for me (Example: yesterday after school, we had a fight/jumping/borderline gang brawl between different races; Since I'm teacher/site principal [there's only my class in the shopping center]/security, I get to do it all. Had to stop it/sort it out, deal with PD when they came, notify parents/notify district admin. And that was a Monday. Turned off the light at 10:30 last night, got up at 5:30, feel fine.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Pam, you really need to have the sleep study done, to rule it out if nothing else. It's pretty painless--one night in a center, which is often like a hotel, and a 15 minutes follow up visit with their specialist/dr. Found out later it's also a serious health issue. So, yeah, I'd really recommend it to you.

Considering I don't snore anymore (so my wife can sleep now, too), don't wake myself up (usually from that gasping/choking you're talking about), and still at my age have the energy to keep working with one of the hardest student populations in any K-12 setting (street-savvy kids), it really isn't optional for me (Example: yesterday after school, we had a fight/jumping/borderline gang brawl between different races; Since I'm teacher/site principal [there's only my class in the shopping center]/security, I get to do it all. Had to stop it/sort it out, deal with PD when they came, notify parents/notify district admin. And that was a Monday. Turned off the light at 10:30 last night, got up at 5:30, feel fine.

Guess I should look into it. I was so tired last night I stayed home from training and I HATE missing class. Last night I got 10 hours of sleep, was still extremely tired when the alarm clock went off, and now I'm home from work and feel like I won't be able to keep my eyes open past 7:30 again, actually I could easily close my eyes now (6 pm) but will force myself to stay up for a little while.

I looked up sleep apnea symptoms, I have some. The fatigue of course, high blood pressure, and depression. I wake myself up for breath at times. I snore sometimes, I don't think I snore all the time. However, I sleep on my side, have had my tonsils and adenoids removed since I was a kid, and am not overweight.

I just shouldn't be this tired ALL THE TIME and I drink coffee all day long! It sucks.

 

[kidswarrior]

Guess I should look into it. I was so tired last night I stayed home from training and I HATE missing class. Last night I got 10 hours of sleep, was still extremely tired when the alarm clock went off, and now I'm home from work and feel like I won't be able to keep my eyes open past 7:30 again, actually I could easily close my eyes now (6 pm) but will force myself to stay up for a little while.

I looked up sleep apnea symptoms, I have some. The fatigue of course, high blood pressure, and depression. I wake myself up for breath at times. I snore sometimes, I don't think I snore all the time. However, I sleep on my side, have had my tonsils and adenoids removed since I was a kid, and am not overweight.

I just shouldn't be this tired ALL THE TIME and I drink coffee all day long! It sucks.

I don't know, Pam... This sounds awfully familiar. :idea:

Just before I had my first study/diagnosis, I could barely drive home 30-40 minutes cross town in the afternoon. I'd come very close to nodding off a couple of times every drive. Hypertension, bouts of depression... after I got the machine (treatment), people told me they could see the difference in my temperament. I'd had no idea.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I don't know, Pam... This sounds awfully familiar. :idea:

Oh great.

I got 9 1/2 hours of sleep last night and this morning I feel like I was up all night. Alright, I'll cal the doc this week.

I'm glad you got diagnosed and are feeling better Mark. Thanks so much for the info. :asian: I just want my energy back, this has been going on for too long.

 

[Yari]

It takes time for your body to ajust. And the older you are the longer it can take. So even if you had 1 day with 95, hours sleep, you have to keep going.

from what I've heard the best way to get a good sleep, is to go to bed around the same periode, and to get up around the the same each day. Think about the food/candy/soda you eat /drink before going to bed. And turn off the TV. Do not use the TV as a means of tunning down. Think of it as programming your body/mind on how to fall asleep. You want it to fall asleep "normally" so that's how it should be.

Just my 2 cents.
/Yari

 

[Jade Tigress]

It takes time for your body to ajust. And the older you are the longer it can take. So even if you had 1 day with 95, hours sleep, you have to keep going.

from what I've heard the best way to get a good sleep, is to go to bed around the same periode, and to get up around the the same each day. Think about the food/candy/soda you eat /drink before going to bed. And turn off the TV. Do not use the TV as a means of tunning down. Think of it as programming your body/mind on how to fall asleep. You want it to fall asleep "normally" so that's how it should be.

