Does anybody else here get tired alot?

[jen18]

I was just wondering if my tiredness during the day even after a good nights sleep is due to my diabetes or if I'm just lazy like my brother says...

[duck]

I always feel like I could use another hour's sleep. Lately, I wonder if I have sleep apnea, that can wear you out literally.

[jen18]

hmm thats interesting, yeah I always feel like I could use an extra hours sleep even if its 12:00 in the afternoon! lol

[lgvincent]

I've been having problems recently but I thought it was due to my depression. Maybe not.

[Willow]

I always feel tired, which the doctor advised is because of my iron deficiency. He once told me my levels were so low he was surprised I could get out of a chair. I'm on iron tablets but they are hard to tolerate (!) & I haven't taken them for a while but I started them again this week so hopefully I should have a bit more energy for Xmas. Plus Nov, Dec & Jan is my busiest time at work.

If you haven't already perhaps you should get yourself checked over by the doctor?

[mike9876]

I am go through spells of feeling tired and tire easily. I often feel like I can't get of bed or in the day time I could go to bed and have a nap. Its like I get this feels I have sleep and I struggle to keep my eye's open. One day they will understand diabetes better and how it affects us apart from the complications you can develop. They don't understand how the chemical change that diabetes causes in the body affects our day to day lives. Every so often some doc comes up with another affect diabetes has on us. I would say its yours diabetes that makes you feel tired. Even if you are well controlled you body still doesn't work the same as a non diabetic.

[jen18]

thankyou for your replies, I am glad I am not the only one! I read something about the couch potato syndrome from using humalog which is what I am using in my pump, so I am going to talk to my doctor and see if that could be it, and if it is I will switch to Novolog... has anyone else heard about this?

[JasonJayhawk]

Jen,

Have you considered having your TSH or T3 levels tested for hypothyroidism?

[jen18]

actually I do have an overactive thyroid and I am already on medication for it, sometimes I wonder if the dosage is not right or something but the doc's say my thyroid is fine...

[jen18]

I just hate that I'm tired cause my boyfriend or someone will say oh lets go do ... (something active) and I really want to but I never have enough energy!

[KLD]

I don't think diabetes in itself makes us tired, but high blood sugars certainly can. One thing I noticed after getting my blood sugar under tight control was how much more energy I have, and how I no longer have to fight falling asleep after a meal.

Karen

[jen18]

I myself have pretty good control, this is why I do not understand it, certainly if I had various highs or lows I would understand but I usually rumn at about 115-130...

[KLD]

I run quite a bit lower than that, Jen - in Canadian terms between low 4s (4.2 = 76) up to mid fives (5.5 = 99) two hours after a meal. I would feel sleepy at anything over 6.5 (117), but maybe that's because my body has become accustomed to the lower levels. I know that lots of people would feel hypo at my levels for that reason, so maybe it works the same way in reverse when it comes to the sleepiness problem.

Karen

[jen18]

yeah, see I have only had diabetes for a year so my doctors don't want me to be any lower then that, your from canada huh? Thats where I am from to I have lived here for 4 years, although I spent this summer back in Ontario.

[rzrbks]

jen18,

That is pretty good control.

I know that if I'm not eating on a fairly regular schedule, I get feeling very tired and run down and am forced to eat whatever is handy rather than carefully planning out what to eat.

[KLD]

Yes, I'm Canadian, Jen. I live at the other end of the country, in British Columbia.

Karen

[jen18]

yeah I saw that! I've heard it is very beautiful there, my uncle lives there...

[JasonJayhawk]

Jen18,

I have an overactive thyroid, too. Graves' disease.

However, two weeks ago, it was noticably **underactive** with the tapazole that I'm taking for it. I was dx'ed 5 months ago with Graves'. My TSH was unreadable in lab results.

My GOD! I never knew what depression and tiredness felt like. I went to my endo saying that I "felt tired." We did the regular TSH and T4 test, and the TSH was extremely high -- well into the underactive thyroid domain.

We thought it was great that I was able to recognize the symptoms of it before she called with lab results, telling me to stop the tapazole for 5 days, and then resume it at a much smaller dose.

Hence, speaking from personal experience, it's possible that you're on too much thyroid medication (such as Tapazole/methimazole or thimizole). If you have an overactive thyroid, then I imagine you're having a TSH (and possibly T3 and T4) test every month, right?

Your thyroid levels will continue to change, hence needing this test regularly. When was your last TSH test?

