Need more energy

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by Freja, Oct 25, 2011.

  1. Freja

    Freja Level IV

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    Lately, I've been SO LOW on energy, it's not even funny.
    Before you say it has something to do with my diet, I didn't change anything.
    I do drink coffee like I've always done. I am not doing anything special that I'm not used to o_O
    But every day at school I feel like I wanna just lie down and die because I am so tired, so I end up going home two hours early just to sleep. And I sleep 8 hours at night!! when I get home I feel like I just want to sleep, but I won't because I know it'll just make it worse during the night. So I just do nothing or I go out or something.

    SO. What the hell do I do???? Is there some medication I can take? I am not really loving it, but if it helps then fuck it.
     
  2. Drumstick

    Drumstick Level III

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    See doctorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    In all seriousness i would do that. Needs moar sugars in diet perhaps. Feeling tired sucks; I'm always tired. But it's cause I have lots of trouble sleeping, even though I looooooooooove sleeping.

    Stop being tiredddddddddddddd
     
  3. crixstal

    crixstal Level I

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    I would find a doctor who is attentive and trustworthy (your primary care doctor should do, unless he/she only gives you 5 minutes of time, writes a prescription, and sends you out the door).

    Speaking from my research and from personal experience, this is a very common complaint that almost half of the adult population brings up at some point, so your doctor, assuming he/she is qualified and competent, should have plenty of options to try.

    Just tell your doctor exactly what you told us: that you sleep 8 hours a night, that your diet hasn't changed, but that you feel so tired you just want to sleep all the time. Be prepared to answer clarifying questions on the vein of, "Have you ever dozed off in class?" or "How restful is your sleep at night?" or "How much do you exercise?" Also, make sure you don't leave without asking the doctor to order a complete blood count and a metabolic panel.

    Just be prepared to try many many things that don't work before finding one that does. Actually, just be prepared to not find anything that works... Because ANYTHING can cause you to be fatigued, it's pretty much trial and error.

    Not to make you pessimistic of the outcome, but I'm going to share my own experience to illustrate the point I made above. (For clarification, this took place over the course of 6 months or so, and my doctor is extremely knowledgable and attentive, and I trust her professional opinion completely.) After my initial visit, a complete blood count, and complete metabolic panel, my doctor suggested the following causes and remedies:

    - Severe Vitamin D Deficiency (8 weeks of really high-dose Vitamin D supplements)
    - Vitamin B Deficiency (add supplement, dietary change)
    - Iron Deficiency (add supplement, stopped being a vegetarian... No "eww, meat"; Yes "yuumm... burger")
    - Asthma (use inhaler, exercise less/more/at different times)
    - Stress (meditation, yoga, anti-anxiety medication, request for fewer hours at work)
    - Seasonal Affective Disorder (stare at a light bulb for 15-30 minutes a day)
    - Thyroid Disorder (man, was this a wrong diagnosis and ended up wrecking havoc on my body)
    - Depression
    - Insomnia (well, duh, could've told you that myself)

    Finally, we settled on Thalassemia (an inherited autosomal recessive blood disorder), which is basically a mild case of anemia that can't be tested for in adults. Final solution proposed: take it easy. Lot of help that was. :lol:
     
  4. Freja

    Freja Level IV

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    Wow, thank you! But yeah. Maybe I should go to the doctor. I'm just that kind of person that NEVER goes to the doctor unless something severe is going on (ie I get rushed to a hospital) because I've actually had this pain in my left side for the last couple of weeks. My mom also told me to see a doctor. So I might just do it if it continues.

    Just wanted to ask if anybody tried something you can get without a prescription? C: Thanks for the suggestions <3
     
  5. Lightning

    Lightning Administrator
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    5 Hour Energy? It'll give you energy, and the crashing is not as bad as other energy provider alternatives. Also, when you are sleeping, try playing noises that help you sleep (Google it). The frequency of the sound helps calm down your brain, and it really helps. I have an app on my phone that does it :). A lot of times, your body does not go fully into that deep sleep phase (which is 15-20 minutes), and it is one of the most important and useful parts of your sleep despite its shortness. If you can remember your dreams or if you have a lot of vivid dreams, that means your brain is too active and most likely you never reached that stage of sleep.

    I have the same problem, but that's because I have chronic back pains in the longissimus muscle. If you always feel like something's sore or that part is just worn out, it might be that.
     
  6. crixstal

    crixstal Level I

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    Well, "pain on my left side" could literally be anything as well: overexerted tendon, muscle pain, broken bone, heart attack, cancer, weather got too cold, flu, etc. etc.

    There's a lot of things you can get without a prescription. Unless your fatigue is due to low thyroid, most of the stuff the doctor recommends you try is going to be available without a prescription anyway. The main difference is that you'll be under the care of a professional, so instead of shooting darts in the dark, you'll just be semi-blindfolded...

    - 5 hour energy works for most people. But it's a lot of concentrated caffeine, and it's not really a long-term solution.
    - You can try a daily multi-vitamin supplement
    - If your energy is low because your sleep is disturbed (like Lightning suggested), a standard dose of melatonin should do the job.
    - Or if you live in an area with low level of sunlight, try to turn on the lights in the morning and expose your eyes to as much light as possible... Or buy one of those "therapeutic" lightbulbs.
    - If you feel tired AND not interested in doing anything AND sad all the time, try a low-level "natural antidepressant" like St. John's. Apparently thistle's milk also works for some people, but it's not as well researched as St. John's. (Both should be available at a health food store.)

