mamashark Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 I've struggled with exhaustion for so many years - For a long time dr's told me that it was because I was still waking up with kids overnight. We are finally to the stage where that's not happening anymore. My Dr. told me to take B complex because all my labs related to causes of tiredness were fine - literally everything is in range except my testosterone is high, progesterone low, and cholesterol high. Those are the only out of range numbers. And she's not worried about the cholesterol because she says it's driven by the other hormones and if we fix one it'll fix the other. I'm on several supplements to help with the hormones, including some to help with general health... omega 3, adrenal support, vit. D, B complex, several just for hormone support (licorish, saw palmetto, vitex), a couple for blood sugar regulation - ALA, NAC, (which was related to the hormones but my blood sugars are now ALL in range, including fasting). I finally got a dr. to listen to me about the exhaustion - they ordered a slew of labs and an OAT test. Labs all came back normal per medical guidelines, but waiting to see what the functional dr. says. The dr. had to reschedule my OAT test results apt. for 2 more weeks. And I'm hitting that point in the exhaustion cycle where I literally wake up tired and want to cry by lunch because I'm just done for the day and I've got SO MUCH DAY LEFT. She wanted the OAT test to look at possible mold toxicity, SIBO, Candida overgrowth (although bloodwork antibodies came back negative), high oxalataes (but said that if this is indeed the case, she suspects this is a symptom, not a cause). I'm supposed to take steps to reduce stress, take epson salt baths, and wait for test results. What else can I do, or look into, that might help revive my energy levels??? I was doing ok the first 2 weeks as I waited for results, because I had a light at the end of the tunnel, but now I feel like sleeping for the next 2 weeks, or throwing something out a window. There's gotta be something else and I'm feeling so depressed today because I stayed up until 10pm last night because of something we did together as a family and I could barely get out of bed this morning 😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Sleep test to check for sleep apnea? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Have you done a sleep study? My quality of sleep is bad due to multiple reasons; insomnia, asthma, stress. Other possibilities are chronic fatigue syndrome, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) For me, doing jumping jacks and jogging on the spot while waiting for my coffee to be done help boost my energy level as I am a night owl but have to wake up at 6am. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Epstein Bar Virus titers? Chronic Fatigue? Did they do a FULL ferritin profile, or just iron? Low ferritin, even without anemia, can cause issues. Also, agree to doing a sleep study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 I had extreme exhaustion for about a year before I was diagnosed with celiac. Like, had to take a nap after walking to the mailbox and back type of exhaustion. In most people, celiac makes them lose weight. Not the case with me. It made me retain weight. Still, for me, my first symptom is extreme achy joints and fatigue, not stomach. I also have Epstein Barr and often have flare ups. I have three autoimmune disorders and thyroid issues. (Have you been tested for Hashimoto’s?) I have had a lot of health issues and found that two things that help with my fatigue is working out and eliminating caffeine. I know. Crazy. But after a week of zero caffeine, I feel so much more awake. Like a fog has lifted from my brain. For working out, I have found that there is a happy medium. I have to work out really hard, but not too hard. Light workouts make me tired. I think it has something to do with how I sleep after working out. Maybe keep a food and activity journal to monitor for patterns? And I do agree with a sleep study, though I have not had one personally. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Just now, GoVanGogh said: I had extreme exhaustion for about a year before I was diagnosed with celiac. Like, had to take a nap after walking to the mailbox and back type of exhaustion. In most people, celiac makes them lose weight. Not the case with me. It made me retain weight. Still, for me, my first symptom is extreme achy joints and fatigue, not stomach. I also have Epstein Barr and often have flare ups. I have three autoimmune disorders and thyroid issues. (Have you been tested for Hashimoto’s?) I have had a lot of health issues and found that two things that help with my fatigue are working out and eliminating caffeine. I know. Crazy. But after a week of zero caffeine, I feel so much more awake. Like a fog has lifted from my brain. For working out, I have found that there is a happy medium. I have to work out really hard, but not too hard. Light workouts make me tired. I think it has something to do with how I sleep after working out. Maybe keep a food and activity journal to monitor for patterns? And I do agree with a sleep study, though I have not had one personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted May 10, 2019 Share Posted May 10, 2019 I see you're taking Vitamin D--how much are you taking? Did you get levels (25 OHD)? The lab levels on that are likely way lower than they should be, so you may be low even if they say normal. I know it's been mentioned--but I highly recommend a sleep study. I didn't seem to fit the profile at all, but in my case it was moderate sleep apnea (and low D and coq10--the low coq is rare, the low D is extremely common). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