I'll do another TSH and T4 test in a week -- personally, I'm still feeling tired, but we'll see if I need another break from it.

JasonJayhawk
P.S. I've ony had diabetes (type 1) since March. The hyperthyroidism was dx'ed a month later, though I suspect I've been hyperthyroid for many years and never knew it.

[jen18]

thats interesting, I was also diagnosed with hyper active thyroid a month after being diagnosed with diabetes! I have my tests every 3 months and I was last tested a month ago...

[christie]

i have hypothyroidism,so i take synthroid daily,but sugar too can make you tired/weak,if i have a hypo at night the next day i feel drained.

[JasonJayhawk]

Jen,

That's very interesting! How old are you? I'm 27. Were you in a "normal" range for your thyroid last month?

I'm tested about every 1 to 2 months -- without insurance, it's very expensive. TSH, free T4, and T3 are all tested, though we sometimes avoid the T3 to save some lab cost money. It was strange going "hypothyroid".

What medication do you take? I'm on Tapazole. It's so expensive!! (About $1 per 10 mg pill).

I finally feel like I'm back in the "normal" range again. Hopefully going into remission.

Did your endo talk with you about possible radioactive iodine treatment? Personally, I'm hoping that I go into remission long enough to avoid having to take synthroid.

[jen18]

I take synthroid

[JasonJayhawk]

actually I do have an overactive thyroid and I am already on medication for it, sometimes I wonder if the dosage is not right or something but the doc's say my thyroid is fine...

Egads-- And you're taking synthroid?! (You need a new endo - or perhaps he didn't explain it well enough?)

You have an overactive thyroid and yet take medication (Synthroid) - which is designed for an UNDERactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)??

Hyperthryoidism requires a medicine that decreases the activity of the thyroid. Synthroid is a replacement hormone for the thyroid, which in essence, makes the thyroid seem like it's working even harder (though synthroid doesn't work on the thyroid, it only replaces one of the hormones that the thyroid stops making in an underactive thyroid condition).

If you're taking synthroid, and just started recently taking it, this will be a major contributor to feeling "tired" and perhaps even depressed -- for several weeks.

It can take several months before you reach "normal thyroid levels," and that can only be attained if you go in regularly for TSH, T3, and T4 thyroid panel tests, because the synthroid dose needs to be at the right level.

If you take too much synthroid, you'll become hyperthyroid. You'll know it because you won't be able to sleep and you'll be able to eat anything and still lose weight! :cool: :thumbsup:

I hope you get this all cleared up! :rolleyes:

[Shalyndria]

Posted by archimeech on 11-23-2004 04:47 AM:
They killed off my thyroid about 1 year ago, and I haven't felt good since. i was so hyperthyroid that my heart just about lept out of my chest it was beating so hard. Now, I am forever tired, no matter what the tsh level is.
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Posted by gettingby on 11-23-2004 05:10 AM:
I take Levoxyl but I think my tiredness (is that a word? LOL) is coming from my low iron levels. I've been feeling much better since I started the iron supplements.
__________________
"We will be known forever by the tracks we leave". What kind of tracks are you leaving?
Type 1, MDI. Levoxyl, and now an iron supplement(hope it works).
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Posted by Brent44a on 11-23-2004 05:25 AM:
Jenn, Fatigue is a classic symptom. Before dx, I could not stay awake after the evening meal. As my control keeps getting better I hope to alleviate the problem altogether. I am also looking for environmental factors such as the amount of sleep I get, I need more, and my caffene intake, which I am considering lowering.
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Posted by sicdb on 11-23-2004 06:45 AM:
My experience with getting tired / sleepy / unmotivated is usually in response to a BG spike. A few weeks ago I had a piece of birthday cake while watching a football game on TV. It was just a sliver, but very, very sweet. I missed the entire 2nd quarter and woke up with a groggy feeling. I forced myself to take a 10 minute walk which helped a lot, but I really did have to force myself - unmotivated.

