I need help and my experience with doctors thus far as not been helpful, even after 10 plus years. I am only 31 but every day, no matter what time I go to bed, how many hours of sleep I get, I get uncontrollable fatigue about 5 hours after waking up. I try to "push through it" but I'm so drowsy that it feels like I am drugged up on NYQUIL. The only thing that helps is taking a nap. I fall asleep almost right away every time. My second bout of fatigue hits me around 7pm, although I can usually tough this one out until I go to bed at 11pm (fall asleep almost immediately) . I get up at around 8am every morning but NEVER feel rested. I may wake up once or twice (that I know of) but fall right back asleep. Even after my naps I feel drowsy, but at least it allows me to function for the rest of the day because otherwise I am worthless--I am exhausted, brain fog, memory problems and just overall feeling like I haven't slept in days. It isn't so bad that I fall asleep at the wheel or during eating, but there have been times I have been driving and almost got into an accident because I "wasn't paying attention" (just feeling really out of it).
For as long as I can remember I have always been "tired". During teenage years it was a "normal teen thing". Then I got into college and partied and was "sleep deprived". Later in my 20's I attended graduate school and had "adrenal fatigue" from stress, even though I didn't feel stressed. I feel like everytime I have been to the doctor regarding my fatigue, they write it off as "overdoing it", "stress", "depression", "adrenal fatigue" but I feel like it is more than this. I am currently unemployed, stress levels are low, yet it has had no effect on my day time fatigue.
It seems I have been to every doctor under the sun: -Sleep study: was unremarkable -PCP: put me on anti-depressants which made the fatigue 100X worse -nutritionist: checked nutrient and hormone levels, put me on additional supplements which didn't seem to do much. -functional medicine: did genetic testing showing "mitochondrial dysfunction" and "Thyroid disorder" (thyroid panel was normal, so was CBC with diff) have been taking CoQ10 and vitamin B complex with no change. genetic test also showed hypermobility -chiropractor: helped with my joints to get me exercising again (has had no impact on fatigue) -rheumatologist: No autoimmune diseases -cardiologist: showed I have PVCs--they said this COULD Be contributing to the fatigue and they want to do a cardiac ablation -acupuncture: didn't help -eye doctor: got new glasses, didn't help
I have gone gluten free and try limiting dairy to almost none which also has had no change. Does anyone have any ideas that maybe the doctors haven't thought of? It seems to have gotten progressively worse over the past ten years to the point where it is affecting my ability to socialize, hold a job (and do it well), exercise, have a successful marriage and even just function through the day. Mt quality of life is terrible and I'm desperate for advice...
If you had a sleep study and characterize it as "unremarkable", did it show significant obstructive sleep apnea? Numbers?.....
In any case, the only sleep apnea related issue in my life that caused me to get very drowsy was low blood oxygen levels caused by OSA. What were your blood oxygen readings during the sleep study? In my case, I could fall asleep while riding a motorcycle or operating power tools...
They didn't really tell me much other than it was a normal study. I woke up at various points throughout the night but they said that it was normal and that I hit all of the stages of sleep (this was also a couple of years ago). I wonder if it would be worth it to do another one? Seeing as how the symptoms have gotten worse (and I wasn't too concerned about the results at the time), I'm thinking perhaps that may be my next route...fall asleep while operating power tools?! Wow. I can't quite do that, although sometimes in the movie theatre (my husband wonders how I can do that even during my favorite movie...). It's weird though because I'm also a very very light sleeper...seems kind of contradictory.
If you do decide another sleep study is warranted, make 'em give you a copy of the results. YOU are the person who ultimately pays for the thing. Look at the results and google the incomprehensible medical babble and stuff will make some sense and YOU can decide if apnea is a contributor. One more thing... if you are a "light sleeper", that also is a possible symptom of sleep apnea. The reason you think of yourself as a light sleeper may be you never get to the deeper stages of REM prior to therapy, I had vivid dreams and was up multiple times during the night to make potty runs. I guess you could say it was the result of being restless but once I started therapy, I sleep like a log and almost NEVER wake during the night and hardly remember a dream. I also don't nod off during the day.
Again, this time, as you explore treatment options, be proactive and YOU get in front of the process so you are better able to evaluate whether the suggestions you receive seem to be the best. If they don't make sense, as is often the case,, understanding what is going on with tests and demanding explanations will really be your best chance of licking these issues.
I do as well always have vivid dreams. Sometimes I even have to ask myself "did that really happen or was it a dream?". I've woken up crying from dreams before. They are in color and whether I am napping or going to bed at night I always have them...I used to sleep walk as a kid too--IDK if that has anything to do with it.
Has anyone investigated narcolepsy? It would the standard procedure with your level of reported sleepiness and nothing being picked up on the initial sleep study.
Also, what you describe suggests that you probably are falling asleep while driving, only for about a second at a time, even if you don't know it. Be cautious.
Negative. Like I said, most doctors always write it off as SOMETHING. I have an appointment with a new PCP at the end of the month and I will bring that up to him. I didn't know it was possible to "Fall asleep for a second at a time"....but I guess it makes sense...there are lots of times I don't remember driving the last 5 minutes. When I was in graduate school I would be sitting there and realize that I had no idea what the teacher just said--perhaps that was the same thing? Falling asleep for a second or two? I always thought of narcolepsy as someone is walking and just falls over asleep, or is driving and passes out on the wheel.
