Extreme Fatigue

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Anyone else experience extreme fatigue? I get home from school barely awake, I sleep from 3 pm to 7 am, where I don't shower or brush or eat, I am constantly hungry, constantly tired. My eyes water because I'm so extremely tired. I have all kinds of breathing problems as well.

Doctors say there's nothing physically wrong. I have to say I disagree.

These can be symptoms of depression and anxiety. The shortness of breath with anxiety can be considerable. Before I knew this I thought it was just my asthma and went to the ER a couple of times. After they confirmed I was wasn't having a heart attack or actual asthma they sent me home even though they couldn't get my oxygenation above 91 percent even with an oxygen mask.
What you describe, though, also seems like quite a vicious circle stress-wise. Sleeping to the extent that you aren't eating or taking care of yourself, perhaps not getting school work or studying done can be more stressful than restorative, as you must know by now.

I was tired all the time when I was on Effexor (and Lexapro before that). I recently started seeing a Neuropsychiatrist (who specializes in Autism spectrum disorders) and he told me that this side effect (of SSRI's) tends to be more common in Autistic people. I don't know if you're on one but I thought I'd throw this out there.

Have you had your B12 levels checked recently? Fatigue and problems with getting enough oxygen into your body can be signs of vitamin B12 deficiency. Do you have any other symptoms such as memory problems, depression, pale skin, gastro problems etc?

I want your Neuropsychiatrist I don't believe any of the antidepressants I was on was helping. They gave me Effexor to try and give me a boost but it didn't help. I decided to stop taking all my meds and it's made a big difference with regards to feeling tired all the time , I don't reccomend this to anyone as it's dangerous and you can have really bad withdrawal , I have been lucky. It's definately worth having a chat with your Dr's if your on antidepressants.

I have it. I get it every winter especially since I work nights and never see much sun. I sleep in increments - 2 hrs here, 3 hours there. Good thing that I'm not married because they probably couldn't deal with my schedule - I really don't have a schedule. Using a SAD light helps some (if I had the energy to use it).I don't want to take meds for it, so I just work through it the best i can.Right now it just feels like I'm going from day to day like a zombie, only leaving the house when necessary (work, grocery store). It's a little better since my school is less stressful this semester, but I have some family problems compounding my anxiety and depressing me. I think im going to go drag out my light. Couldn't hurt. I'd exercise, but don't really have the energy right now. I may try some exercise tonight, we'll see.

Doctor logic 101.

Patient complains that they are sick. Doctor examines and rules out usual suspects. Doctor concludes patient is perfectly healthy despite still having symptoms, not getting better, and over time even getting worse.

To illustrate just how stupid their logic is, it would be like if they were homicide investigators, they would first investigate the husband/boyfriend/spouse, or the person who was last seen with the victim, so far logical. However, if the usual suspects are ruled out, instead of continuing to search, they would then conclude that no murder has taken place, despite the fact there is a dead body riddled with bullet holes or stab wounds. Their logic just makes no f*****g sense.

I sometimes wonder if they even know what a healthy person looks like, or if they would even be able to recognize them.

Trust your gut, not a doctor. If you are sick, and your doctor is in denial or too lazy to figure out why and how to help you, dump them off at the curb, find a new doctor, complain and start the investigation process all over again. Oddly enough the next doctor in line RARELY picks up where the last one left off and you often have to do all the same blood work/tests all over again. Another option of course is to simply inform yourself on the topic, do all the investigative work on your own, and simply use doctors to confirm any conclusions you reach.

Sounds familiar. Have the doctors checked you for deficiencies? That's pretty likely for a person with a poor diet and not a lot of sun exposure.

FYI, I had breathing problems and fatigue, was diagnosed with asthma and medicated. Fast forward a couple of years, and I get diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency. About a month after starting supplements, my "asthma" disappeared and has never returned.

If you also have trouble getting up from a chair without using your arms, vitamin D deficiency is a likely culprit. If the doctors haven't tested you for deficiencies, they're being sloppy. Blood count, iron, various B vitamins.

Yes, fatigue can set in just from living a stressful life, but I am skeptical of blaming anxiety for breathing problems. If you have them even when you are not anxious, I would look for a physical cause.

Anxiety/depression is a convenient category for "anything the doctor doesn't know what is".

I have fatigue too. Every afternoon (whether I've been at work or not) I have to have a nap for about 1-2 hours. If I don't, I feel really drowsy, but don't want to go to bed too early.

If I have a 2-hour nap, I still sleep well the following night, although I do wake up about 1-4 times during the night to go to the bathroom to pee.

I find getting up in the morning really hard, which is why I don't agree to do extra days at work. I need as much sleep time as I can. But the antidepressants I'm taking do make you tired, plus the anxiety I have as well.

And I enjoy sleep too.

Are you overweight?

And before someone takes offence: being overweight/obese can cause extreme fatigue.

However, it could be anything suggested thus far in the thread. Just add weight to the list of possibilities.

I really don't think I could cope with the world ( not that I doing a great job at the moment ) if it wasn't for my late afternoon nap.

I've been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by 4 different doctors. I still don't think that's what is wrong with me, or rather I think it's an umbrella term for "we can't be bothered investigating further because it's none of the usual suspects".

I've gone through loads of blood tests, but passed them all. Nothing is amiss apparently.

As others have said, your symptoms could be the result of any number of things, but, thought I'd mention my experience with fatigue and the education and relief I acquired, with the help of an OMD/Oriental Medicine Doctor.

I had been experiencing chronic lethargy and fatigue and other symptoms, throughout my 20's, and, after some tests for food sensitivities/allergies and other types of allergies, followed by saliva and stool tests, I was found to have a severe intolerance to grains, particularly, wheat, oats, barley and rye, and candidiasis had, basically, overtaken my gut/intestines and esophagus. Prior to experiencing symptoms, I had taken a broad-spectrum antibiotic for pneumonia, which, effectively, killed off all of the good bacteria, along with the bad, throughout my digestive system, which, likewise, took a toll on my immune system. Basically, grains break down as sugar, as they are digested, and sugar is what feeds the candida, and causes it to multiply, resulting in various symptoms, including lethargy, fatigue and additional symptoms.

With the guidance of my OMD, I began a regimen of supplements, and followed a strict, nutrient-rich, cleansing, detoxifying and restorative diet, drinking water throughout each day, to eliminate toxins that could, potentially, make a person quite ill, which is why it is crucial to be monitored by a practitioner who is versed in eliminating candidiasis, and other such toxins from the body, properly.

I will always remember, waking up, several weeks into the diet, and realizing how profoundly, clear and functional my mind had become. I remember that feeling like no other, in fact. Yipes, rambling, and you may not need this particular type of information in the end. I hope you find the source of your fatigue, and are able to remedy it, quickly and effectively! x x