so tired...

LegacyUser

Can anyone advise me.. I am 'lucky' to have a job, granted its less than 450 a week take home and includes weekends and night shifts. It is in the healthcare sector. However, over the last few months I have become so tired-i literally was driving home last week and nearly hit the central reservation as I couldnt keep my eyes open.. I am on a temporary contarct and only get to know my hours the last minute and last week alone I did seven x twelve hour night shifts off for two days and then four x twelve hour days. I get a week off after and then return, but that week is spent recovering. I have two small kids and was widowed three years ago so my family are a great help in minding them. But, I wonder sometimes what its all for? When I pay tolls, and petrol etc I basically come out with 60 euro more than I would get on the dole.. but I always believed in working to support yourself. I mentioned to my boss that I'm tired and he said, well there'd be a queue of people to have a job these days, and its the nature of healthcare etc etc..
I tried wellwoman vitamins and trying to catch up in the day but nothing working.. I think I may be getting low in mood due to the shift work but wouldnt admit it in case the other staff thought i was playing a 'female sympathy card'-this organisation is big into equality etc
I dont know why Im posting here-just a cry in the dark perhaps..
thanks.

mud

OP that sounds terrible. I have worked shifts before and only someone who has lived through that kind of a job will understand the toll it takes on the body and mind.

I can't believe your boss threw out the old chestnut about others being glad of your job. It's a statement loads of bosses are dragging out at the moment.

I really admire you for sticking with it. What I used to do was make sure I drank LOTS of water while I was awake. Restrict coffee/coke to two drinks per 24 hr period. Stay away from fatty processed foods, they wreck you during digestion.

I have no children but have always thought highly of people who manage to hold it all together doing the hours that shift work demands.

Being so tired that you almost crash is terrifying. It happened me one morning too. Thankfully I managed to get home before I fell apart and it was pure fatigue that caused it.

I hope you feel better soon OP.

All the best.

LegacyUser

First off, get yourself some Pharmaton from the chemist. It stops fatigue. Its great but doesn't really work as well after about 2 weeks of everyday use.

Get some exercise (cardio), everyday for about 30mins. While you may think that you will be too tired for this or it will make you more tired, it will keep you awake more, give you more energy. By the time the Pharmaton is wearing off, this should keep you going. Like mud said too, keep away from processed food as much as you can and drink lots of water.

If its just you and the two kids, you should be entitled to FIS (family income support) from the social welfare, medical card and probably more. When I watched that midweek program "are you better off on the dole", it claimed that a single parent with two kids doing a part time minimum wage was taking home about 750 a week (thats including rent supplement). Not that your better off on the dole, I'm just saying be sure to check your entitlements.

LegacyUser

You could have Anemia which means that you lack iron or vit B12.
Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells. It gives red blood cells their red color. People with anemia do not have enough hemoglobin.
I had Anemia recently which I found out after having a blood test.
My got and go had got up and left. If I walked any distance you think I was in labour and I felt lighted headed and just felt negative.
Once I had the blood test I went on galfer tablets about €4 a packet and took vit C tablets with these and started to eat more red meat and eat better.
It took me about 2 months to fell better but I would get a blood test before taking iron tablets as some people have to much iron which can have bad also.
I would look up the citizen info website as you may be entitled to further benefits or extra cash which could make you life easier.

Susannahmia

firebat wrote: »

Can anyone advise me.. I am 'lucky' to have a job, granted its less than 450 a week take home and includes weekends and night shifts. It is in the healthcare sector. However, over the last few months I have become so tired-i literally was driving home last week and nearly hit the central reservation as I couldnt keep my eyes open.. I am on a temporary contarct and only get to know my hours the last minute and last week alone I did seven x twelve hour night shifts off for two days and then four x twelve hour days. I get a week off after and then return, but that week is spent recovering. I have two small kids and was widowed three years ago so my family are a great help in minding them. But, I wonder sometimes what its all for? When I pay tolls, and petrol etc I basically come out with 60 euro more than I would get on the dole.. but I always believed in working to support yourself. I mentioned to my boss that I'm tired and he said, well there'd be a queue of people to have a job these days, and its the nature of healthcare etc etc..
I tried wellwoman vitamins and trying to catch up in the day but nothing working.. I think I may be getting low in mood due to the shift work but wouldnt admit it in case the other staff thought i was playing a 'female sympathy card'-this organisation is big into equality etc
I dont know why Im posting here-just a cry in the dark perhaps..
thanks.

Just a shot in the dark here but have you had your thyroid tested lately? If it is under-active you would be tired and its surprisingly common.

It couldn't hurt to go to your gp and get a blood-work done for that and anaemia. Also depression is also possible (and one of the symptoms of an under-active thyroid too).

diddlybit

Hey OP, go for a full medical just to rule out anything untoward, but then also that's a lot of shifts to be working. My gfriend works shifts and finds herself absolutely wrecked and it takes her ages to recover form a couple of days stint. God only knows how we'd cope if we had kids and you're a single mom, you deserve a medal.

She has "rest days", where she literally does nothing but chills out. Is there anyway that your family could take the kids for a couple of hours on the days following your shifts so you can rest and relax.

You really do deserve a medal for all that.

chloek

firebat wrote: »

Can anyone advise me.. I am 'lucky' to have a job, granted its less than 450 a week take home and includes weekends and night shifts. It is in the healthcare sector. However, over the last few months I have become so tired-i literally was driving home last week and nearly hit the central reservation as I couldnt keep my eyes open.. I am on a temporary contarct and only get to know my hours the last minute and last week alone I did seven x twelve hour night shifts off for two days and then four x twelve hour days. I get a week off after and then return, but that week is spent recovering. I have two small kids and was widowed three years ago so my family are a great help in minding them. But, I wonder sometimes what its all for? When I pay tolls, and petrol etc I basically come out with 60 euro more than I would get on the dole.. but I always believed in working to support yourself. I mentioned to my boss that I'm tired and he said, well there'd be a queue of people to have a job these days, and its the nature of healthcare etc etc..
I tried wellwoman vitamins and trying to catch up in the day but nothing working.. I think I may be getting low in mood due to the shift work but wouldnt admit it in case the other staff thought i was playing a 'female sympathy card'-this organisation is big into equality etc
I dont know why Im posting here-just a cry in the dark perhaps..
thanks.

You poor thing, go to the doctor and have a full medical, get your bloods checked. you are obviously exhausted from working, travel and being a mother to two small children.

I know you are lucky to have a job etc but your health is more important. Driving while tired is dangerous.

good luck