Hi everyone!
Ive been so tired lately - like its a struggle to keep my eyes open.
I feel very foggy and very just very drained....it sucks....
Does this ever go away? I cant live like this....its hard to work full time when all you want to do is sleep....except at night - then I cant sleep.
Also how do you get into a routine. IM told that if I start going to bed and waking up at the same time that will help but really how do you start that?
Thanks
I had to learn to get into a consistent sleep pattern myself. The tegretol that I'm on was a big help in getting some sleep. I also took a leave of absence from my job. I have now decided to quit since that was the biggest stress producer outside of my body.
The first thing is to
STOP
getting out of bed
turning on the TV
turning on the lights
getting on the computer
reading books
taking long naps during the day
2nd get ready for bed at an appropriate time
have a routine
mine is take my supplements/meds, drink warm tea, take a bath, read for a bit, shut off lights, pray
if I wake up during the night...STAY IN BED...have a pad of paper next to my bed and write down thoughts...use a tiny reading light or nothing.
It took me 3 months...but I did it..I broke the habit. I wake up during the night only rarely...2-3 times a month vs the 5x a week previously.
I see my therapist every other week. I have a few friends that I can dump on. My husband is my rock.
I'm adding in consistent exercize and eating right again. Little by little, step by step.
I hope these things help you in your quest for sleep.
I have to conciously make an effort. I'm still quite tired but getting better...that's mostly due to the depression that is working it's way out. I still have a few episodes of anxiety attacks...it's the rollercoaster ride of the emotions that create the severe fatigue.
God's Blessings,
Shelly
My therapist worked with me about learning how to keep night, night and day, day. I had programmed my body to not sleep. I was scared to sleep. I might miss something...I had SO MUCH TO DO all the time. I worked myself into a frenzy. I used alcohol to go to sleep a couple glasses of wine...that ended up to be most nights...alcohol is a natural depressant.
I work full time and I don't have the luxury of just taking time off (me gets penalized). So, I struggle through and struggle I do.
I can't offer much with bed routines cause right now... I don't have much of one.
I used to though and even now I'm trying.
Used to be that I'd run a warm bath and soak a while... to relax.
Or, I'd turn out the lights and put on classical music and just focus on the rhythm and perhaps pick out one instrument in the piece to concentrate listening to...
In that my mind just will not shut off... I have to make it change it's thoughts and sometimes I do that now.. by picking up a good book, with nothing but a lamp on near my bed, my blankets pulled up around me and my cat laying on my lap... and just read. It's a struggle cause it's hard to concentrate but eventually, I find myself dozing off after a few pages... mostly cause I'm struggling to concentrate on the pages and not what's in my mind and I get exhausted.
I find taking sleeping aids, for me anyway, either leaves me high and awake all night OR so hung over in the morning that I can't roll off the bed.
Point is... you get yourself a structured routine as you would a structured routine for something done say at work... you start with A, then go to B, etc... not take naps during the day cause it will mess up your night sleep, no caffeine or alcohol close to or at bedtime cause this will upset sleep, etc...
I have to work harder on re-structuring my routine as well...
I had a sleep study done as I had excessive daytime sleepiness (some of it as a side effect of medication) that was truly dangerous--falling asleep while driving & having a "wave of exhaustion" come over me that people at work could actually SEE!
Ended up I don't have sleep apnea, but I do have chronic insomnia & took some heavy duty sedating meds to try to get me to sleep & take Provigil to help me stay awake during the day. Had EMDR therapy treatment done & am now off sedating meds as that has helped insomnia so much (but do have problems w/back pain right now that is very severe; seeing a pain management guy for that, but found out that because I took so many psych meds {Abilify & Lamictal & Trazodone & Klonopin, etc. when in an acute phase & then continued for about 12 yrs. for maintenance} that the pain meds are not working! Apparently because I took all these meds my liver is very efficient at metabalizing the pain medications so even double what a "regular" dosage would be doesn't have any effect on me!
I was in the ER a couple weeks ago due to pain & not being able to move & the doc put dialud (not sure of spelling) in my IV & I had no response to it whatsoever. He added another dose & STILL no effect on the pain; didn't even feel a little bit of a lessening of the pain. This is getting scary as oxycodone didn't do much; Vicodine that did help a lot when I had a flareup of this condition in 2002 (hadn't been on psych meds for a long period of time at that point) now hardly makes a dent in the pain.
Tried other pain meds, pain patch, even a gel that you put on your back to no effect. Have had a couple steroid shots & epidural shots & have had no relief. Saw a neurosurgeon yesterday & will consult w/an orthopedic surgeon next week, but surgery looks like it won't be that helpful & will cause other problems (my arthritis condition will most likely worsen if I have surgery).
I had a colonoscopy (sorry, hope no one is having a meal!) & had to have some polyps removed & the "twilight" anesthetic didn't work! I'm screaming & the doc told me later he had turned up the amount of anesthetic I could get to the highest degree without casusing my heart to stop, but it didn't work!
I see pain management doc today & am wondering if this condition will reverse itself if I get off these meds (I'm slowly getting off most psych meds w/help from my provider & therapist & DBT). But I still take Provigil & Concerta & statins & high blood pressure medication & thyroid medication...
Not sure if it is only the psych meds that caused this or ALL meds. I certainly don't want to consider any procedures if the pain medication or anesthetic will not work or I have to take such a high dosage that could be dangerous.
Doing physical therapy, mindfulness & lots of crying at night as it is so painful to try to sleep.
Be sure to discuss this w/your meds provider! You DO NOT want to go have a colonoscopy & have polyps cut out WITH NO ANESTHETIC!! Unfortunately, my father had colon cancer at a young age so I have to have this test done more frequently than most people...
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
When i used to work full time i felt exactly the same. Unfortunately i had use a vacation day or two for days that i just couldn't move. I can say from personal experience that it comes and goes, but i know its different for everyone. My rountine was to go to bed when i felt sleepy which is about 10 or 11pm. Drink something warm or read a book before a dosed. When morning came i would play some music to get me pumped, brushed my teeth etc., make lunch then head to work. Now my rountine is to get up, brush teeth and etc., make breakfast then read the New York Post on-line. Its helps for the most part, but i still get those days where its a struggle. I believe anything that helps you get motivated should help.