Really bad SAD?

I don't know what is wrong with me. All I want to do lately is sleep. I am so tired, plus had another migraine today. I can't seem to get into the office and can barely check in via email. I feel like I am drowning. I don't understand what is going on.

I do have SAD, plus I have a big project at work that seems not able to move without me. It's the dark time of year, plus very cold here lately.

I had been trying to get an exercise program going at the pool and was very excited about the informational meeting with the surgery group I'm interested in.

Between my SAD, extra family stress and awful work stress, I think my systems are just shutting down. I also had some recent med changes. My doc changed my anti-depressant to 2x the prev dose, taken 2x a day now. It is also supposed to help fibromyalgia, which my podiatrist says I have, altho my PCP has not mentioned it - and I do not always remember the dx codes to run home and look them up.

I am also now taking pain meds - T4, which I think makes me tired.

I also overdid it last week.

On Thursday I had to clarify something with some internal customers, who are at the far SE corner of the 4th floor. I took my new colleague along so she could meet people, and it ended up being a much longer visit that I intended with more standing that I planned on. So I was pretty tired when I was done. Plus a walk or two over across my own floor to see my boss & team members.

On Friday I had to take my daughterto the eye doc (corneal abrasion emergency) & then to her work to drop off the doc's note. I should have grabbed a riding cart, but I did not think it would be long. Well, it was long. Kimmie ended up getting me a riding cart 1/2 way through.

Then on Saturday, I tackled one of the worst messy areas in the house - the Dinner table area because (a) I want to put up a mirror for good Feng Shui, (b) I need to make room for the recliner I want to buy to sleep in and (c) I also want to do a bit of Christmas decorating. I got the worst 1/2 of that area done and then took a nap. That was Saturday afternoon.

I've pretty much been sleeping since then.

I think I am just exhausted.

Anyone have any insights?

 

Have you been checked for sleep apnea?  I felt like that for a year, and my doc at the time told me it was just stress from my job.  Turned out to be severe sleep apnea. It could also be your body adjusting to the change in meds/doses. Kix

Yes, I do have sleep apnea - have been on a C-Pap for about 11 years. I had a change in C-Pap equipment about 2 months ago to a smarter machine that only gives me the pressure it senses I need. Maybe it is not sensing right - I never thought of that possibility.

I am due to see my sleep doc sometime soon -  if this persists I will sure ask!

It might well be the change in meds.  

No ideas here, but I hope you feel better soon!  Maybe once you adjust to the new drugs/dosages things will get better.  If you were post-op, I'd say I felt like that most of the time for the first three months.  Are you drinking enough fluid?  I get headaches that feel like hangovers or migraines when I'm dehydrated. I say if your body wants sleep, let it sleep a lot for a few days and see if you feel better.  If you don't then maybe it is SAD or apnea issues or depression or something else.   Best Wishes,  Jenn

I think the lack of fluids idea is definitely part of the migraine trigger this time. Good detective work, Dunny! Because I was sleeping so much from being exhausted, I wasn't doing my usual amout of drinking - either caffiene & energy drinks plus Gatorade & water. When the shots of Imitrex were not working on the headache, I drank a bunch of strong coffee and then promptly fell asleep.

I know I'll need to quit carbonated drinks, but I'm pretty addicted to my afternoon Sobe No Fear/Rockstar - diet, of course! 

This was pretty instructive as to how I'm going to need to wean myself off the above substances.

Yikes. 

I sounds like a combination of life and drugs - it's amazing how those can affect us and our moods. I was on anti-depressants for many years and know exactly how you feel - it's tough to get motivated when you just want to sleep. Hang in there though, there is always hope. I've been off anti-depressants for about 5 years now and have found that losing the weight helped A LOT! My moods are much more stable than they were before, although I think exercise does help naturally keep things even as well. you did mention fibromyalgia - I have a friend who has that and when hers was at it's worse, she suffered from major depression and was exhausted -you might want to look into getting an expert to look at that as a possibility - it can affect you in so many ways I guess not much advice, but want you to know I'll be thinking about you - depression is tough to go through and adding other drugs to the mix does not help. Big hugs Pam

I probably should explore the fibromyalgia further. I have a really bad record of taking care of myself. Since I've decided to pursue WLS I have been spending much more time at various docs taking care of things I have put off.

