Combating Fatigue

Does anyone have any tips on how to combat fatigue?

I have mixed days and I have bad days. I'm a tutor, so usually when I'm tutoring students, I'm excited, energetic, etc. However, in between students, or walking around the building, I feel so fatigued. Last week, I had to lie down on the couches for a few minutes, every so often.

Today is a very bad day. I'm not working today. A lot of times I go in on my days off to distract myself, but I can't even do that, because, if I go in every day, that tires me out too, obviously.

I'm a morning person. I try to start my day off at 7. Have my coffee, catch up on my e-mails, read, etc. Lately, I've been waking up, making coffee, and going back to sleep, so the entire mug of coffee just sits there as I sleep.

I will tell you that I used to suffer from insomnia, and this new medicine, Seroquel, has helped with that, for the most part, but it has also kept me from my morning person-ness and just being any kind of awake person. I sleep all day on my days off. I can't even be a night person, because I'm tired by 6 or 7.

It just pisses me off so much. The last time I slept this much, I was a junior in college, and I slept my life away, missed all my classes, and had to take a year off. I know this is just a side effect of the medicine, and I told my doctor I wanted to go back to my former one, and I agreed that I've been through so much **** in my life that I'd just ride this one out until I see him next week. Although, the past two weeks have been hell. I immediately felt every single side effect under the sun the day after I took it.

Anyway, I'm so, so, so, tired. And junior year, I was in such a catatonic-zombie-like state that I did not want to do ANYTHING. Nothing. I know this is not that, but I'm scared that it is. I don't want to go backwards, but I feel as if my condition is fluctuating. I get better, then, I get worse....etc. I'm falling asleep as I type this.

Ideas? Fellow stories you can share? Motivation?

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm afraid there's not a lot I can say about this. I think the first question might be with regard to whether this is a medication-induced fatigue or if it is perhaps a symptom of depression. If it is med-related, then I would think it would be something that should be discussed with you prescriber. On the other hand, if it's a symptom of depression then perhaps there may be other approaches.

Here are links to 5 articles, from PC's archives, on the subject of how to handle the overwhelming fatigue of depression as well as on finding motivation:

5 Tips for Dealing with the Overwhelming Fatigue of Depression

5 More Tips for Dealing with the Overwhelming Fatigue of Depression

Tips for Finding Motivation When You're Depressed

12-Steps to Creating Motivation When Depressed | Relationships in Balance

10 Ways To Find New Motivation

Of course, as the old saying goes, the devil is in the details. Parsing out specifically what is & is not contributing to your fatigue & lack of motivation can be the really difficult part. Hopefully other members, here on PC, will have some insights they can share.