Just my 2 cents.
/Yari

Thanks for your observations Yari. :asian: My problem is that I already considered those things without relief.

I decided to take Mark's advice as his statements seemed to hit home most for me.

I called my doctor and saw her yesterday afternoon.
Upon explaining my symptoms she thinks it highly likely that I DO have sleep apnea and has ordered an overnight sleep study for me.

She discussed the differing causes of sleep apnea and said most of her patients with sleep apnea are overweight, however, because I am small she talked to me about the possibility that my larynx is narrow and when it relaxes during sleep it closes and prevents breathing. Since I have already had my tonsils and adenoids removed that is one less surgical possibility. But she said sometimes they will remove the uvula or part of the soft palate.

She looked in my mouth and noticed that the back of my throat, the soft palate, slopes, which is anatomical for me, but is already indicative of a narrowed air passage. Most peoples soft palate's are straight and provide a much wider air passage.

She said surgery would be a last resort and that the "pressure machine" (I can't remember what she called it right now) would be tried first if the diagnosis was confirmed, and that there is also a device EMT's use to open airways that may work for me.

If not sleep apnea she said it's possible I am having vivid dreams which are preventing me from restful sleep.

In any case, we're doing the sleep study to find out what's going on so I can get my energy back.

Thanks again for all the excellent advice everyone. I'll post an update once I have the study done and get a definite diagnosis.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I decided to take Mark's advice as his statements seemed to hit home most for me.

Good, then you don't need me going on about it

I called my doctor and saw her yesterday afternoon.
Upon explaining my symptoms she thinks it highly likely that I DO have sleep apnea and has ordered an overnight sleep study for me.

I have it but not all the time and if and only if I sleep on my back, especially if I have a sinus infection like I do at the moment, I know it is not much fun.

Please get checked and please let us know how it goes.

 

[kidswarrior]

I have it but not all the time and if and only if I sleep on my back, especially if I have a sinus infection like I do at the moment, I know it is not much fun.

Get well, and don't let the Sl.Ap. get you down.

Please get checked and please let us know how it goes.

Need I say anything more, here?

 

[IcemanSK]

Glad you're gettin' it looked at. Let us know how it goes.

 

[jonbey]

A friend of mine has sleep apnoea. He uses a machine when he sleeps, no big deal. Says he has much better sleep now.

But until that is diagnosed fully, look at your diet. Too many carbs, especially refined carbs (bread, pasta, junk food, chocolate etc), can make you lethargic. I recently moved to a high protein low carb diet, and I already feel like I have more energy!

Back to sleep apnoea, I think that I too have it. I cannot sleep on my back, if I do, it can cause nightmares and sort of snorting noises from me. I wake up in a panic and roll over to sleep. So I do not sleep on my back any more! Sometimes have aching shoulders in the morning from sleeping in odd positions, but at least I can breathe.

 

[Dagney Taggert]

Soooo right on about the diet thing! I follow the Gracie diet as strictly as I can. I don't mix certain foods, I stay away from wheat, and base my food choices around lean meat, vegetables, nuts, and rice.

Well, Saturday morning I decided to "treat" myself to some granola french toast, and I felt like total crap the whole day. I used to eat like that all the time! Changing my eating habits transformed my energy level for the better.

Dagney

 

[Jade Tigress]

Well, I had my sleep study Tuesday night. It sucked. I slept terribly tossing and turning, wires all over the place from my legs to my head. Then when I finally did sleep, fitfully, I was woken up twice by the nurse because I pulled something loose. All in all I probably got 4-5 hours real sleep, but it felt like 2.

Anyway, the nurse told me in the morning that even though I did have "some breathing episodes" and "some leg episodes" it's not severe enough to need treatment, and I don't snore. lol

She asked how long I've been on my antidepressant and thought maybe it needs to be changed, or maybe it's just the depression making me so tired. I refuse to change my scripts though. I won't change my BP med either. It took a long time to find drugs that I don't feel any side effects from. If fatigue is the worst side effect I'll live with it. I've experienced far worse SE's before finding the ones I'm on.