It just takes so much energy to haul all this fat around with me. I'm so tired that I am having trouble walking at work, but my PCP says that if I get into a wheelchair, I'll never get out.

I'm really considering a rolling walker that I can sit on.

Thank you for the hug - I needed it. 

hi patty, i'm glad you're writing when you feel like this.  it's how we help each other! (first, i'll start with my disclaimer...i'm a licensed psychotherapist in washington state.  i won't try to 'therapy' you here, but i will provide some info that may be helpful.  if it's not, don't use it.  i also have a bmi of over 60, and am here as a registered user, not any type of staff.) here's what i know:  narcotic pain meds, by their nature, are depressants.  when you mix symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) with narcotic pain medication, depression is right there, knocking on your door.  exhaustion and lack of interest stand there, too. it's not surprising that you want to sleep.  the real question is why would you not want to? one thing that helps some people is exposure to sunlight.  the sun doesn't have to be shining in a blue sky for you to absorb it.  you can't wear sunglasses though, as they filter out the light that your brain needs to produce the chemicals that provide the lift.  'light box therapy' is another that helps.  there are special light bulbs that provide full spectrum light.  it's that kind of light that gets your brain working on chemical production.  light box therapy has gotten considerably cheaper in the past few years.  some retail versions run about $200.  i'm not sure about the availability or cost of regular full spectrum bulbs that can be used in any lamp. (if you want more info on how the brain chemistry works, i can explain that later.  it's pretty interesting...and i like to talk about it.) one of my personal challenges is that i need pain meds to function.  and i'm embarrassed (humiliated might be a better term) to use the helps that are available.  it was hard for me to get a handicapped placard for my car, to use a cane when i need it, etc. good luck, and know that there's at least one person in washington state who has some of the same problems that you do. Toni

 I've read so many truths about life for the SMO in other people's stories, I want to be sure to blog about it myself. I think I need to be able to remember what life was like for me.

I've already got a light box, but did not use it the last few days when I had a migraine. I have 2 actually - an older, large full spectrum one and a newer one from the same co. (Apollo) that is smaller, more portable and is Blue Ray.

I'm better today, only took one T-4 yesterday. Awake longer today as well. I see my shrink tomorrow morning. Oh, and I'm also vitamin D deficient - am on mega doses.

I've only started recently to let go of my issues with needing a cane. At first, I was also embarassed and didn't always use it when I should have. Then I remembered how my mother fought a walker and how much better she got around once she accepted it. I had vowed to myself at the time to accept help to make life easier for myself. It's hard to do for me, but I try.

I've discovered that canes can we very useful gadgets - pressing elevator buttons w/o that last step, pulling stuff you dropped closer. Think of it as a fashion accessory.

Hi Patti, I totally understand what you are going through and understand and agree yes we do get very tired hauling all the extra weight around it is exhusting. I was at one time in my life over 680lbs and somehow managed to work but fortunatly it was a job I could sit most of the day. I was using a cane to help me with my balance right up until my surgery and I too thought of getting a wheeled cart with a seat. Personally I had sleep apnea so bad before I got my machine I was up and down every hour on the hour I think I have not had a real good night sleep until the past few months and I am talking at least 30 years of not sleeping well. I could fall asleep at a drop of a dime in a chair and sometimes standing up. I also suffered with depression for many years and it really hit me hard during the time I was doing the paper chase trying to get approved for surgery.Normal people just do not understand what life is for the super morbid obese. We struggle each and every day just to live and to keep going. Since my surgery I am now at a point I can walk my dogs and I make myself do it everyday and no excuses. I was and still can be the master of excuses to myself. In fact this morning I woke up and told my DH I could have a ice cream cone with one scoop of SF ice cream and one small cone. Boy that was on the list to do today was to go look at all the SF ice creams and flavors and read the labels. I got to Target and thought about this wonderful ice cream fantasy and continued shopping and left the store without ever going to look at the ice cream. In fact I really dont miss sweets. I was so addicted to them I could manage to convince myself of why I had to have them. Now I have found pleasure in other foods like fruit and veggies. Please feel free to PM me anytime I enjoy meeting new people especially like the people I have met in OH.                                                                  Annie