I am sorry to keep asking questions but. . .
Is it normal to be soooo tired??? I feel so exausted all the time. It is nothing for me to sleep 12 hours and get up and feel tired. I am not like that usually. So many symptoms are not included in the typical lists for this condition. It is hard because I have kids wanting to learn(we homeschool) and eat breakfast. I am feeling so guilty. I feel like I am failing at my job of being mom.
Thanks
Keri
Keke,
My chronic pain just wears me out! Yes, I have been so very tired for
the last 11 years. I even complained of it in 1995, one year after my
Whipple, and no one listened to me. I have deteriorated since to being
bedridden. One can only complain for so long until they get the
message to “shut up, we don’t want to hear that.” Your illness is very
tiring and you are expending a lot of energy all of the time just
coping with it all of the time. With great pain management coupled
with a great diet and physical therapy, one could overcome this.
However, I know of no one who has BOTH of the prior necessities to be
able to do the latter.
Anyse
I am a respiratory therapist who works as a sleep technologist. Sleep apnea is more common than most people realize. I have seen many patients come through with all types of diagnoses(including ours!), body types, and health conditions. One thing I have learned is that there are no set standards to identify who has it and who doesn’t. The only way is to talk to a sleep specialist (your primary doctor can refer you for insurance purposes). The test is painless, you show up to a lab setting, get hooked up to wires and belts, and then lay down in a bed to sleep. No needles, about the only thing that would hurt would be the tape being pulled off in the morning. It’s a very good test and the worst thing that would happen would be that they found nothing, then you have not lost anything. The treatment would vary according to what they discovered. If you have any questions just send me a message and I will do my best to answer them. Being tired in the daytime and having to take naps at any age IS NOT normal. This is your body telling you that something is wrong with your sleep.
Hi, Keri–
Yup, it’s hard to be in so much pain and not eating right and getting sick and not feel exhausted. When your body is under attack it’s tiring.
My pain interferes with my sleep (since sleep issues were mentioned) and I’ve found using a couple mg of sublingual melatonin (synthetic/pharmaceutical grade, not bovine) which is natural (check w/your doc first, though) helps me to get through most nights. I often need a dose of pain meds to get my body calmed down enough to just relax my brain, but it’s been very helpful. GNC has the best one I’ve found and it’s super-cheap. The sublingual has worked better than the oral.
It’s also exhausting to fight with docs and ERs and stuff-- it wears me out just trying to get treated and understood half the time. Argh!
Also, you’re not failing at anything by being sick-- and you’ve got to do what helps you to keep your energy up, not lose it. Depending on the age of your kids, try explaining to them honestly but simply, what’s wrong and why you can’t join them in certain things. Kids usually deal better if they can understand what’s going on. They’re really resilient.
My fingers are crossed for you–
Hugs,
Lisa
Keke-
Please, don’t apologize for asking questions. That is what we’re all here for - to try and get answers and learn from each other’s experiences.
I’m tired all the time but it’s because I don’t sleep for any length of time. I have a script for lorazapam for anxiety but I don’t want to start relying on another pill to get by. Take little naps if you can, even 15 minutes might help. Do you go to bed with a lot on your mind? The best way for me to get to sleep is to pray. The only problem is I usually never get finished with what I want to say.
Wish I could be of more help. Don’t stop the questions because someone else might have the same problem now or in the future.
I hope you have wonderful dreams and no pain tonight.
Kubladi
Keri
Just a bit of “what worked for me”. As soon as I was pain free (this will be day 6), the exhaustion ended! The night after the procedure, I woke up at 2am because my body was ready to wake up and I went until 10pm that night, without exhaustion or feeling fatigued. The body is an amazing thing. I have been on a regular sleep/wake cycle ever since, no need for pain meds probably contributes to that.
Keep you strength as best you can and KEEP HYDRATED!
Love and hugs
Teresa
Hi Teresa,
I’ve read your recent posts with the block you had-I’m so happy it worked for you!!! It can go either way I’ve read, and I’m so glad it was successful for you. My question to you is —after the block, did you have any withdrawal from the pain meds you were taking? Were you able to just stop taking the narcotics and no problem? Thanks for your info and again I hope this lasts forever for you!!!
Terri
Terri
I have a great group of anesthesiologist friends who are weaning me off the narcs. Of course, I did eat PIZZA the other night and that probably was not a good thing as I did have a bit of pain but nothing compared to before. Doc K says this is a temp block so I will probably see him again just after the holidays for a more permanent one.
Thanks for the support and I do hope that others can get the same results as I did.
Hugs and pain free days and nights to all
Teresa