What can I do to get more energy?

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Replies

  • BlisterLamb
    BlisterLamb Posts: 396 Member
    Hi.

    I had lost over 100 pounds and then couldn't lose any more, even though I had about another 30 to lose. I plateaued for a couple years and then started gaining, while eating 1200 calories and working out. And I was exhausted all the time. I had my thyroid checked too. And I was told the same thing, that my thyroid levels were a little low, but not in the abnormal range. Two years and a 25 pound weight gain later, they finally diagnosed me with Hashimotos Thyroiditis. Even though my thyroid levels were within the normal range all that time, no one ever thought to check my thyroid antibodies. When one doctor finally did, they found that I had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Its where your body produces antibodies to your thyroid and even though your levels of thyroid may fall into the low end of normal, its fighting for its life as your body tries to destroy it. It causes fatigue (oh man...the fatigue!), weight gain, even when eating at a deficit, brittle hair and nails, and a host of other charming issues. The freakin fatigue is the worst. Well...and the weight gain. I have to stay pretty low on my calorie intake and avoid most carbs except vegetables and a little fruit. I take thyroid meds and you have to be proactive in managing your dosage, helping the doctors to find the amount that works best for you. Anyway, its worth checking out when you have the chance. Tell the doctor that you want your TSH levels checked. Just a suggestion.
  • redmagpie91
    redmagpie91 Posts: 77 Member
    Is there a reason you are maxing sleep at 8 hours/day (weekday?) your max is actually the minimum recommended amount (anyone correct me if I am wrong)... BUT IF you can swing it... add an hour so you are sleeping 8-9 hours/day... there are studies suggesting that a lack of sleep can lead to weight issues in adults...and there are links to sleep issues based on overweight (obesity) (apnea) ...

    IF you are too tired to get some exercise... try taking a 15 minute "rest, nap, meditation, before your workout... How is your diet? think about adding a multi-vitamin... do you work at night?

    Generally when some is "TOO ANYTHING" .. it means something is out of balance... plot out your day... keep a log...for a couple of weeks...keep track of everything you do and when you do it...

    My wife is a bit jealous of me... she has timed me and I can fall asleep in as little as 7 seconds of my head hitting a pillow... I wake at 4 and turn in at 9 during the week... if I end up laying on the couch watching TV on the weekend... I will fall asleep... so maybe your issue is just being too comfortable... BUT ... IF you think there might be something wrong.. then you owe it to yourself to get it checked out... before seeing the doctor.. it will help him if you can provide that daily log.. and the longer and more detail you can keep in that log will be of more help to the doctor...

    Best of luck... and having overweight parents doesn't mean you have to follow that path...

    Back when I used to go to the doctor, they told me that 6-8 was normal for adults and any more than that was too much. I also am a night owl, read a lot and always have a ton to do. I hate the need to sleep because it's such a huge waste of time. I could be doing a million other things that would actually benefit my mind/body. I usually work out at 4-5pm right after work. I would try a 15 minute nap but I would probably sleep for 3 hours! LOL

    I feel like my diet is rather healthy. I haven't logged in a few weeks because I just moved and I had the norovirus (super bad flu) for almost 10 days. I am getting back into it, but I eat pretty healthy actually. No fast or fried foods or anything.
  • redmagpie91
    redmagpie91 Posts: 77 Member
    Hi.

    I had lost over 100 pounds and then couldn't lose any more, even though I had about another 30 to lose. I plateaued for a couple years and then started gaining, while eating 1200 calories and working out. And I was exhausted all the time. I had my thyroid checked too. And I was told the same thing, that my thyroid levels were a little low, but not in the abnormal range. Two years and a 25 pound weight gain later, they finally diagnosed me with Hashimotos Thyroiditis. Even though my thyroid levels were within the normal range all that time, no one ever thought to check my thyroid antibodies. When one doctor finally did, they found that I had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Its where your body produces antibodies to your thyroid and even though your levels of thyroid may fall into the low end of normal, its fighting for its life as your body tries to destroy it. It causes fatigue (oh man...the fatigue!), weight gain, even when eating at a deficit, brittle hair and nails, and a host of other charming issues. The freakin fatigue is the worst. Well...and the weight gain. I have to stay pretty low on my calorie intake and avoid most carbs except vegetables and a little fruit. I take thyroid meds and you have to be proactive in managing your dosage, helping the doctors to find the amount that works best for you. Anyway, its worth checking out when you have the chance. Tell the doctor that you want your TSH levels checked. Just a suggestion.