I avoid spiking by selecting foods carefully (low GI) and eating smaller amounts more often. Textbook stuff, I know, but functional.
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Posted by mark-TN on 11-23-2004 07:17 AM:
I have not had a problem with my thyroid to date, knock on wood. I used to be tired all the time though. I believe the main cause was roller coaster BG's (my A1c was consistently in the low 7% range, but this was from an average of many highs and many lows). For years I was able to get away with this because I could crash on the couch after work, and pretty much be lazy. This changed when my son was born. The added responsibility really took its toll. I did not sleep well either, which also contributed to being tired. The only thing that helped was getting my BG’s to a near normal level. This greatly increased my energy and motivation, and allowed me to sleep much more soundly. I was no longer tired all the time. I’m a firm believer in the old adage that you have to expend energy to get energy. I exercise everyday now. I did not have the energy to even think about exercise 2 years ago. I found away to get my BG’s in line that works for me and I’ve been doing that for over a year and half. I no longer have the great swings in my BG’s now. I keep them in a narrow range. My last A1c was 5.3%, the one 4 months prior was 5.2%.

Mark
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Posted by archimeech on 11-23-2004 07:27 AM:
That's amazing, Mark. Truly good news. I also have been dragging since my daughter was born and now that we have 2 kids, it's even tougher. The hardest part of the whole equation is getting those even keeled, low good range BGs. I know if I can get my sugar under control that it will help with my fatigue, but life gets in the way so much that it's difficult to balance both. I'm glad that you've been able to get to that point. I wish it for all of us.
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Posted by Lorna on 11-23-2004 02:20 PM:
I feel like Im tired all the time, but thats cos I dont have time to sleep!
Posted by Lynne on 11-27-2004 10:04 AM:
Now that I'm avoiding swings in my blood glucose I find I have mor energy. Be sure to get enough sleep, it matters in avopiding the swings.
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Posted by sicdb on 11-27-2004 12:01 PM:
Surprisingly enough, doing some light exercise can help fight the tiredness. A short, brisk walk - a couple of times up and down the stairs - some pushups against the kitchen counter. All can give you a small jolt of adrenalin which seems to last for a while and neutralize the sleepies.

Regular exercise is good in an all-around sense. 20 or 30 minutes a day or every other day can make a big difference. As my trainer at the health club is fond of saying, "how can you not make such a small amount of time to take care of yourself? You'll have an eternity of time in the box".

The hormones and pheromones released during exercise change and improve our body chemistry, weight control, and general activity levels. Busy with family demands is tough, but just think how much better you can meet those demands when your energy level is higher and you feel better.

You've got to make time for yourself or you will be less effective in taking care of others.

Paul (SICDB)

[carrie_hikomi]

wow Im usually going through tired spells too.. maybe I'm not as useless as my dad says. >.> no one else in my family has diabetes but me.

[BeadieJay]

Carrie, I'm so sorry you're dad thinks you're useless - I hate to say it, but what a horrible thing for him to say about you.

Diabetes is a major disease, it has lots of effects on our body, and sometimes those effects are things that we can't see - like being tired a lot of the time. I hope your dad will be a little more understanding of you, now that you can tell that your tiredness could well be a side effect of the diabetes.

By the way, welcome to the forum - you've found a great place for support here :)

[carrie_hikomi]

Thanks a bunch. I dont listen much anymore to what he says, dont live in Arnprior where he is anymore, Live out in Pakenham on a good ol farm. Which scares me cause if I ever had a reaction to low sugars, there's no real hospital close enough to get here fast enough. But soon I'll bein London Ontario...

Thanks tho, glad I found this forum while I was supposed to be researching a Law Assignment :D lol! Never found many support groups in the small towns, and most are for Type 2 only. Not too many Type 1 Diabetics around the area~! Glad Im not the only one who feels tired though, tho I wish there wasn't so many people feeling the same way in a way, means there's too many sick ;) Being sick sucks.
:cool:

[jacobsam622]

I have been a wlking zombie for the past three months up til last week I whnet to bed after the twins last feeding about 1:00 am and had get up 5:30 to go to work. Now if My blood sugar goes to high or low I almost pass out and actually become azombie :1eye:

This was me last year :)
this was me after the babie were born :p
this is me for the past three months :1eye:

[archimeech]

You're using my pictures in your post, Jacobsam! lol, all parents of young children wind up looking like that. The ones with diabetes are even mroe tired.

[Eri's mom]

My stepsons mom was dx'd w/ diabetes and Graves disease a few months ago. She is 34...amazing how many ppl I have heard having Graves since then. She is on that one iodine radiation pill or something and is ALWAYS tired and can't ever eat(so she's like a stick now from what I hear).
And she was basically dx'd w/ just hypoglycemia, but I don't know where she went from there. She started off w/ gestational diabetes w/ all her pregnancies.

[sillyboy]

i dont feel tired anymore ever since i been taking great care of my health..