***** Posted May 12, 2019 Share Posted May 12, 2019 How is your sugar intake? It's good to lay off that. Any possibility of having a tick bite in the past? Have you had shingles recently? The tiredness takes a long time to get over. Just throwing out a few ideas...school is about over, it's ok to take time out now for yourself. Maybe you can do little bits in the summer after some time off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Chronic Fatigue or possibly Multiple Chemical Sensitivities are 2 things that come to my mind My DH has Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. he was a zombie for many years until we could modify our living environment My Brother had Chronic Fatigue as a young teen after having Glandular Fever ( I think you call it mono or something over there) it took him about 15 years to recover each year a little better than the year before . He had to be very careful to not overtax himself for a few years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 I likely have celiac and have been gluten free for 7 years. I am like 99.9% sugar free and follow Trim Healthy Mama with some modifications (I pair a fat with nearly every meal to keep my blood sugar in balance) I do have chemical sensitivities, I'd be interested in knowing how Melissa modified her living environment for her husband. I've also put on about 5 lbs in the past month. Which may seem insignificant and silly but I generally have trouble keeping weight on, and this is the first time I've gained without trying in my entire life. And my activity level/eating hasn't changed. I have not had a sleep study done, so that is something to look into - my sleep isn't always great, I will often wake up feeling tense, but I can only impact my tension levels when I'm awake, so I don't know how to improve that. no tick bites, D level (OHD) was 65, D level (1, 25 Dihydroxy) was 64. When I started my methylB Complex about a year ago I did have a period of time when I felt better - I'm doing some research on it and wonder if I'm overmethylating and I need to lay off the B complex now. I'll add that to my questions to ask next week. My folate was a little high according to the lab ranges, at 22, but B12 was in range at 607. During the winter I use a therapy light for SAD, which helps some. I'm contemplating the effort it would take to cut coffee entirely. I took a nap yesterday afternoon, which I hate to do because I always feel HORRIBLE after a nap, but then I drank a cup of coffee, and the combination of nap and coffee helped me feel clear minded for the first time in a while. no fog hanging over my head. I also have an eye apt. this week to ensure my glasses are the right prescription to see if that will help improve the headaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 thyroid? Celiac and thyroid go hand in hand. Otherwise sleep study for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 On 5/9/2019 at 12:15 PM, mamashark said: I've struggled with exhaustion for so many years - For a long time dr's told me that it was because I was still waking up with kids overnight. We are finally to the stage where that's not happening anymore. My Dr. told me to take B complex because all my labs related to causes of tiredness were fine - literally everything is in range except my testosterone is high, progesterone low, and cholesterol high. Those are the only out of range numbers. And she's not worried about the cholesterol because she says it's driven by the other hormones and if we fix one it'll fix the other. I'm on several supplements to help with the hormones, including some to help with general health... omega 3, adrenal support, vit. D, B complex, several just for hormone support (licorish, saw palmetto, vitex), a couple for blood sugar regulation - ALA, NAC, (which was related to the hormones but my blood sugars are now ALL in range, including fasting). I finally got a dr. to listen to me about the exhaustion - they ordered a slew of labs and an OAT test. Labs all came back normal per medical guidelines, but waiting to see what the functional dr. says. The dr. had to reschedule my OAT test results apt. for 2 more weeks. And I'm hitting that point in the exhaustion cycle where I literally wake up tired and want to cry by lunch because I'm just done for the day and I've got SO MUCH DAY LEFT. She wanted the OAT test to look at possible mold toxicity, SIBO, Candida overgrowth (although bloodwork antibodies came back negative), high oxalataes (but said that if this is indeed the case, she suspects this is a symptom, not a cause). I'm supposed to take steps to reduce stress, take epson salt baths, and wait for test results. What else can I do, or look into, that might help revive my energy levels??? I was doing ok the first 2 weeks as I waited for results, because I had a light at the end of the tunnel, but now I feel like sleeping for the next 2 weeks, or throwing something out a window. There's gotta be something else and I'm feeling so depressed today because I stayed up until 10pm last night because of something we did together as a family and I could barely get out of bed this morning 😞 Have you taken a sleep test? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachGal Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I also think you need to get a sleep test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer&Mom Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I just had a sleep test. My husband was concerned about my fatigue, I didn’t even think it was that bad. Diagnosis? Severe Apnea! So yeah. Get a sleep test. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 9 hours ago, mamashark said: I took a nap yesterday afternoon, which I hate to do because I always feel HORRIBLE after a nap, Napping might not work for you if you have an actual sleep disorder. However, if you don’t have a sleep disorder, then how long are you napping? Have you researched to see for how long you should nap? If you nap until you’re in the middle of the deep sleep part of your sleep cycle and then try to wake up from that deep sleep part, you’ll feel just dreadful. But if you wake up either before or after the deep part of the sleep cycle, then normally a person feels slightly groggy for a moment or two, but when they stand up and start moving, they end up feeling refreshed. And all that only counts if you are not having actual sleep issues, like sleep apnea. If you have a sleep disorder, then the regular rules of napping might not apply to you at all. If I were you, I’d certainly get the sleep study done in addition to the testing the doctor is doing. I’m surprised the doctor didn’t suggest it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caedmyn Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Have you done a 4x saliva cortisol test? Low cortisol levels can cause extreme fatigue (btdt). The website Stop the Thyroid Madness has good info on adrenal fatigue and testing for and treating it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 What kind of headaches? Depending on timing and/or type, lots of headaches are linked to sleep apnea. I'm really surprised your doctor didn't suggest a sleep study initially given your symptoms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 13 hours ago, mamashark said: I likely have celiac and have been gluten free for 7 years. I am like 99.9% sugar free and follow Trim Healthy Mama with some modifications (I pair a fat with nearly every meal to keep my blood sugar in balance) I do have chemical sensitivities, I'd be interested in knowing how Melissa modified her living environment for her husband. I've also put on about 5 lbs in the past month. Which may seem insignificant and silly but I generally have trouble keeping weight on, and this is the first time I've gained without trying in my entire life. And my activity level/eating hasn't changed. DH has Multiple Chemical Sensitivities . When he was at his worst he could only come inside for meals and a couple of hours in the evening. he slept outside on the veranda for 4 years. How we modified our house included -building a special bedroom that has floor to ceiling windows on 3 sides of the room. hardwood floors , an organic cotton inner-spring mattress - bedding of only natural fibers nothing unnecessary in the bedroom including no chest of draws etc that store any clothing etc. -ripping up the flooring in the house to completely eliminate partial board and putting down hardwood flooring that was finished with expensive finishing form Europe _ cannot remember the name of it -painting the whole house inside with BIO paint -completely getting rid of gas for cooking -using specialized laundry detergent and shampoo for the whole family All this took about 4 years and we had a lot of help form my family. We also isolate ourselves pretty much from other people as the products they use cause reactions in DH with all this DH had a marked improvement in his energy levels 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 (edited) How many hours a day do you actually get quality sleep, uninterrupted? If it's less than 7-8 hours, there's your problem, almost surely. Edited May 14, 2019 by Reefgazer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamashark Posted May 14, 2019 Author Share Posted May 14, 2019 10 hours ago, caedmyn said: Have you done a 4x saliva cortisol test? no, my dr. talked about ordering that if these tests don't show us anything. 9 hours ago, sbgrace said: What kind of headaches? Depending on timing and/or type, lots of headaches are linked to sleep apnea. I'm really surprised your doctor didn't suggest a sleep study initially given your symptoms. I feel like they are similar to tension headaches, generally pressure in or around my temples. 6 hours ago, Reefgazer said: How many hours a day do you actually get quality sleep, uninterrupted? If it's less than 7-8 hours, there's your problem, almost surely. I get aprox. 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Honestly, I feel like I wake up and roll over a couple times overnight, and then I feel groggy for a while in the morning until I eat and drink coffee. I'm trying to eat before I drink coffee but it's hard!! I am going to find a place to do a sleep study, it sounds like that could be a big part of figuring out what's going on. And if nothing else, it'll rule out some stuff! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Any nasal congestion? Ear pressure? Post nasal drip or sore throat? Allergies can cause sleep issues and also headaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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