OT: Why am I always tired?

I'm tired when I'm not wired....my mind never stops. too much sleep in one shot has me feeling zonked. Plus, when I'm stressed or distressed (so much crap going on with my MIL at this point, it's scary), the feeling to become depressed is my best friend. I'm limiting it to a few hours a day..lol..honestly.

Medications can make it worse. Are you taking supplements/vitamins as well?

Probably the more exercise we do, the better we feel...and I'm waaay too guilty of not exercising.

I know you're a vegan...maybe adjusting some of that could up your energy?

q

Are you taking iron?
You may have anemia.
I find that taking a really good multi-vitamin with iron and eating raisins works for me.

Lately I just can't sleep...wish I could...4-5 hours is my max. I think if I got 9 hours my body would go into shock and feel even worse. With that said exercise (which darnnit should help me sleep) does help increase my energy level. I just feel better. Maybe get back into that routine. :)

No, I don't have anemia.

janey - I feel physically sick if I get less than 8 hours of sleep, preferably 9 to not feel sick (like I'll get a headache and feel really congested like I'm getting a cold...it's weird).

Thanks for the suggestions though.

I'm seeing my family doctor tomorrow for my annual pap and might ask her what she thinks. I also have a lot of trouble concentrating at work.

2 cups of coffee in the morning.

Sara,
It doesn't seem to matter the number of hours I sleep as it does the quality of the sleep in the time frame. I do feel over tired and out of it when I sleep too long but my sleep is always interrupted. If I get about 8-9 hours of sleep and get up and stay up I feel great. It is when I wake up at like 4 AM and then drift back off to sleep and the alarm goes off at 530... that is when I feel the way you describe... the headache and feeling like I am getting a cold.. to the degree of actually running a low grade fever. Maybe you have interrupted sleep?

My PCP told me when I got my diagnosis that I would have sleep issues since my body thinks it has to go to the bathroom all the time, it keeps your mind in a state of alert and alot of times you don't get to the REM sleep you need to rejuvenate and rest.
And like
I know your trying the vegan route, but maybe if you add in a mass amount of protein to offset not eating chicken and such? Protein gives you energy so its just a thought.

LivingAgain - Thanks for your response. Did your PCP say your body would have that response even when in remission? I do wake up at least 2-3 times each night. I usually have to use the bathroom once or twice (to urinate...) and then my kitten usually wakes me up once. haha. I'm getting enough protein, but thanks for your concern. I've always been like this even when I ate meat back in high school.

ItsAlwaysSomething - Yeah, I'm taking Allegra and I took it all through middle and high school too. I was off all allergy meds for about 7 years and just had to start them all again when my kitty came into my life. hehe. Unfortunately, my allergies are pretty severe so I would be much, much worse off just using a neti pot. (I do love my neti pot though! :) That's awesome that works for you though. I'm really hoping the allergy shots start helping me soon.

Maybe this is just normal. Does anyone wake up feeling completely rested? I also hate working in an office sitting in front of a computer all day...that sure doesn't help energize me.

LOL, janey. My kitten is the same way. She wakes me up every morning around 7:30 a.m. (which is when I need to get up for work anyway, but on the weekends it's really annoying) by pawing at, licking and sometimes pouncing on my face. She used to wake me up at 5 in the morning, so at least this is an improvement. Haha. I will ask about the sleep study.

I got sick a lot with colds in high school too and my allergies weren't as well controlled then. I'm trying to remember if I was this tired when I was off the allergy meds for 7 years and I think I was just as tired, but I'm having a hard time remembering. Unfortunately, I have no option but to take them because I'm miserable without them. What a curse to be allergic to my 2 favorite things in life -- cats and dogs!

I almost always have to "go" immediately after waking up...so yeah, my colon has never gone back to how it was before UC. Thanks for the input!

LOL about your kitten....neither of my cats can sleep in my room. They like to goof around all night. However my two labs think that the minute there is the slightest bit of light outside that we need to get up and they will moan and groan and pace the room till I get up. I make them wait if my 4 year old isn't up yet.

I'm allergic to dust mites-I take soo much crap just to not get hives and I still get them...may have to try shots.

LivingAgain -- I LOVE rat terriers. If I had a yard, I would get one for sure. I don't know why I do this to myself but just today I found a rat terrier pup on a breeder's website and I sat here trying to figure out how I could make it work. I can't. But that dog is darling and I love that breed.

My cat Cosgrove knows that I'm perfectly happy with her jumping on me or boxing my face, but I don't like it when she tries to mess with the art that's hanging on the walls. So this week she's been standing on my desk or the low bureau next to my bed, doing her darndest to knock two pieces down. This begins at about 4, because I normally get up at 5:30 unless I'm going to bootcamp, when I get up at 4:30 (I fell on the way to work on Monday and sprained my ankle so I haven't been back to bootcamp since Monday but I'm expecting to re-start again next week).

Sara, when you have a chance, google sleep apnea. Exhaustion is only one of the many effects. I'll be interested to hear what your doc says.

Sorry to hear that 53rd&3rd. That must be awful.

janey - How funny about your kitty! Mine also loves to bat at art on the wall and fridge. :) Hope your ankle is ok!

Babe - I will ask to get my levels tested again. Last time I got them tested I was in a huge flare and everything was normal though.

I think maybe I just need to get more active again and try to go to bed early. It's not like I'm exhausted...I just have a really hard time getting up in the morning and I'm somewhat tired throughout the day. I just read something saying for some people 9-9 1/2 hours of sleep is normal so maybe I'm just one of those people.

Post Edited (Sara14) : 1/26/2012 5:35:58 PM (GMT-7)