    And there's also this new experimental thing called "exercise." I don't know much about the specifics of it, but I've heard it work for some people. Just make sure you do aerobic exercise and not anaerobic.
     
  7. Freja

    Freja Level IV

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    I do take multi-vitamins everyday. AND HOLY CRAP. Those symptoms made me more not wanting to go to the doctor. I am a hypochondria when it comes to this, I'll just think I'm on the verge of dying, lol.
    And listening to music while sleeping just won't work :/ I cannot sleep for my life if something is turned on like tv, sound etc. I did try that hypnosis-thing to help me sleep better, but I just can't sleep with it turned on :p

    And actually, I have been thinking I might be depressed. Not deeply depressed, but I have a hard time getting up and going to school because most of the time I just don't see the point. And I also hate hanging around at home. So it's a neverending circle *_*
     
  8. Coldness

    Coldness Level IV

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    Just 5 minutes away where you live (:
    Erm I have the same thing, but I have a shortage of iron in my blood and some other stuff too.
    So that might be it for you as well. So see a doctor, even if that's not your thing ;)


    Although after reading your last post, depression might also cause it.
    Just take time for yourself. Write down (or by heart, whatever floats your boat) all of the things that you find 'hard' to do and think of a reason why you started doing them in the first place.
    I reckon that might help a bit. It sure can help me sometimes.
     
  9. crixstal

    crixstal Level I

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    Not to laugh at your misery, but that just sounds like every student I have ever met. :lol: I mean, something has to motivate you to move out of your parents' house and start getting a job that pays you miserably and works you from 8 to 5, right? Right?

    So stop worrying and get yourself to a doctor. It's probably something very easy to fix.

    I am also a fan of coffee and chocolate. Fix EVERYTHING. :yup:
     
  10. Freja

    Freja Level IV

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    Heh, I moved out like 2 years ago, had a job for 1½ years and just started school again :p Which is why I thought this got me very motivated because I didn't exactly love the job (okay, I loved it, but I didn't see myself doing it my entire life)
    And I've always been demotivated with school. Now I have 5 years ahead of me, yayyyy. So it's not something I'm just throwing out there, I actually do think I'm if not depressed, just have some of the symptoms :/

    Anyway, I've been thinking I might need to start excersicing again? I think it'd help my energy level and my depressed feelings? :p I used to love it. I just hate having to get started all over...
     
  11. Virre

    Virre Level IV

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    Scandinavians tend to suffer a lack of vitamin D during the fall and winter. Vitamin D is made created mainly when the sun hits your skin, and you know that Scandinavian falls and winters tend to get very dark. In fact, I know that a big percentage of Swedes tend to get fall/winter depression and it's often linked to a lack of vitamin d. I'm guessing the same might go for you guys in Denmark. Try taking vitamin D supplements? And get out and soak up the sun whenever possible!
     
  12. Drumstick

    Drumstick Level III

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    Ok well I absolutely despise school, and want to be done asap. I know how you feel about that.

    Anyway on the depression/depression symptoms front, exercise is definitely good. Makes you feel better. I haven't gotten up and done anything for a very long time. I need to, and I'm sure it would make me feel better. Like I just woke up from sleeping 12 hours. I sleep that much a lot. (this caused me to google if oversleeping is bad and: "But oversleeping has been linked to a host of medical problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and increased risk of death." Maybe I should stop sleeping so much lmfao)
    But uh, yes, exercise is good. Any kind of activity is good tbh.
     
  13. Freja

    Freja Level IV

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    Haha, Victor I am a tanning whore, so definitely not it XD But I've also heard something about that. Winter depressions >_> I guess I'm a summer person too. I HATE winter. Everything about it.

    I think exercise would be good to you too, Michael. Sleeping that much sure isn't healthy :p I used to do it myself, and my parents thought I was some pothead or something, lol. But exercising helped me with that ^_^ Plus it makes your mood so much better!
     
  14. zxzero

    zxzero Level I

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    5 hour energy works wonders, not the best tasting stuff though xD
     
  15. swing72

    swing72 Newbie

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    Infectious Mononucleosis is a possibility.

    edit: wow I didn't realize this post was so old.
    The spleen is on the left side and it swells when you get mono.
    I hope everything worked out for you and you feel better now.
     
  16. vorak

    vorak Level I

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    I currently have mono... It's horrible. You feel so tired no matter what! I used to be able to sleep at 2 AM and wake up at 5 AM and be fine for the day! Now I can't even go to bed at 10 PM, wake up at 6 AM, and be fine. I'm always battling against myself in class to stay awake.
     
  17. Freja

    Freja Level IV

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    Oh dear god, I'm so glad I don't have mono o_o

    Right now I kinda have the opposite problem, lawl. I mean, I sleep for like one hour when I get home because I always get huge headaches from all the school work these days. Then I can't sleep at night :(

    I wish I could just go in winter hive like the bears and stuff. Wake up when it's summer again!
     
  18. PawPaw

    PawPaw Newbie

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    I was just going to ask if you might have Mono. x) Glad that's not it.
    Seems horrible.
     
  19. kax

    kax Newbie

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    Oats. Horse mode it up, all day, for energy. At night, lean meats cottage cheese, don't forget the fruits and veggies.
     
  20. Lease

    Lease Level II

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    Eat products with a lot of carbs:)