Losing myself

Hello all,

Over the last few years I have gained a lot of weight and become very lethargic. I'm not fat but getting there! A lot of the time I have no energy or inclination to do the things I used to love (swimming, walking etc) that kept me healthy. I have injured my knee, not sure how and this has been bothering be for months, so I darent make it worse by going for a long hike or ramble when the mood rarely takes me.

I have been in a relationship for a year and this consumes a lot of energy. I'm finding I go home after work and usually sleep rather than exercise. I often fall asleep at work at my desk and feel very drained. I don't look forward to socialising how I used to.

I'm on medication for anxiety and depression, the anxiety is very much under control and the depression I'm struggling to manage because of my lack of energy and no drive to exercise or socialise. I will be starting a university module in January which I need to save money for and this will require overtime. Then I will be studying and working. I really don't know how I'm going to do it. I barely have the energy to lead my life. I have chronic migraine which means that I will have a lot of downtime when I'm sick and immobile. God! I have been to the doctors to try and get to the bottom of my tiredness and everything came back normal results. I suspect my copper IUD may be the culprit so I'm having that removed on the 10th but then have no effective method of contraception, I'm not sure it's still working so I've stopped having sex with my partner. We won't be having sex again until God knows when, this was my last resort contraception due to hormonal methods causing me problems. I've changed my diet and started taking vitamins the last few weeks with no notable improvement.

I don't feel settled as I'm pretty much living between 2 places, mine and my partners, taking stuff back and forth each time whenever I visit him. My partner is moving house to renovate in a week and that will be a building site so I will be feeling even more unsettled.

To Surmise:

I have health issues that are inhibiting my ability to "do" life.

I have no energy to rectify health issues.

I have a lot on my plate in life and don't see myself being able to manage all this until my health improves. I'm just sick of feeling exhausted and seeing no improvement.

Help!

F*ck this! I have 20 mins before I set off for work. Taking my chunky ass for a walk!

Have you talked to a psychiatrist and maybe try a different medication? I suffered from depression/anxieties and also migraines. I got to a point that I went for years with no energy to do anything and I also gained so much weight.

I've experimented with many antidepressant and if one doesn't work well with me, it makes it worst. My energy level gets even less. The right medication, will put you back to the point where you could get some energy to do things. Overall, I find that medication didn't really help my energy level as much as exercise. I know it's hard to do when you have no motivation. What I did was just signed up and forced myself to go. For the first month it was super hard, I didn't want to go, but I kept forcing myself to go. I felt better and better as months pass, hence, I lost all the weight I put on. Not only did I lose the weight, I feel a lot better and stronger.

Swimming will not hurt your knee so if you could manage that, it might help get you out of the no exercise rut. Iron deficiency can cause tiredness but you said that your blood results came out normal... Regardless, it sounds like your diet was not ideal and that can make the feelings you describe worse. Improving your diet was probably a step in the right direction so it may be that it needs more time for the benefits to kick off. Other than that, it sounds like your depression has flared up so seeing the persons that help you manage it to discuss your alternatives is probably a good idea.

Yes, get rechecked by your doctors for metabolic issues, medication side effects/efficacy and other problems.

Also get a prescription for physical therapy and rather than vitamins (taxes the body to much to process all this sludge through the liver/kidneys and counterproductive if you are eating properly) get a consult with a dietitian.

Don't rely on 'sheer will power'. Set up appts for proper physical training and classes as well as proper dietary advice/support groups.

Have you talked to a psychiatrist and maybe try a different medication? I suffered from depression/anxieties and also migraines. I got to a point that I went for years with no energy to do anything and I also gained so much weight.

 

I've experimented with many antidepressant and if one doesn't work well with me, it makes it worst. My energy level gets even less. The right medication, will put you back to the point where you could get some energy to do things. Overall, I find that medication didn't really help my energy level as much as exercise. I know it's hard to do when you have no motivation. What I did was just signed up and forced myself to go. For the first month it was super hard, I didn't want to go, but I kept forcing myself to go. I felt better and better as months pass, hence, I lost all the weight I put on. Not only did I lose the weight, I feel a lot better and stronger.

You just see your GP for meds over here unless you have severe mental health issues you won't be referred to a psychiatrist. Because of my migraines it took me a long time to find medication that didnt make this worse. I was referred for cognitive behavioural therapy so I will continue to take these meds until I start and complete a course of that. Hopefully then I will be able to come off them for good!

I love walking but the area around me isn't so good for that. I found a lovely spot yesterday when I went for a walk so I am feeling more motivated to do that. Its a lovely lake, sun was shining, birds were singing, I felt instantly better

Swimming will not hurt your knee so if you could manage that, it might help get you out of the no exercise rut. Iron deficiency can cause tiredness but you said that your blood results came out normal... Regardless, it sounds like your diet was not ideal and that can make the feelings you describe worse. Improving your diet was probably a step in the right direction so it may be that it needs more time for the benefits to kick off. Other than that, it sounds like your depression has flared up so seeing the persons that help you manage it to discuss your alternatives is probably a good idea.

I love swimming and I used to go every week day when I wasn't working, now I'm so tired I can't find the energy to get up early enough to go before work. I bought a new costume (because I've put on so much weight) with the intention of going and my lovely bf has said he will go with me this morning before I go away for the night on a stag do. We went out last night with lots of his friends and I actually felt sociable for once. I think my little walk this morning and diet change is slowly starting to take effect. I need to snowball into my former active energetic sociable self!

Yes, get rechecked by your doctors for metabolic issues, medication side effects/efficacy and other problems.

 

Also get a prescription for physical therapy and rather than vitamins (taxes the body to much to process all this sludge through the liver/kidneys and counterproductive if you are eating properly) get a consult with a dietitian.

 

Don't rely on 'sheer will power'. Set up appts for proper physical training and classes as well as proper dietary advice/support groups.

Honestly my doctors are useless, I went back and she just said oh well your tests came back fine and anxiety can be quite tiring so it must be that. I asked for my medication to be put up but there's been no improvement in my energy levels since then.

I'm not sure what you mean by physical training? I'm very happy with my diet. I tend to crave certain foods I.e broccoli or chicken if my body needs better nutrition so I follow my gut (literally lol) when it comes to meal choices and try to limit junk food. My diet has improved to the point that I feel sick after eating a large quantity of junk food! I take the vitamins to counteract the copper in my body due to my IUD. I have it removed on Weds so hopefully I shall see a return of energy!

I think I ought to bug my doctor about my knee because it's inhibiting my ability to improve my health.