Constantly Tired!

[Libby3781]

Lately, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The minute I sit down and relax I struggle to keep awake.
I’ve never had this issue before.

I’m currently on a small dose of levothyroxine along with Metformin, and Levermir insulin.

I’m not sure if it’s down to having underactive thyroid, and the diabetes that’s causing the constant tiredness.

Anybody else feel like this? If so, have you been to your GP? and what advice/course of action have you been given?

Thanks all in advance

 

[Deleted Account]

There are many reasons for feeling tired. For some, it is the hot weather we have in the UK at the moment.
It could (or may be npt) be related to your diabetes.
What us your BG like? I feel tired if mine is out if range.

 

[Moggely]

Hi Libby3781 I am always tired as well. Diagnosed in late February , no medication just diet and exercise. But still always tired. Have under active thyroid so on a pill for that so not sure if it's the diabetes in general. I think it's both with me anyway. Good luck.Will be seeing the GP about it soon anyway.

 

[kitedoc]

Hi @Libby3781, Googling tiredness or fatigue produces an enormous list of possible causes. Some thoughts:
1) from my experience with one of my daughters, usually a blood test is done after one has been on thyroxine for ? 4 weeks to see whether the dose is correct. If it is not, dose change and then recheck after another ? 4 weeks etc, ? 12 month check thereafter
2) chemist told me with my daughter's thyroxine to not have it with food, allow say 45 minutes after taking the thyroxine before eating or having fluid except water as food, milk etc may interfere with absorption of the thyroxine
3) high BSLs meant loss of glucose through the urine so less energy available
4) anaemia of some sort makes people tired, my daughter was very tired before her coeliac disease was diagnosed - she was not absorbing iron and became anaemic
5) everything else.
Your doctor is the expert guru to see !! I hope the cause is easily found and rectified !!

 

[Libby3781]

Thanks all

I wonder if the fact my bg levels are extremely high could be a factor in the tiredness. I’ve recently been referred to the hospital. Since my first appointment ive been on one dose of insulin at night (slow release).

Either way, I think I’ll have to go back to gp. I’ve found it’s become a real nightmare for no apparent reason not being able to keep awake.

Thanks for advice everyone keep the posts coming as others may benefit from this thread xxx

 

[Deleted Account]

I wonder if the fact my bg levels are extremely high could be a factor in the tiredness.

This could be a major contribution - tiredness is an indicator for me that my BG should be tested because it is likely to be high.
Good luck at the hospital - I hope you get some answers.

 

[Libby3781]

Thanks Helen,

Due to being new to insulin I’ve been testing my bg 3 times a day. My readings are high more than low. I’m lucky I have an appointment with the diabetic nurse this afternoon so maybe she’ll be able to shed some light on the matter if that makes sense.

Expecting to be put on another insulin too, so maybe if my bg levels become more regulated will help too.

 

[keironlg]

Hi Libby,
Not sure if there is any link between T2D and vitamin D deficiency however it might be worth getting checked out for that, allegedly low levels of vitamin D can cause tiredness and I am aware of a few diabetics who have felt tired and subsequently been found to have low levels of the vitamin in their blood. Again, not a definitive answer to your state of tiredness but its an avenue to explore!

Keiron

 

[Annb]

I was at the doctor's this morning and asked her about this constant tiredness. She says my iron levels are just within the range (on the low side) but there is some indicator that shows that iron is not being carried around to my cells. It may be that I can't absorb iron sufficiently well, not that I am not taking it in in my food.
I have to say, though, that in recent weeks I've been unable to stomach meat at all. I do have fish, but can't face it every day. In fact, due to gastritis, I haven't been able to eat much at all - other than carbs.
This may be one reason why I am almost anaemic, or it could be thyroid problems, or, the Dr says, maybe the liver problem. There are all sorts of potential reasons but whatever, it makes me very tired. I only sleep for a minimum of 4 hours a night because of arthritis but I more than make up for it during the day. Sit down and I'm gone! And I do have to sit down fairly frequently.
Sugar levels are no longer under control since the gastritis makes me unable to take much OTHER than carbs. So that may be another reason.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I was at the doctor's this morning and asked her about this constant tiredness. She says my iron levels are just within the range (on the low side) but there is some indicator that shows that iron is not being carried around to my cells. It may be that I can't absorb iron sufficiently well, not that I am not taking it in in my food.
I have to say, though, that in recent weeks I've been unable to stomach meat at all. I do have fish, but can't face it every day. In fact, due to gastritis, I haven't been able to eat much at all - other than carbs.
This may be one reason why I am almost anaemic, or it could be thyroid problems, or, the Dr says, maybe the liver problem. There are all sorts of potential reasons but whatever, it makes me very tired. I only sleep for a minimum of 4 hours a night because of arthritis but I more than make up for it during the day. Sit down and I'm gone! And I do have to sit down fairly frequently.
Sugar levels are no longer under control since the gastritis makes me unable to take much OTHER than carbs. So that may be another reason.

