Too tired to work

LegacyUser

I'm unemployed at the moment, and need to find a job. However, I have a problem.

I get tired very easily.

I spend much of the day suffering from varying levels of exhaustion. It is not simply lack of activity. I was working hard in my previous job, and had to give up simply because I felt it was affecting my health. My eyes actually burn with tiredness.

I cannot rise easily in the mornings. I remain tired well into the day, to the point where I would admit to being a danger if I drive. When the tiredness lifts, I am as active as the next person, but I cannot sustain it, and if I do anything strenuous at all, my ability to recover is non existant, and I am floored for the rest of the day.

I have been to my doctor, who was no help at all, and ignored my plight. I have been to a dietician, who gave me a few recommendations, which I followed. I eat well, much better than I did before, but it has no effect on the tiredness.

I am severely financially compromised at the moment, and badly need a job. It is hard to find anything, but I recall with fear how tiredness affected my last job, and am afraid it will happen again.

Is there any line of work I might look into where tiredness would not be an issue? Tall order, I know!

mental07

Asleeponthejob wrote: »

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I have been to my doctor, who was no help at all, and ignored my plight.

Then you need to see a different doctor. Being tired to the point of not being able to work cannot be normal. Get a second opinion.

Liber8or

Stress can really affect and sap your energy.

Also, make sure you have a good sleep pattern. Seriously, an hour before midnight is worth two hours after.

Start making yourself legitimately tired by exercising. Go for a jog, or a long walk, then make sure you get to bed early that night and up early again the next day.

Sitting around and doing nothing causes tiredness as well, so keep active by reading, walking, applying for work, etc.

Good luck!

KlodaX

Find yourself a medical herbalist someone registered with NIMH or IIMH

LegacyUser

Sounds very similar to the situation im in. No exercise or medication made it better. Some doctors told me it was chronic fatigue syndrome, others told me it was psychosomatic. It just sprang on me one day randomly and has been that way for a few years now. Definitely go see another doctor to get a second opinion.

LegacyUser

as stated above go to another doctor

I too used to suffer from extreme tiredness eg i would go to work sleep, come home, be too tired to make dinner, sleep, wake up get a carry out, got ot bed and sleep till the next day
I needed at least 12 hours sleep

But then i got an allergy test done. I went off every thing i was allergic to and i then i found i was ok. it helped me a lot. I still need more sleep than other people but i think i am a lot better than i was

LegacyUser

Go see a doctor. I work 50+ hours a week as a site engineer. I walk miles every day and it's really physically hard. But I'm in bed early and make sure i eat well and get 8 hours sleep every night. I try and get in as much exercise as possible whenever I have the energy. I'm tired, but not that tired. you've obviously got a problem of some sort there. Thyroid is something I've heard as a suggestion that causes tiredness like that, and i think it' something that can be pretty easily tested, but you do need to go see a doctor. And in the meantime, make sure you are getting plenty of sleep, eating plenty of fruit and veg and try and get some exercise.

watna

I would go and find a more sympathetic doctor.

I was like this before for about 3 months a few years ago. I was just so tired all the time and didn't have the energy to do anything. My doctor was really good and diagnosed me with post viral fatigue syndrome. He did every test he could to see what could help. The only things he could find where low white blood cells and low folic acid. I took supplements and they helped a little bit but I still felt ill. Luckily, I was in college at the time so did not have to work a 9 - 5 day. I don't know what I'd do if I had it now.

I went to the doctor every week for more blood tests and tried different things. One day I woke up and it was gone. I went back to the doctor the next day and as soon as he saw me he said he knew I was better. He said he could tell because my eyes were not dull anymore. I'm better now but still suffer from lower energy than other people. I've learned to conserve the energy I have and can work no problem. I just get tired more easily than other people. My doctor was brilliant throughout the whole thing, so good in fact that he did not charge me for my weekly appointments as he knew I needed tests every week.

Please, please, please go and see another doctor. This subject is close to my heart, not only because I know what it is like, and how other people do not understand how you cannot just pull yourself together but because my OH's boss's wife suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome/ME. He used to chat to her a lot about it. I just found out yesterday that last Monday she comitted suicide as she had had been ill for years with it and got very depressed. I'm still in shock about it, to be honest. If you see a more sympathetic doctor than there are things he/she can help you with and it may be something simple that you can change. It's not right to be so tired you cannot work. It's so important to look after yourself. Best of luck.

LegacyUser

Many, many thanks for all the support. Being out of work at the moment, I have no money at all. None. I am lucky to feed myself, a doctor is out of the question right now, not to mention multiple visits! But as soon as I can, I will see another one.

That just leaves my other question.

What line of work would I go for, where tiredness or lack of energy would not be such an issue? A working day of over eight hours is unmanageable, I would simply collapse. I used to work 12, 13, 14 hours a day. Is that what got me into this state?

I would do anything, for any money, as long as it did not involve gross long hours, or standing for long periods of time. Or where any loss of concentration wouldn't put lives at risk. I need to do something, to get me over the crisis. Any suggestions?

LegacyUser

ME/Chronic fatigue can be misdiagnosed depression from a sufferer brushing off the possibilty they could ever be depressed. That could well be the case with that poor mans wife you speak off. Aren't those conditions diagnosed basically after every test rules out any other physical possibility? Diagnosing someone with conditions like ME is almost giving them a reason to feel lifeless whereas if they got an initial diagnosis of their depression they could work on the root cause of how they feel.

Stress and depression do cause disturbed sleep patterns. If you have nothing to spend your time at while unemployed it is very easy to become depressed coupled with the stress of worrying about your future and your finances.

