Extreme moodiness, forgetfulness, and sadness

StefaniMerlo
StefaniMerlo Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm noticing after a month of working out and being pretty good about MFP this week I'm extremely fatigued, moody, depressed, and forgetful. There is literally no reason I should be this way. I just got married, I am on summer break, I am blessed. I am not making the progress I'd like to- the loss is very slow but progress none the less.
The main thing is my irritability/agitation and feelings like I want to cry but there's no stimulus for it. I also spent a half hour looking for my car yesterday and forgot my niece and nephews birthday (that's very unusual for me).

Please help.
Stef

Replies

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited July 2017
    Have you been on a very low calorie diet? This could have caused a vitamin deficiency. Many can affect depression/mood. Such as Vit D, magnesium, B complex, folate, iron, zinc, iodine. Would you consider taking a multivitamin? http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/therese-borchard-sanity-break/nutritional-deficiencies-that-may-cause-depression/
    Please do not take individual supplements unless you talk to your doctor first, since they come in larger amounts and can cause problems. Ex: Too much zinc can affect your copper. Too much iron and iodine can also be harmful. You're not pregnant are you? Are you taking any medications such as cholesterol lowering drugs? Any herbs or supplements?
    Google: Lack of enough protein. Can affect mood and inability to handle stress. Open your diary
  • bruby28
    bruby28 Posts: 4,123 Member
    Have you had your thyroid checked ?
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    This might have nothing to do with it but get your thyroid checked. A few days before the test make sure you do something that pushes you a bit. I had low thyroid for years and the doc kept telling me I was normal until I took a road trip and got so sick I thought I'd had a mini stroke. He said he hadn't seen a thyroid that low in years. Ironically when they did an ultrasound it was full of scar tissue. I'm on meds now and feel much better. I will say however that if I overexercise I get sick again. That includes headaches, constipation, dry skin and hair, forgetfulness, fatigue and joint pain.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,669 Member
    That sounds really unpleasant. Sorry to hear it.

    I get like that when 1) I haven't eaten enough that day, 2) I crash after I've eaten carbs without protein or fats, or 3) I'm tired or sleep-deprived.

    How much are you eating, and are you sensitive to blood sugar swings? Are you sleeping? How much are you exercising?
  • StefaniMerlo
    StefaniMerlo Posts: 18 Member
    I'm eating between 1600-1800 calories per day. I've been working out daily. I gained about three pounds after a three day camping trip about a week ago and since I've been back I've been extremely conscious of my nutrition and exercise. I'm still not back to where I was but today marks the week.

    I just had my thyroid checked and the doc said it was a little high...weird because I'm definitely struggling to lose.

    I am a little sleep deprived, I sleep about five hours a night.

    I actually haven't been taking any supplements. Maybe taking some would help.

    I think I'm going to rest today and just track my food without trying to keep my calories too low. I'll also take a multivitamin and some cal/mag before sleeping tonight.

    Thank you so much.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    I'm sorry you're having a rough time. If this keeps up and your doctor is giving you a clean bill of health, I'd really recommend talking to a mental health professional if at all possible. Sleep deprivation can be rough on your mental and physical health, too.
  • tabletop_joe
    tabletop_joe Posts: 455 Member
    I feel the same way. I think I'm bummed out from not feeling good about myself for a long time paired with keeping my deficit on the higher side without a lot of progress. I'm working on trying not to care so much but it makes me irritable to try for nothing.

    I hope you feel better soon. :)
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    StefaniMerlo wrote: »
    I'm eating between 1600-1800 calories per day. I've been working out daily. I gained about three pounds after a three day camping trip about a week ago and since I've been back I've been extremely conscious of my nutrition and exercise. I'm still not back to where I was but today marks the week.

    I just had my thyroid checked and the doc said it was a little high...weird because I'm definitely struggling to lose.

    I am a little sleep deprived, I sleep about five hours a night.

    I actually haven't been taking any supplements. Maybe taking some would help.

    I think I'm going to rest today and just track my food without trying to keep my calories too low. I'll also take a multivitamin and some cal/mag before sleeping tonight.

    Thank you so much.

    I may be misunderstanding but when the test comes back high for TSH it means that the hormone your body sends out is high which actually means your thyroid is low. I know it makes no sense but TSH which they are testing for is the hormone your body sends to the thyroid to tell it to produce more Thyroid hormone. I'm not a doc but I would ask him/her if that means your thyroid is actually underproducing.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    If it is your thyroid, you might actually need to dial back the workouts. I'm sure I will get hate mail for that comment but I'm telling you from personal experience. Once you get your thyroid running right you can work out harder. Don't stop exercising just maybe cut back a little and see if you feel better. Before I got mine under control I would get sicker and sicker the harder I worked out. Took a long time to realize I was making it worse. I sincerely hope you feel better soon. Losing weight is well worth the struggle. Now I feel so much better and all my health issues have disappeared except the thyroid thing; I'll be on synthroid for life.
  • rparkerslim
    rparkerslim Posts: 398 Member
    Are you eating enough protein? After I exercise, I'm so tired and forgetful! I got a protein supplement to take afterwards because I'm not a big meat eater, and I know I don't get enough protein!
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    Five hours of sleep isn't very much. I wonder whether the little sleep you do get is very deep and restful. Lack of good quality sleep can contribute to all those things you mentioned. My son wasn't getting good sleep, and tried over-the-counter melatonin. He'd take it half an hour before bed and was able to fall asleep more easily. My personal experience was that I couldn't fall asleep and stay asleep. My doctor had me try prescription Lunesta, which I found helpful. When that became ineffective, my doctor prescribed Trazadone, an antidepressant that helps with sleep. Success! Moodiness, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating: all gone. Maybe worth a discussion with your doctor.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,163 Member
    Get some decent sleep for several days, if at all possible.

    Yes, these are potential symptoms of a too-steep calorie deficit, but your actual loss rate & calorie level don't sound too extreme . . .unless you've cut way back to lose those 3 pounds from camping very quickly, which would of course be the wrong strategy.

    Get some sleep for a while, then re-evaluate. What you're describing sounds exactly how I felt/behaved when I had sleep problems.
  • StefaniMerlo
    StefaniMerlo Posts: 18 Member


    What percentage of the calories that you earn from exercise are you eating back? Many people here mistakenly think they are not supposed to eat their exercise calories, but because MFP uses the NEAT method, a deficit is already built in and not eating exercise calories creates a bigger deficit than intended. Under-eating can cause the symptoms you mentioned.

    So can sleep deprivation.[/quote]

    I set my MFP for 1300 cals and then I eat back all of my cals back from exercise and sometimes more. My goal is long term success so even if that means losing more slowly, then that's ok.

    I also am trying to get 100g of protein a day.

    I agree I'm not getting enough sleep and I think I'm going to try for working out every other day. (Yikes! I love working out!) Maybe I'll just do a fun activity on alternate days to balance out.

    I agree that maybe I was too aggressive trying to lose the entire amount I gained in the subsequent week.

    Thank you so much for the support and help!

    Hugs!
    Stef
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    I'm on summer break as well. I go back on August 7. This is about the time when I start feeling down and anxious about the end of summer.
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
    Sounds like me just before I find out I'm pregnant.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    StefaniMerlo wrote: »
    ... I am a little sleep deprived, I sleep about five hours a night. ...
    And there you have it, folks. Seriously. Five hours per night is sleep deprivation. Adults need 7 to 9 hours EVERY day. Younger folks need more.

    Some reading for you -- or better yet, take a nap: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/feb/25/sleeping-six-hours-night-activity-genes

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