For gastritis if you stop eating anything with tomato or onion in it, you will heal and be able to eat more things. So anything like dolmii sauce, gravy with onion powder needs to go, as do the real things.... then you will benefit enormously and be able to eat better. Tomatoes, garlic and onion are the worst things for gastritis according to my consultant two years ago and he’s absolutely right. I take no meds for my full blown erosive gastritis... just eat nothing with tomatoes or onions. Not had a problem since.

Gastritis should not make you eat carbs...

 

[donnellysdogs]

I was at the doctor's this morning and asked her about this constant tiredness. She says my iron levels are just within the range (on the low side) but there is some indicator that shows that iron is not being carried around to my cells. It may be that I can't absorb iron sufficiently well, not that I am not taking it in in my food.
I have to say, though, that in recent weeks I've been unable to stomach meat at all. I do have fish, but can't face it every day. In fact, due to gastritis, I haven't been able to eat much at all - other than carbs.
This may be one reason why I am almost anaemic, or it could be thyroid problems, or, the Dr says, maybe the liver problem. There are all sorts of potential reasons but whatever, it makes me very tired. I only sleep for a minimum of 4 hours a night because of arthritis but I more than make up for it during the day. Sit down and I'm gone! And I do have to sit down fairly frequently.
Sugar levels are no longer under control since the gastritis makes me unable to take much OTHER than carbs. So that may be another reason.

I have full erosive gastritis, very low iron, osteoporosis arthritis, cramps every single night, injections at 3am, 6am and walking dog at 6.30. Generally go to sleep at midnight. Never sleep during the day.. never.

I would ask docfor for b12 and folate and D3 if these haven’t been done already.

My doctor told me to eat broccoli everyday and I do this. It has staved off the need for a transfusion of iron but I still need childrens dose of iron prescribed.

For me I looked at all my foods and started off at basics... I listed every nutritional vitamin I was getting from what I ate...

Yogurt, eggs, cooked blue berries ok... full fat gold top milk ok, butter... then I knew I couldn’t eat meats so talking to GP made me eat broccoli n cheese as one of my main dishes everyday. There is no reason with gastritis to overly eat carbs. I have other problems as well and also double breast mastectomies so it is important to keep carbs reduced and protein up and better fats..

I eat soft veg, but courgette, celeriac are low curb so I balance them by adding in some root like parsnip or butternut squash.. after 5 years of eating cereal little meat.. I have now got up to 1/2 a chicken breast, and a small fillet steak without problems... but mine is not just gastritis.

Strawberries cream are good...

 

[knoxy55]

Think you are right in going back to GP as soon as you can get an appointment and have your thyroid checked again, you many need to increase amount of medication. All the best hope you get it sorted soon.

 

[donnellysdogs]

Lately, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The minute I sit down and relax I struggle to keep awake.
I’ve never had this issue before.

I’m currently on a small dose of levothyroxine along with Metformin, and Levermir insulin.

I’m not sure if it’s down to having underactive thyroid, and the diabetes that’s causing the constant tiredness.

Anybody else feel like this? If so, have you been to your GP? and what advice/course of action have you been given?

Thanks all in advance

If you are high by levels, have you been testing for ketones? If they have started you on 1 back ground insulin well, it’s obviously not enough with metformin. Until your levels come down you may well feel awful with tiredness.

Under active thyroid when you are on correct doses of levothyroxine should not make you tired. Have you been stabilised with your thyroid levels or are you still needing increase of tablets?

I take it that they have tested your whole blood count, ferritin, b12 and folate??

To be honest as well though, there’s a whole lot of other factors that play in to tiredness... even boredom, time of eating, not walking enough, sitting in front of tv, being fed up or depressed.. it’s not always our physical bodies... sometimes our tiredness comes from mental health too.

 

[teva]

Lately, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The minute I sit down and relax I struggle to keep awake.
I’ve never had this issue before.

I’m currently on a small dose of levothyroxine along with Metformin, and Levermir insulin.

I’m not sure if it’s down to having underactive thyroid, and the diabetes that’s causing the constant tiredness.

Anybody else feel like this? If so, have you been to your GP? and what advice/course of action have you been given?

Thanks all in advance

Hi Libby,
Reading these comments have opened my eyes to the fact that my local surgery has dropped me in a bottomless well. I have type 2 diabetes and was told my thyroid was hyperactive, even though my GP said from the look of me she would have said it was underactive. I was given a pill which promptly stopped my thyroid working, so I was put on levothyroxine. Immediatly I lost what energy I had and depression set in to stay. That was several years ago.

In my experience when one is newly diagnosed there is a keen interest in maintaining the patient and we are motivated, but after ten years it gets harder and most diabetics I know have become prone to depression and energy loss. One friend actually said this was because every cell in the body is starving since the energy they need is being diverted elsewhere and stored or excreted via the skin and kidneys etc.

So this is my word of warning folks, the first eighteen months are easy, while you are in the diabetic honeymoon period the support is there, and I have seen the care given to pensioners first hand, but if you are in for the long haul of 30+ years things do not look good unless you live in a good training school hospital's catchment zone. My GP retired and now I find I am not on the practice list and I don't have the energy left to fight for what these forums show me is the right of every diabetic, a good support team.

I hope your diabetic journey is smoother than mine has been.

