energy

I am struggling to have enough energy to get through the day. I mean like doing a load of laundry, cleaning the kitchen, brushing my teeth, getting out for brunch today and then driving my son to a social event and getting on to a two hour group cbt session. Until I've been out of the house for awhile, I am just so dead tired and would even go to IP for a month if they could promise me that I would have some energy by the time I was done.

I don't know if it is long term after effects of chemo or some combination with bipolar or an extra chronic fatigue situation. Is it possible for anxiety to rob you of energy?

Does anyone have any tidbits or thoughts on how to get motivated, stay motivated, pay less attention to the physical signs of fatigue or just get on with the day?

Please share your experiences if you have them with chronic lack of energy. Maybe we can exchange little bursts of energy this way.

I am extremely fatigued from medication. I can barely stay awake all day (and often don't). I do the basic chores, but I literally feel like I am going to just drop to the floor and lie there, falling asleep.


I so wish I had some tips for you, but I don't. Maybe someone else will.....

Medication makes me exhausted. I take a stimulant every morning to give me a boost. I also try to look at things in chunks. If I'm doing laundry, I focus only on laundry and not the other stuff I have to do.

I’m not much help (I can’t give the “usual” suggestions ) but I’m sending my best hopes to you

I too, am tired all of the time. I have a few fatiguing illnesses. Chronic pain adds to it. I take Adderall twice a day to try to get going. Ugggh! Still difficult.


WC

My parents made the observation I survive on soda and how tired I always am. I have no idea how to change it.

*Laurie*, I feel the same way you do about medication. If I skip my rexulti for a day then I do notice that I have more energy at least in the morning. On the other hand my anxiety seems to go up a bit although anxiety is pretty high anyway. My pdoc wants me to go from 2mg to 1mg of Rexulti to see if this helps with the energy zap. I just feel zapped most of the time. Can you tweek your meds to see if it makes a difference?

TheSadGirl, well that all makes sense. I think a big psychological part of my fatigue is lumping things together instead of chunking and also thinking it will always be this way... struggling to just get through the chores in life instead of getting out there and living it. The group cbt class yesterday helped with coping skills.

Fuzzybear, I'm sending you my best hopes too. To make it through a better day. I think the worst part is when I start to think every day will be the same or worse for my energy than today, so life is just an endless spiral down. Of course it is in the long run after about the age of 35 but we can have some good spurts. My son thinks I will recover some energy. Maybe he is right. That is an example of what I learned in cbt called 'thought replacement'.

WC, we are in similar situation regarding energy. I am going to ask my pdoc for a weeks worth of adderall to see if it helps. Vyvanse is too long lasting for me and messes with my sleep which I can't afford as a bipolar person. I would like to be able to run for short bursts not the whole day necessarily. Do you take adderall on a schedule or just for an occasional pick me up? Lyrica solved my chronic pain problem more or less although it is sedating too. Fortunately I need much less of it than I used to when I worked. Chronic pain is fatiguing all by itself just by virtue of existing chronically. Maybe anything chronic is fatiguing including chronic anxiety or what is called "generalized anxiety disorder" which I also have a diagnosis of. When you think you are not safe, no matter where you are (as I do in my own home) that is a source of great anxiety. i learned yesterday or got reminded about self-soothing when having a panic attack is to ask yourself if you are "ok now, or how do feel right now?" the second question is "do you feel safe right now". No wonder have GAD.

Miguel'smom, that's the toughest part about fatigue is the thought of not knowing how to change it. It's possible that lowering rexulti will work for me and give a little energy boost to the day. Maybe adderrall will help too. I do believe each and every person has ways to increase their energy if they can find them. It's different for each person too. I'm due for a physical but I'll wait until July for my oncologists blood tests and take it from there.

I know that this is not practical for everyone, but one of my meds, Fetzima, is quite activating.

Looking at things in chunks - yes, that's a very good way to cope. I fully agree.

For those of you who take a stimulant, does it ever cause anxiety?

I wish I had an answer for you. I feel low energy a lot of the time. Some of it is from my meds and some I think is all my anxiety and mood fluctuations that just exhaust me. Exercise is apparently good for this but it is so hard to exercise when you are so exhausted you feel like you could just drop and sleep for a month. I’ve tried some natural energy supplements and haven’t noticed a huge change but I’m also not consistent with taking them.

Just looking at your day's schedule is exhausting for me.

Anxiety can be tiring--if one is keyed up all the time then the body will only do so much. I remember having panic attacks and being so tired afterwards (though not able to sleep because of anxiety).

I can't take stimulants because it increases my anxiety. It may work for you, though, so no harm in asking.

I started taking vitamin B complex a few months ago. It seem to really help me. Lately not so much but I think that’s because I’ve been dealing with a lot of stress.

I tried stimulants to help with energy, and they didn't do anything. I use caffeine, and it doesn't really help either. I think exercise might be the only thing that will work, but I'm too lazy to try it.

I have been taking Adderall for extreme fatigue for about 5 years. Lately, though, it's turned on me and I'm really struggling. I take 30 mg in the am and 15 at noon and by 1 pm I crash HARD. I get too tired to function; it's debilitating. How long have you taken it for and do you have any tips for how I might prevent this from happening? (Hope it never happens to you!!)