In need of a hug, advice or support (Chronic Fatigue)

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daniellevietti
daniellevietti Posts: 28 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi All,

I don't often post on the boards but I read throughout the day and have learned so much during my weight loss adventure.

I'm 5'10'' and my starting weight was 228, after losing 45 pounds I've decided to deal with a chronic fatigue issue that I've had for 5ish years. I did a sleep study, lab work, etc the only results I've gotten is that I'm positive for Epstein Barr Virsus (EBV). However, most people have this. After seeing 4 doctors I've had no luck getting more information or a definitive answer. The fatigue is really starting to play a role in my ability to function normally. I can sleep for 8-14 hours a night and wake up completely exhausted (not sleep apnea). I've also had a rough time concentrating on the most basic of tasks.

My weight loss is at a standstill even though I'm still exercising 4 times a week and eating well. I'm thinking it could be my exhaustion..

I was hoping that losing weight was the answer and now am not sure what to do or where to turn.

Replies

  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    get your iron checked...unless you already have...are you on a multivitamin for women? what about your calcium intake? this is what's causing me to be tired constantly...so i'm taking one women's mulitvamin with iron, one calcium with magnesium and vitamin D (you might not be getting enough sunlight)...and two evening primrose oil...check with a natural doctor, they may be able to help you out...or go get some day spas or massages...
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
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    I'm good for a hug!! :wink: :heart: {{{{danielle}}}}:heart:

    But regarding the rest ...there will others that can likely make suggestions and ideas far better than I. There are a number of members on here that also deal with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Hope they jump in :flowerforyou:
  • themyriadthings
    themyriadthings Posts: 225 Member
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    Definitely get your iron levels checked! My iron depleted over the span of years and I would beat myself up for being 'lazy' and 'wimpy'. I could sleep for hours without being refreshed, I was irritable, my memory was bad, and I would get exhausted just walking up one flight of stairs. One day I had a routine blood check because I switched physicians, and lo and behold I needed a blood transfusion my iron was so low! I feel better now than I did 10 years ago! It's definitely worth having checked out. All the best to you!
  • thefallguy
    thefallguy Posts: 23
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    I agree about the iron and the vitamins. You need to supplement your vitamins and get lots of sunlight for that natural Vitamin D which also helps to regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

    You also may want to take to your doctor about some B vitamin shots. They sell over the counter B Complex, however it takes weeks to kick in and most is removed by your body through your urine. The Vit B shot is given IM, which increases it's effectiveness. It decreases fatigue which tends to increases your attention span (I speak from experience). Naturally its found in red meats and such.... but if you're counting calories I doubt you're getting enough. Talk to your doctor about it.

    Good Luck.
    :)
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
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    Hey hunny!

    I'm someone who has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and a side dose of Chronic Fatigue. Its exhausting! Haha! :o) My legs hurt, my back hurts and no matter what I am tired beyond belief. i have several other autoimmune issues plaguing me. Another thing as far as suggestions to get tested (but it sounds like you have been through the ringer as far as tests, I SO UNDERSTAND) is B-12, which there is 2 tests to get done there and as always, thyroid. But like I said, it sounds like you have paid your testing dues. I've been there DONE that.

    It took me a long time to loose the weight that I put on as a result of my sick body. I can't lie. I met my husband a size 7-8 and ended up getting up to a size 16. I buckled down a year ago and finally said I was going to do this. It took a year to look 65 pounds. I started at 185 in November and I'm below 120 right now. Its doable. But I couldn't have done it without the support of this board and people who understood what I was going through with my fibro and my exhaustion.

    I'm here for you hunny!! Message me, comment me...whatever YOU need!!! :o)
  • iluvwdw
    iluvwdw Posts: 287 Member
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    Chronic Fatigue and lack of QUALITY sleep will definately play a role in weight. I have doubled my weight in the last three years, in part due to lack of sleep from Fibro. I am in the process of being evaluated for Chronic Fatigue as well as Ebstein Barr. I have had a sleep study done as well and had 17 arousals in a 5 hour time span, meaning every time I got near stage 3 or 4 sleep I came to a lighter sleep. This is why you are waking feeling exhausted. I suffer the same problems as you when I am hit with fatigue, but then will do a 180 and then only sleep for a few hours if that every night.

    Do the best you can do to manage your illness, excercising and balanced diet will go a long way in fighting this even though the sleep disruptions are still there. I just try to rest as much as possible when I am this fatigued but still try to do a little bit of excercise throughout the day.

    HUGS to you, I def know how much this sucks and wreaks havoc with trying to live a normal life. I also take LOTS of vitamins. A multivitamin for women, Calcium with Magnesium and Vit D, and Glucosomine with Chondroitin.

