Afternoon Sluggishness?

Does anyone else suffer from afternoon sluggishness? I used to attribute it to my low iron (extremely low), but I've been able to get my numbers up into a good range, so I cant blame it on that anymore. I do my monthly b-12 shots, and doc said I don't need any more frequent, although I never get a surge of energy from them as I've heard reported. I do my calcium throughout the day, my multi with my synthroid in the wee a.m... I just don't know why I have such a surge of exhausted in the afternoons. I could literally sleep for an hour around 2-3 pm, although it would be frowned upon LOL. I wish I could say I sleep great at night, but for some reason I'm still a 1/2 sleeper, feels like when I do sleep, i'm 1/2 way concious, waking several times during the night. Anyone else suffer this oddness? Wendy

Wendy, I can tell you that we aren't to take anything w/our thyroid meds. We are to take it on an empty stomach and not eat/drink or take any other meds for an hour later. Talk w/your PCP or the dr. that prescribed your synthroid. This could be why you are sluggish. Also, are you getting enough protein in? Hope you get to feeling more energy soon. Oh, also regarding your sleep patterns. Did you suffer w/sleep apnea before WLS? If you don't see a change after taking your thyroid meds. the way it is recomended, I would look into having a sleep study done. We aren't to use soy products either while taking thyroid meds. Again, don't want to take my word for it, than ask your Dr. Keep us posted on any progress. Take care! Your Gastric Buddy, Jeannie Lap RNY 7-8-03 290/148 Below Goal PS in Oct. of 04 and more to come!

Hey Jeannie, Thanks for the reply. I have talked to my doc, and done some research concerning taking thyroid meds along with other vites.. The feedback I got was as long as I wasn't combinging the thyroid within 4 hours of calcium or Iron supplementation, it was fine.. meaning ok to take with the multi.. is your thinking that the mutli is rendered useless when combined with the thyroid? I do get in plenty of protein, always striving for protein first. I did have Apnea prior to WLS. I don't wake choking now, just wake, its weird.. its like my body only needs 4 hours of sleep.. but the sad part is, it wants another 2 hours later in the day, and my schedule wont allow it LOL. I do NOT use Soy products, by choice, as I've read alot about the soy vs. thryoid issues, even though my PCP doesn't necessarily perscribe to the theory.. sometimes our own research is better, dontcha think? Best of luck on your PS in October, sounds like you're doing great, and this will be the finishing touch! Wendy

My dream day has a nap between 2 and 3 pm too! I take my synthroid alone at or about 4 am, my multi, b-12 (every other day) and C at about 10 am and my calcium between 1 and 3 and my iron and another mulit and C at 7 pm. Don't think it is related to the nap syndrome. As you can see - I get up EARLY!! and I think that the days get to be too long by 2 pm! A short nap "resting my eyes" perks me right up and I can stay awake clear 'til 8 pm! My blood work comes back with all my numbers in the highest ranges of where they should be - I just get sluggish in the afternoon. I recommend that you talk to your doctor about the lack of restful sleep - it would seem to be a major driver in the sleepiness in the afternoon. I take Trazadone at night to help me 100% sleep. It is an anti anxiety med that was prescribed when menopausal symptoms (night sweats) took away my ability to sleep the night through. It leaves me with no "hangover" the morning. There should be something for you that would allow you into the restful sleep pattern without any side effects or dependencies that would mess with the rest of your living.

Hey Elizabeth, Thanks so much for the reply. I see my doc every 3 months for labs, and I will absolutely bring up the sleep issues with him. I know how important it is for physical and mental well-being to get a good nights rest, and don't feel I'm getting it. Maybe something to help me, like the Trazadone you mentioned is in order. I love the fact that you get no "hangover" feelings in the morning from it, as that would have been my first fear. I have a very good friend, who uses meds to go to sleep, as she just cant, and then needs meds to wake her.. its seems like a rediculous way to live to me.. but she suffers from many illnesses, and must do what she must do. Thanks again for your thoughts, I will take them to heart! I will try spacing my multi out from my synthroid. I honestly never thought the 2 were a bad match, until now that you and another poster brought it up. Its hard to get in all the calcium, when everything else must be spaced so, but I will try. Sure wish I could take the 1500+ calcium in one shot.. would make life easier, wouldn't it? Wendy

Have you had your sugar levels checked during the exhausted time periods? I've had terrible problems lately with low blood sugars and during the times I'm exhausted, I have discovered that my blood sugars are too low (it's been 38 often). I thought to begin with that I was starting menapause (I'm not admiting that I'm old enough for it at 46!!!, but I thought that was the culprit). I discussed some of the symptoms with the NUT the last time I saw her and she asked about my blood sugar levels. I was shocked when I checked it that afternoon and it was 42! Its been a real struggle trying to keep it up now. During the last few months my pulse rate has decreased to about 45 when resting, my blood pressure has been running low and now my blood sugars are low. hmmmm....perhaps we could ask for a 3:00 nap?? lol

Hey Mary, I could totally buy into the 3pm nap time, but sadly, I think the execs at the office would cringe at my lounging on the leather sofa LOL. Blood sugars, something to definitely consider. I used to suffer early post op from extremly low sugar.. to the point of almost passing out. If my sugars got below 70 I start to shake, and if they were in the 40-60 range, I could feel myself fading fast. I stopped taking my sugars when I ran out of diabetes testing strips LOL, maybe I should ask for a new script, so that I can monitor them better. I do know the signs, and frankly almost 4 years post op, eating more frequently than I do is almost unthinkable.. I already feel I graze too much, if only I'd graze on better choices. Thanks for the advice, and I will take heed in it. Wendy

Wendy--I suffer from that problem too, but it started way b4 wls. In fact my first winter in FL, before wls and before I had made new friends, I developed a habit of taking an afternoon siesta. When was the last time you had your thyroid checked? Everything Jeannie posted about the Synthroid is correct. Actualy, if you read the Synthroid literature it only mentions calcium carbonate. So I sent the company an email asking if it applied to citrate as well. The next thing I knew I was getting a call from someone technical from the company. After discussing the whole not taking calcium and iron together and not taking calcium with the synthroid and taking synthroid in the am. She suggested that whatever I do I should do it consistantly--and then get my synthroid levels tested about 8 weeks later. She said as long as I was consistant then the effect of the calcium on the synthroid would be consistant and my doseage could be altered to take that into consideration. Hope you get more energy-I'm waiting for mine.

Hey Lynda, Yeppers, I'm a regular on lab work. My PCP does my labs every 3-4 months religiously. My thyroid is within normal levels, however, this past lab work showed it going up quite a bit, not sure why, although still within normal levels.. but still a red flag to me, so I'll definitely keep an eye on it. I am consistent with the synthroid. I take it without fail every morning, the only thing is, I always took it with my multi-vite.. never with calcium or iron. This morning I took it solo and will try the routine. Its so hard to space everything out during the day, isn't it? Hopefully trying the new routine wont throw me into a tizzy LOL Hope we both get more energy soon! Wendy

I have experienced this after lunch every day since I had wls. It has nothing to do with carbs because many days I have nothing but 4 oz of protein (steak, pork chop, chicken). I eat at my desk most days and finish my lunch time reading. Some days I can't hold my eyes open to read. I will put my book down and take a short nap before going back to work. One day I'm going to fall out of my office chair doing this but I've even tried getting up and walking around. As soon as I sit down I'm ready for my nap. Weird. I sleep fine at night so it has nothing to do with needing sleep. I connect it to eating. If I sit down after dinner at home the same thing will happen but most of the time I'm too busy to sit at home. I NEVER did this even one time prior to wls.