[Sheba976]

I know I have seen a lot of people say they have trouble sleeping. I am the complete opposite. I could sleep all the time and I can never get enough. I sometimes sleep in my car on my lunch hour. Some days I'm so wiped out after sleeping 8-9 hours the night before. Of course, the doc has investigated all physical possibilities. My TDoc says that my fatigue should get better when my depression gets better. I'm on Lexapro and Lamictal. I'm not to the max dose of Lamictal yet, but I hope it helps the fatigue. Does anyone else have this issue?

[Anneinside]

Has anyone considered sleep apnea? When I don't use my CPAP machine at night I am tired the next day no matter how long I have slept.

[Sheba976]

I know all about sleep apnea. I work for a cardiologist and do stress testing. We see so many patients with chest pain and it turns out they have sleep apnea. I don't snore at all or toss and turn. Very good suggestion though. Thank you.

[Secretum]

Oversleeping is often a feature of atypical depression, which is often seen in bipolar disorder; you're not alone. I've had days in the past month where I slept 12+/24 hours, and still was tired.

And before this episode, I didn't even have sleep issues with my depressions. Bipolar is ridiculous.

[Starchild3]

I'm on the same medicines and have felt the same way. Im not sure if it's SAD or my medications. When are you taking your Lexapro? I read on another board to take it at night due to it making you drowsy. Today I took my Lamictal in the morning and will take my lexapro at night. So far today despite all the rain I am not tired and being very productive. I think I will stick with this medication schedule.

[Sheba976]

Originally Posted by Starchild3

I'm on the same medicines and have felt the same way. Im not sure if it's SAD or my medications. When are you taking your Lexapro? I read on another board to take it at night due to it making you drowsy. Today I took my Lamictal in the morning and will take my lexapro at night. So far today despite all the rain I am not tired and being very productive. I think I will stick with this medication schedule.

Before I was on the lamictal I was taking the lexapro at night. I have an appointment with my NP next week so I might ask about that.

[Lil Ant Lady]

hey hun i too suffer this insanely at the mo. my pdoc has just reduced my meds down as i think it is that thats causing it. i dont know how im gonna fair on lower doses but il see if my sleep improves.

also i have the added factor that i have an underactive thyroid. have you investigated this also? as thyroid function has lots to do with sleep disturbances xx

[porcupine2]

This is a major problem with me too. I do have severe sleep apnea ( 3 sleep studies) and even with the machine & oxygen I have mornings when I don't feel refreshed no matter how long I've slept. I've been experiencing a lot of debilitating aches and pains that are now getting worse. My doctor told me to get tested for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Both are closely related to depression and BP. They often overlap. I hope you find the answers you're looking for.

[Sheba976]

Thanks for the help. I have done some research this weekend. I think I mainly need to improve my diet and get back on a regular exercise plan. I have been craving and eating a lot of sugar and pastas. Refined sugar is the worst thing for depression. So I'm getting back on a good diet and strapping on my body bugg to control my calorie intake. I have about 10-15 lbs to lose anyway. I looked at the BMI scale at work the other day and realized I was creeping into the overweight category for my height.

P.S. I have had every possible physical thing investigated. The fatigue has been on and off for at least 2 years now. Since I was diagnosed with bipolar, it makes a little more sense now. Hopefully when I get to my target dose of lamictal some of the fatigue will go away.

[Phoenix_1]

My usual for most of my life is to sleep 2-3 hours at night. But when I'm depressed it turns into 12-24 hours asleep, and still tired when I wake up. I'm now on meds which help somewhat to regulate my sleeping. Trazadone was very good for sleep, but the pdoc took me off it in June. Now I take Nozinan, which doesn't work as well. I now go to sleep after midnight - sometimes 2 am and sleep until noon. I'd rather go to sleep earlier and be up in the morning. This is one of the things I need to ask my pdoc about.

[BlackPup]

When I get even mildly depressed my need for sleep skyrockets to greater than 10 hours per day... I do think it's also important to rule out medical reasons like the sleep apnea, hypothyroid, viral diseases, low Vit D and iron..... to name a few....

[sugahorse1]

I'm the same. Had blood tests done for this reason. My doc was only going to get back to me if there was an issue. No reply yet.
I was on Lamictin and Wellbutrin when we did the blood tests.
Lexamil can well make you tired.

Phoenix - I'm also battling to get to sleep early! I have to wake up in the AM for work, but am then exhausted most of the day

[Langove]

The days I am depress, i quite often sleep more then usual. In fact it may happen in mania too. But hypersomnia is always company depression.

Langove

[porcupine2]

I took 3 two hour naps yesterday and didn't feel refreshed until 6pm. Even my cats are trying to wake me up. Blood tests came out normal. Going to rheumatologist next.