I can't possibly be anemic, I eat plenty of red meat and take vitamins. Maybe I'm just getting old. heh

Anyway, the results still need to be sent to my doc. I think I'll just give up on this and chalk it up to life. It does piss me off that I don't have the energy to do the things I used to have plenty of energy for. I feel like a slug. Maybe it really is just the depression and if that goes away I'll get my energy back. Maybe it's a BP/antidepressant combo side effect. I just don't have the energy to pursue it anymore. :lol2:

 

[kidswarrior]

Well, I had my sleep study Tuesday night. It sucked. I slept terribly tossing and turning, wires all over the place from my legs to my head. Then when I finally did sleep, fitfully, I was woken up twice by the nurse because I pulled something loose. All in all I probably got 4-5 hours real sleep, but it felt like 2.

Anyway, the nurse told me in the morning that even though I did have "some breathing episodes" and "some leg episodes" it's not severe enough to need treatment, and I don't snore. lol

She asked how long I've been on my antidepressant and thought maybe it needs to be changed, or maybe it's just the depression making me so tired. I refuse to change my scripts though. I won't change my BP med either. It took a long time to find drugs that I don't feel any side effects from. If fatigue is the worst side effect I'll live with it. I've experienced far worse SE's before finding the ones I'm on.

I can't possibly be anemic, I eat plenty of red meat and take vitamins. Maybe I'm just getting old. heh

Anyway, the results still need to be sent to my doc. I think I'll just give up on this and chalk it up to life. It does piss me off that I don't have the energy to do the things I used to have plenty of energy for. I feel like a slug. Maybe it really is just the depression and if that goes away I'll get my energy back. Maybe it's a BP/antidepressant combo side effect. I just don't have the energy to pursue it anymore. :lol2:

Whatever it is, hope you feel better soon. But you're right that Life Happens, and the old bod changes as the decades roll on.

Glad you ruled out apnea, too. It's something to know about yourself. And those studies are great fun.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Thanks for letting us know and I hope you feel better soon

 

[jks9199]

She asked how long I've been on my antidepressant and thought maybe it needs to be changed, or maybe it's just the depression making me so tired. I refuse to change my scripts though. I won't change my BP med either. It took a long time to find drugs that I don't feel any side effects from. If fatigue is the worst side effect I'll live with it. I've experienced far worse SE's before finding the ones I'm on.

I can't possibly be anemic, I eat plenty of red meat and take vitamins. Maybe I'm just getting old. heh

Anyway, the results still need to be sent to my doc. I think I'll just give up on this and chalk it up to life. It does piss me off that I don't have the energy to do the things I used to have plenty of energy for. I feel like a slug. Maybe it really is just the depression and if that goes away I'll get my energy back. Maybe it's a BP/antidepressant combo side effect. I just don't have the energy to pursue it anymore. :lol2:

There's something wrong, if you've lost the energy you used to have. And you don't know what else it's an indicator of.

Keep working on it.

One thought... How do you really know you're not anemic? Have you had the blood tests? Because it could be that something is blocking you from absorbing the iron despite your diet, or keeping your body from making red blood cells, or you're making too many of them... or something else. Might be worth actually checking it out...

 

[Jade Tigress]

There's something wrong, if you've lost the energy you used to have. And you don't know what else it's an indicator of.

Keep working on it.

One thought... How do you really know you're not anemic? Have you had the blood tests? Because it could be that something is blocking you from absorbing the iron despite your diet, or keeping your body from making red blood cells, or you're making too many of them... or something else. Might be worth actually checking it out...

Good points. I'll wait to hear from my doc about the sleep study. She'll probably suggest some blood work. I just hate the runaround trying to figure it out. *sigh* But you're right. :asian:

 

[Dagney Taggert]

Jade-

One more food-vitamin-mineral possibility: have you considered that your magnesium levels could be low? This could possibly account for the excessive low mood. Supplements are okay, but straight broccoli is a better choice.

Hang in there and keep at the research! I am thinking good thoughts for you.


Dagney

 

[Jade Tigress]

Jade-

One more food-vitamin-mineral possibility: have you considered that your magnesium levels could be low? This could possibly account for the excessive low mood. Supplements are okay, but straight broccoli is a better choice.

Hang in there and keep at the research! I am thinking good thoughts for you.


Dagney

Hmmm...no I haven't considered it. I have been eating lots of broccoli lately in salads, but it's not something I eat on regular basis year round. I do take high quality supplements in capsule form, but I haven't been taking them as regularly as I used to the past several months. Thanks for your insight. :asian: