[InfiniteSadness]

Why do i feel so lethargic practically all the time?! Is this only part of depression or something else? I had bloodwork done in the past, and i dont think anything significant showed up. If anything i have hypoglycemia(low blood sugar) a lot.. its like an effort to do anything.

i feel like that too a lot. maybe it wont hurt to take some vitamins and antioxidants. another thing is sleep..i dont sleep enough but its equally bad to sleep too much. i find it best when i force myself to get up around the same time in the morning. fresh air and some light exercise contribute to feeling a bit better. but in the end i just have to accept that there are days when nothing really works.. we can do our best hugs

[Sam2]

Originally Posted by InfiniteSadness

Why do i feel so lethargic practically all the time?! Is this only part of depression or something else? I had bloodwork done in the past, and i dont think anything significant showed up. If anything i have hypoglycemia(low blood sugar) a lot.. its like an effort to do anything.

Part of depression if a lack of energy. What used to be thought of as mainly a emotional or psychiatric problem, doctors now know that there are physical symptoms that go along with it. You would have to ask your Dr., but I think the newer anti-depressants help deal with the physical symptoms as well.

If you have doubts about your blood sugar or want to know if there were any abnormalities in your blood panel, call you Dr. and ask. Those are your results, and you have every right to ask. There are some things that can cause energy loss like low blood sugar or anemia, (low red cell count), and what bothers one person, may not bother another.

I don't know how much help this will be, but it can't hurt. IF you are eating a lot of sugars and carbohydrates and not much protein and fiber, your diet alone can contribute to an already present problem. There may be a dietician somewhere on the panel that can give you more explicit information about the proper diet for someone your age.

Some people seem to think that the five hour energy shots help. Those are mainly B vitamins, and if your diet is low in those, the shots (as in a small container, not a needle), may help. IF you are on medications for depression though, don't make changes without consulting your Dr. Medications can have reactions or not work as well if you mix them with other things.

Sam2

[tokiwartooth]

I know depression can cause lack of energy and such, but I also have chronic fatigue syndrome, which complicates things. Have you ever looked into that? I mean, there's nothing they can really do for it, but it gave me peace of mind that I knew what was going on.

[Sam2]

Tokiwartooth has a really good point. Chronic fatigue syndrome isn't something that you hear about every day, so it may be underdiagnosed. Another possibility to bring up to your Dr. Go for it!

Sam2

[InfiniteSadness]

Perhaps, I do have chronic fatigue... how would you treat that? Its a vague illness i think...

[TheRealFDeal]

It wasn't too long ago that I was spending all my non-work time either in bed or on my couch. It was part of my depression, and it turns out my anti-depressant had stopped working. I'm on new medication now, and I have a lot more energy.

[tokiwartooth]

Originally Posted by InfiniteSadness

Perhaps, I do have chronic fatigue... how would you treat that? Its a vague illness i think...

There is no current known treatment for the syndrome itself, just some of the side effects. I definitely know there's no cure for it. They suggest pain relievers, like Advil, antidepressants, counseling/therapy, and getting a good night's sleep. Light exercise is also good.

I know chronic fatigue syndrome has depression as one of its major symptoms, so you might want to talk to your doc about it. My chronic fatigue syndrome was diagnosed when my doc performed a blood test called a titer, in which I tested positive for the Epstein-Barr virus. I caught that from having mononucleosis when I was in 2nd grade. This is what caused my chronic fatigue syndrome. Don't let the doctors tell you it's all in your head either. I went through that nightmare for years until I switched doctors and they were able to correctly diagnose me.

Another thing that can help is changing your schedule. I read this online:
Keep a diary for a week or so, and record the times of day when you have energy and when you are tired.

If there is a pattern to how your energy levels change during the day, try to plan your work, school, or other activities around that pattern. If there are certain times of day when you are usually very tired, plan to rest at those times. When possible, plan work and other busy activities for times of day when you feel more energetic.

Resist the temptation to overdo it when you are feeling energetic. If you try to do too much, you may become overtired, and it may take several days for you to recover.

It is not always easy to adjust a busy schedule. Keep in mind that even small changes can make a difference in how tired you feel.

I know that after doing something strenuous, like when I was in high school I would be in band camp in the summer, that the next day following the activity I would be sick. I also had to program my body to rest at a decent hour. I used to stay up till all hours of the night.

I will say though, for the fatigue, there are times when even a good night's sleep isn't enough. I will be exhausted throughout the entire day. I've just grown accustomed to it. I've learned to live with it because I know it's not going away. There are times when the malaise I feel gets worse, and sometimes I'm not sure if it's the syndrome or if I have something else. In that case, I monitor myself for a day or so to see if anything out of the ordinary develops, like a high fever. With CFS you will likely run a low-grade fever most of the time, like around 99-100. That's normal for me. If it gets higher, I know it's something else. And this might sound weird, but if my skin gets tender and my neck hurts, I know I've got something else. I have chronic joint and muscle aches as well, and this disease in some aspects is similar to fibromyalgia. That's another thing you might want to get checked out for.

I try to eat healthy, and I try to eat foods and such that are natural energy boosters. Cilantro is known for helping with fatigue, and basil is known to help with depression. Not that I'm advocating using them in anything, but I've heard that they can help, and at least they'd be good for you. And I always have my cup of coffee in the morning and mid-afternoon. A cup of coffee, as long as you don't drink to excess, is not bad for you. Another food that boosts serotonin levels are bananas. And I love bananas.

Anyhow, I hope that helped a little bit.

[InfiniteSadness]

do b vitamins supplment help, i tried them a while ago and i felt kind of agitated!

[tokiwartooth]

I never tried B vitamins. I have heard they can boost your energy. I have also heard that iron, magnesium and zinc can help, but I don't know how much you should take. I know if you take a lot of iron, it turns your stools really dark, almost black. I have taken fish oil, and after awhile it has been shown to help depression. I never took it long enough though.