    I do think getting my thyroid checked again should be a priority and I am going to do it as soon as I move in a few months. I am always tired, have thick but extremely brittle hair and my nails peel constantly. I just brushed it off because I was told it wasn't a problem.

    Do you have any suggestions for over-the-counter supplements that could help int he meantime. I have read that kelp is good for the thyroid.
  • mommyrunning
    mommyrunning Posts: 495 Member
    Estimate your TDEE and eat close to it. Establish a good sleeping pattern at night. Exercise MODERATELY. See a doctor as soon as possible.


    Don't drink caffeine to combat the tired. I know, I know. I only drink 4 cups of coffee on the days ending in "y" but if I drink more, I crash. Caffeine stimulates serotonin production in the brain, altering mood and aggression patterns in users. When these serotonin levels drop, the results can range from loss of mental acuity to anger and exhaustion (see Majithia, 2007).

    I hate that I use caffeine for energy. I try to only use/drink it 1-2 times a week as I hate the idea of becoming dependent. I have a pretty good sleep schedule, but I do not sleep deeply if that makes sense. Even in my deepest sleep, a whisper could wake me up. I have considered the possibility of sleep apnea, but what even can they do? Sell me a $2000, super nosy (so by-by husband in my bed) machine? I would absolutely hate to be diagnosed with that, but I guess I'd have an answer.

    My husband has sleep apnea and the machines are actually pretty quiet. It doesn't disturb me at all. They aren't cheap but are under $1000. If you were to be diagnosed with sleep apnea it would be best to treat it as it can cause health problems. Sometimes it can be cured with surgery.
  • BlisterLamb
    BlisterLamb Posts: 396 Member
    I do have one suggestion but I won't post it on the board. Hashimotos is pretty much only manageable, its only recently that I've seen it actually cured. I know a few people that have been able to reverse it. I haven't checked my levels yet to see if I'm improving, but so far it hasn't helped my symptoms a lot. But as I said, I know people who have had really good results with it. If you want the information, you can message me.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I think 8-9 hours is normal for young adults. What you're doing now obviously isn't healthy for you if you're always tired so why not try the obvious, easy, free solution-- try more sleep? Napping can be good, too, and there are alarms to keep you from going 3 hours. :smile:
  • redmagpie91
    redmagpie91 Posts: 77 Member
    I think 8-9 hours is normal for young adults. What you're doing now obviously isn't healthy for you if you're always tired so why not try the obvious, easy, free solution-- try more sleep? Napping can be good, too, and there are alarms to keep you from going 3 hours. :smile:

    I guess what I'm saying is that even if I get 14 hours of sleep, I could still nap during the day. I have tried all combinations of sleep hours to try and combat this issue. I think that I might just be a person who doesn't sleep well. I could seriously be sleeping and still hear conversations and know if my husband even rolls over. It kinda sucks :/
  • Hbarry7
    Hbarry7 Posts: 24 Member
    Perhpas TMI, but you mentioned having endo. I have severe (lvl4) endometriosis, had surgery followed by a year of Lupron shots. Post Lupron check-up and 6month post lupron check-up showed the cysts are refilling (I should have made sure to gotten a surgeon to do an excise surgery instead of just draining). Its been a two year process so far, its hard to compare how I felt before to how I feel now.

    I'm also a night owl and generally get 6-7 hours of sleep a night. I end up drinking 1-2 cups of coffee mid-morning, or grabbing a diet soda purely for the caffine kick. So I feel your pain.