Regards,
Janet

 

[Libby3781]

Thanks everyone for your kind words.

Sorry to hear you’ve had a rough time Janet. To be honest with you I had my diagnosis in March 2016. Was given medication then left to get on with things. Then I had two year of hell with work related issues, so taking medication and getting medical issues sorted just got pushed aside.

This year my circumstances have changed, so I decided needed to get health sorted. Therefore went back to gp, got tablets etc started taking them. Initially, had support from diabetic nurse in surgery, had no support from diabetic gp. On telling him me and hubby want to have a baby, he then referred me to the hospital.

I had my first appointment with the hospital in June, and in the two months I’ve been under them. I’ve had more support, care and overall help than what my surgery has offered in a 5 month period.

 

[Allisonehall]

Lately, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The minute I sit down and relax I struggle to keep awake.
I’ve never had this issue before.

I’m currently on a small dose of levothyroxine along with Metformin, and Levermir insulin.

I’m not sure if it’s down to having underactive thyroid, and the diabetes that’s causing the constant tiredness.

Anybody else feel like this? If so, have you been to your GP? and what advice/course of action have you been given?

Thanks all in advance

Hi Libby, test for Vitamin D deficiency - as we all wear sun lotion or stay out of the sun more with increasing skin cancer fears, doctors are reporting that this is on the increase. My husband was recently diagnosed & we got a high dosage & noticed the difference in a few days - he was also falling asleep the second he sat down. Give it a try.

 

[Libby3781]

Thank you Allison, I’ll certainly request that. That hadn’t even crossed my mind that could be a reason why I’m so sleepy all the time

 

[ickihun]

Hi @Libby3781, Googling tiredness or fatigue produces an enormous list of possible causes. Some thoughts:
1) from my experience with one of my daughters, usually a blood test is done after one has been on thyroxine for ? 4 weeks to see whether the dose is correct. If it is not, dose change and then recheck after another ? 4 weeks etc, ? 12 month check thereafter
2) chemist told me with my daughter's thyroxine to not have it with food, allow say 45 minutes after taking the thyroxine before eating or having fluid except water as food, milk etc may interfere with absorption of the thyroxine
3) high BSLs meant loss of glucose through the urine so less energy available
4) anaemia of some sort makes people tired, my daughter was very tired before her coeliac disease was diagnosed - she was not absorbing iron and became anaemic
5) everything else.
Your doctor is the expert guru to see !! I hope the cause is easily found and rectified !!

Mine was iron deficiency but now being tested for the menopause. Sweating alot, clammy and tired. However past few days have been much better minus sickness and diarrhea yesterday. Horrendous IBS pains too. GP refused to do a full blood count to check iron in good levels, even when Mr ickihun attended appointment with me. I think GP is sick of spending money on me but I cannot keep in good health alone. At mo.
I've increased red meat and green veggies but cannot face any more of an increase. Lansoprozol has iron deficiency as a side affect and I have to stop it soon for endoscopy.
Some of my meds cause fatigue as a side effect.
Underactive thyroid is renowned for fatigue thou.

 

[kitedoc]

I have full erosive gastritis, very low iron, osteoporosis arthritis, cramps every single night, injections at 3am, 6am and walking dog at 6.30. Generally go to sleep at midnight. Never sleep during the day.. never.

I would ask docfor for b12 and folate and D3 if these haven’t been done already.

My doctor told me to eat broccoli everyday and I do this. It has staved off the need for a transfusion of iron but I still need childrens dose of iron prescribed.

For me I looked at all my foods and started off at basics... I listed every nutritional vitamin I was getting from what I ate...

Yogurt, eggs, cooked blue berries ok... full fat gold top milk ok, butter... then I knew I couldn’t eat meats so talking to GP made me eat broccoli n cheese as one of my main dishes everyday. There is no reason with gastritis to overly eat carbs. I have other problems as well and also double breast mastectomies so it is important to keep carbs reduced and protein up and better fats..

I eat soft veg, but courgette, celeriac are low curb so I balance them by adding in some root like parsnip or butternut squash.. after 5 years of eating cereal little meat.. I have now got up to 1/2 a chicken breast, and a small fillet steak without problems... but mine is not just gastritis.

Strawberries cream are good...

Hi @Donnellysdog, The iron in meat is said to be better absorbed if taken with vitamin C, either from say fruit or a vitamin C supplement. But the same does not work with broccoli.

 

[kitedoc]

Mine was iron deficiency but now being tested for the menopause. Sweating alot, clammy and tired. However past few days have been much better minus sickness and diarrhea yesterday. Horrendous IBS pains too. GP refused to do a full blood count to check iron in good levels, even when Mr ickihun attended appointment with me. I think GP is sick of spending money on me but I cannot keep in good health alone. At mo.
I've increased red meat and green veggies but cannot face any more of an increase. Lansoprozol has iron deficiency as a side affect and I have to stop it soon for endoscopy.
Some of my meds cause fatigue as a side effect.
Underactive thyroid is renowned for fatigue thou.

Hi @ickihun, Apparently iron is better absorbed from meat eaten with vitamin C ( fruit or Vitamin C supplements), bjt the same does not work for the iron in things like broccoli.