The more time you spend in bed the worse you could become. Your muscles will waste and you feel weak doing the most simple tasks. I was diagnosed with a condition previously but looking back now I now my tiredness was not all related to that condition. But my sleep patterns were really messed up and I had other worries. I could barely function in daylight hours because my body simply wasn't used to it.

I have read a story in my local paper about how a woman had to take her kid out of school due to her ME and how the kid is awake all night but has no energy to get out during the day or meet pals and now has been taken out of school-it really saddens me as I was similar when younger and didn't realise I wasn't physically ill but there was no denying my unreal fatigue and lack of energy. Like that kid won't get better if she spends her days in bed with exhaustion and has no friends and no life-it's a vicious circle.

I would really tell anyone with fatigue to really, really consider the mental and environmental factors they may contribute rather than seek solace in the diagnosis of a medical problem.

StormWarrior

There must be some way you can get money for a doctor. Borrow it from a relative or something? Demand that they give you a full range of blood tests, thyroid, anaemia, adrenals, check for viruses, etc. Do you have a poor diet? Do you drink enough water? Chronic dehydration can cause exhaustion. As for a job where you don't work long hours and don't need to concentrate, how about a postman or delivering flyers? Standing outside shops handing out flyers? Or cleaning?

Oh and in case it's depression get some very good-quality fish oil supplements, clinical grade fish oil supplements have been proven to be twice as effective as anti-depressants for getting rid of depression.

Also getting into a routine can help relive the tiredness. Even if you're exhausted, start getting up in the mornings and going for long walks or something. If you're watching TV all day or lounging around late into the night it will mkae it worse. Tire yourself out during the day to help you sleep at night.

gmf1024

Haemochromatosis is a genetic condition that affects 1 in 83 of the Irish population. See www.haemochromatosis-ir.com

Signs and Symptoms to look out for

* Chronic fatigue -- tiredness, lethargy
* Joint pain -- generalised aches and pains
* Abdominal pain -- vague and non-specific

A lot of Doctors are not as well informed about this as they should be.

A blood test for ferritin levels ( which a lot of Doctors forget to request) will be a good indicator test.

An interesting article:
http://www.independent.ie/health/case-studies/real-life-fighting-the-celtic-curse-haemochromatosis-1720639.html

Firetrap

OP go see another doctor. The sort of tiredness you're describing isn't normal. It could be something viral, it could be something in the M.E. field. The sooner it's investigated, the sooner it can be dealt with. Good luck!

LegacyUser

Unregistered wrote: »

ME/Chronic fatigue can be misdiagnosed depression from a sufferer brushing off the possibilty they could ever be depressed. That could well be the case with that poor mans wife you speak off. Aren't those conditions diagnosed basically after every test rules out any other physical possibility? Diagnosing someone with conditions like ME is almost giving them a reason to feel lifeless whereas if they got an initial diagnosis of their depression they could work on the root cause of how they feel.

Stress and depression do cause disturbed sleep patterns. If you have nothing to spend your time at while unemployed it is very easy to become depressed coupled with the stress of worrying about your future and your finances.

The more time you spend in bed the worse you could become. Your muscles will waste and you feel weak doing the most simple tasks. I was diagnosed with a condition previously but looking back now I now my tiredness was not all related to that condition. But my sleep patterns were really messed up and I had other worries. I could barely function in daylight hours because my body simply wasn't used to it.

I have read a story in my local paper about how a woman had to take her kid out of school due to her ME and how the kid is awake all night but has no energy to get out during the day or meet pals and now has been taken out of school-it really saddens me as I was similar when younger and didn't realise I wasn't physically ill but there was no denying my unreal fatigue and lack of energy. Like that kid won't get better if she spends her days in bed with exhaustion and has no friends and no life-it's a vicious circle.

I would really tell anyone with fatigue to really, really consider the mental and environmental factors they may contribute rather than seek solace in the diagnosis of a medical problem.

"seek solace in the diagnosis of a medical problem".... That is the first time I ever heard such a sentiment expressed. In itself it illustrates the enormous difference between someone suffering/who has suffered from depression Vs someone who has experience of illness like M.E.. There is no "solace" in a diagnosis of M.E or any other disabling illness that does not have a treatment or cure.

Depression is a dreadful thing and you have a valid point when you say that it can manifest itself in a physical form and cause fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite and disturbed sleep. However you are very wrong when you attempt to generalise about all people with a particular physical diagnosis based on your own experience alone. M.E is a horrendous illness that has destroyed the lives of many people. 25% of it's sufferers are very seriously disabled and are wheelchair or bedbound. Some require tube feeding. It is presently a diagnosis made after the exclusion of other illnesses and that includes depression or somatisation. It is true that until a test is discovered, M.E will remain somewhat of an umbrella diagnosis. Some patients who are ill with rare and difficult to diagnose conditions will be presumed to have M.E when they do not. However very few people with depression can have a accurate diagnosis of ME . Depression cannot cause ongoing fever, severe joint and muscle pain, extreme reaction to physical exertion/exercise, autonomic nervous system disorders or swollen lymph nodes for example. All these form part of the criteria that must be fullfilled to diagnose ME. Research is discovering more and more clinical and biological markers that are indicating physical abnormalities in patients with true M.E .There will be a definitive test found in time. I do not want to invalidate your experience in anyway but please do not presume to think it is the experience of everyone with ME. That sort of misinformation and misunderstanding causes alot of suffering to people who are already very ill.

OP go and see your doctor and see what he/she says. There are a myriad of causes of fatigue from physical illness to stress/depression and the vast majority of them can be treated and improved. Good luck