    I know I function at my best if I sleep 8-9 hours a night, but I just don't do it. I work a regular 8am-5pm job and when 9pm rolls around I get a second wind of energy and stay up until midnight or 1am. It's easy to say "go to bed" it's harder to actually do it. I know what time it is, I know I should go to bed, sometimes I even start to get ready for bed, but I end up staying up anyway.

    They only useful tip I have may not work for you. My employer has a privacy room for nursing mothers, with a decent recliner in a small internal office with no windows. When I'm really dragging at work I'll pop down there, lock the door and take a quick nap. I set my cell phone to wake me up and have friend in the office that I could tell to come get me if I'm not back at my desk. I listen to a 25 minute guided meditation (heh, the cd from paul mckenna's I Can Make You Thin book). I always wake up as he's counting back up at the end of it, and I feel less stressed going back to the rest of my work day.

    As far as nutrition, I agree with the other poster who said to re-calculate your TDEE. Give your general everyday go-to meals a once over and tweak a few spots if you can. On the Endo front, I started researching anti-inflammation diets, which is similar to Mediterrean diet style of eating. I'm sort of on the bandwagon about chronic inflammation exacberating the condition, so the tweaks I am making is in that direction. I'm increasing veggies, decreasing gluten/bread/pasta products, and avoiding dairy. Not sure I'll ever give up cheese or ice cream entirely. I am specifically eating more fish and less pototaoes. I'm saying no to soy products whenever possible. I just started taking fish oil and Vitamin D. I already try to take Niacin daily.

    My rational isn't completely based in proven science, but proven science and doctors haven't been able to help me that much the last couple years. They just say this is how things are and dodge my inquiries about nutrition. My approach is what I feel okay with. Its what I haven't tried in the past and what I think sounds reasonable and do-able for me.

    Nutrition and sleep/naps are bandaids if you have some other medical condition that is causing the lack of energy, but since you aren't able to get tests done right now tweaking your nutrition, lowering stress, and trying to get to bed are good strategies. See if anything changes in a week or two. For me, sometimes its chronic stress that throws my sleep off. It sounds like you have a lot going on all the time.
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    Iodine, Iron, Vitamin D, and Evening Primrose Oil. Covers basis for ovary disfunction, thyroid imbalance, and anemia. If it persists after a month of CONSISTENT supplement use, then you might have a bigger problem. Don't leave something like this to strangers on the internet. :/

    Just sayin'.

    Edit: Melatonin at night to help you get GOOD sleep.

    These are all great suggestions to try while you save money to get to the doctor.

    I know for me I thought I was sleeping 6 - 8 hours but in reality I am only sleeping an average of 5 a night - no matter what time I go to bed. I work out in the early morning and that helps with my energy levels through out the day as well.
  • runitskat
    runitskat Posts: 30
    Poor sleep quality can be a form of insomnia, which has a variety of causes. I get the same kind of sleep that you do and I also wake up every 45 minutes to an hour. So while I'm "sleeping" for 8 hours a night I never, or very rarely, go into REM sleep. The only thing that helps me is taking an OTC sleeping aid. You could try something like that in the meantime. Melatonin works for a lot of people and is safer than an actual sleep aid.
  • writergeek313
    writergeek313 Posts: 390 Member
    Endometriosis can cause heavy periods, and heavy bleeding on a regular basis can cause an iron deficiency. Being anemic will make you extremely tired. Until you can afford to get to a doctor to get blood work done, take a multivitamin that contains 100% of your daily recommendation of iron and eat iron-rich foods. Don't take an iron supplement on your own--they can cause a lot of problems if taken at the wrong dose, so it's best to wait until you can get advice from a doctor.

    I had a history of heavy periods because of another condition, and I also noticed that without taking a multivitamin I'm often really under my daily recommendation for iron. I do want to get my iron level checked at some point, since I go through periods when I seem to be exhausted all the time. I've found two things that really help are not going overboard with caffeine (I'm down to 1-2 cups of coffee a day from probably at least 5-6) and getting regular exercise. The days when I feel like working out the least are usually the days when I need to the most.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I agree with the iron recs. Easy thing to try and anemia is common and does make you feel tired.
  • klinger6395
    klinger6395 Posts: 44 Member
    Red bull then coffee

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