    I used to be on sleeping pills but quit them because they stopped working. So now I am winging it on my own and sometimes have to nap every 4 hours when I am in a flare. :yawn: YOu are not alone and if you need to, you can message me and add me as a friend. :happy:
  • Aeriel
    Aeriel Posts: 864 Member
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    I read a study recently about the effects of sleep on weight loss but I can't remember where it was. I do remember it saying that people who got the proper amount of good sleep lost weight faster than people who were skimping on sleep or not getting quality rest.

    I have been searching for answers to my fatigue too. I could sleep hours, have naps in the afternoon and still be tired come 8pm. I was also getting dizzy spells, head rushes and BP spikes (I think) because whenever I tried push ups my vision would blur. The doctor has no diagnosis, and told me that it might be hormones out of whack due to my weight loss, since hormones travel through fat and as you lose it, they have to rework their pathways. Blood work was normal, other than I was at the very low end of the spectrum for blood iron and hemoglobin (but still in the normal range, barely). First thing I did was slow my weight loss rate down from 1.5 pounds per week to 1 pound per week, giving me back about 250 calories a day in food. I was never really low on calories, my lowest was 1340 per day, but obviously my body needed more. I started taking a multi vitamin (when I remember) and I take an iron pill almost every day.

    I am waiting for my 6 weeks to be up to go back in for another round of blood tests (Nov 1) but I am feeling better. I am now sleeping 7-8 hours a day and feeling okay. I have more energy for exercising and I am not getting the head rush and dizzy spells I was having. Try the iron pills and the B-vitamins as suggested, as they helped me. I may not ever have a definitive diagnosis, but I am happy to be feeling better and losing weight again. Good luck!
  • mangorabbit
    mangorabbit Posts: 219 Member
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    Admittedly I know literally NOTHING about chronic fatigue as an entity unto itself, so really just a random piping up from the peanut gallery:

    Have you thought about it being food allergies/intolerances? I spent eighteen years thinking that wanting to sleep twenty hours a day was how everyone lived, and you just sucked it up and dealt because things needed to get done. When I was in university my parents took me to an allergist and had me tested for a variety of things (they had discovered that one of my siblings had some pretty wicked food issues and the change in personality etc was DRAMATIC) - and lo and behold the culprit of much of my drag-assery was food-related!

    (Giving up corn, wheat and cane/beet sugar REALLY sucked at the time - why does the body crave things that are not good for it? - but it has made a world of difference. ...and now I really don't have any interest in eating those things (ok...mostly....))

    Good luck!
    ^_^

    <HUG>
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,023 Member
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    (((HUGS))) I also have chronic fatigue syndrome , along with fibromyalgia and thyroid problems. It is horrible to be exhausted all the time. I can sleep 8 hrs and wake up exhausted. At one time it was so bad that I was falling asleep in mid-sentence. I also had to give up driving for a short time because I would fall asleep at the wheel. It is so hard to exercise when I am so tired it is hard to move. My heart goes out to you. I wish I had the answers but I do understand how you are feeling and what you are going through. Feel free to add me as a friend
  • somigliana
    somigliana Posts: 314 Member
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    {{hugs}}

    I agree with the other posters on getting bloodwork done to check your iron levels (ferritin levels)--I thought my fatigue and general lack of focus last year was the result of the blues or laziness but when I had to have bloodtests done for something, they came back highlighting that my iron stores were very low. I take a supplement now and it's amazing how much better I feel (although iron tablets have their own side effects, sigh).

    It's really hard to exercise when all you want to do is sleep, I know. I really hope you find your solution.
  • sarablueskies
    sarablueskies Posts: 56 Member
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    so glad to see i'm not the only one! i try to explain to my friends or people at the gym that i have chronic epstein barr and that i can't work out like normal people and they just think i'm being lazy or making up excuses. i get severe headaches after workouts and only sleep makes them go away. after exertion i usually feel really groggy in the morning and i'm definitely noticing my brain working slower. my spleen also hurts a lot after a workout, like it's swollen so big that it's pressing on my ribcage. no one seems to believe in chronic fatigue or that i can have recurring mono.

    i went gluten free last february and i saw a hug difference. i also went sugar free and cut down on the alcohol and saw a lot of improvement in energy there, too. my doc told me i was anemic so i started taking iron at the same time. i felt invincible after that! so invincible that i started taking kickboxing again and started running...after a month of that i felt like crap again. so now i'm in the process of looking into supplements and food allergies. sounds like that is the common advice from everyone. i guess it's a just a balancing act, eat the right foods, take the right supplements, rest a lot, and don't over exercise (even though that's really hard to do!). good luck to you and everyone else!

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