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Fatigue in Afternoons

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Fencer

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I used to feel like this all of the time in the afternoons; not a normal tired, more like someone has actually drained all of the energy out. When I was diagnosed and treated with diabetes, this shortly improved and I felt a lot better, full of beans until the end of the day.

Recently (past couple of weeks) shortly after lunch, I feel exactly the same. I have tried changing what I have for lunch from bringing in my own lunch (sandwiches made with wholemeal bread and frui/nut/seed mix and an apple) to eating in the canteen (try to go for the healthy options, but not always possible) to Subway/similar.

I am testing myself in the afternoon when I feel a bit rubbishy but have not found any wild BG levels (between 4 and 7). Always try to test roughly 2 hours after lunch, although I am going to pop out just now and try mine (1 hour since lunch) as I feel totally rubbish.

I'll be honest though, my lunch today was awful. In the canteen and had lasagne with a few roast potatoes and a chocolatey cereal pudding with some custard; so yeah, you will probably be thinking that no wonder I feel rubbish, but as I said changing what I eat doesn't seem to help.

I'm quite annoyed at myself for letting my diet slip lately. I had gotten it really quite healthy, but with going to the gym in the evenings I don't find myself with time to cook proper evening meals and make the next day's lunch.

Any advice will be appreciated.
 
I think that lunch might make you feel bad whether or not you had diabetes!

I'd go back to taking in your own packed lunch, and have your favourites for a while. Maybe try to cut out the bread and take just the fillings in a plastic box? If I feel sleepy and as if someone has cut my strings, these days, it's usually after eating carbohydrate.

Just a thought! Hope things improve.

Viv 8)
 
Thanks for your reply Viv. Excuse me for questioning it though; not saying that you are wrong, just trying to understand.

How can eating less carbs give you more energy? I can understand it if my BG was shooting way up, but at the levels that I'm measuring, surely any less carbs would leave me feeling drained.
 
Hi Fencer,

I have cut out carbs for nearly two weeks now after reading the information on this site, and my energy levels have risen dramatically, the ione time I had carbs n the form of pulses, I felt so tired and sleepy it was awful, try it for a day or two and see
 
Hi guys,

when I was diagnosed in April 2009, one of my symptoms was chronic fatigue and I mean CHRONIC!! I would fall asleep in my chair at work and start snoring!! For the last 2 years, I have stuck to sub 50g of carbs per day and have experienced more energy than i can recall!

All the best - Steve
 
It doesn't seem logical to me either, Fencer, but it's just what happens. Too many carbs make me feel stodgy and sleepy; just now, 2 slices of bread in a sandwich is too many carbs! :roll:

I've always had that mid-afternoon drop, particularly in an office job; nodding off after lunch. Going low-carb put a stop to it - which I hadn't really noticed till I thought about it. Just like Steve and Lorrie, I have much more energy on low carb.

Maybe someone whose knowledge of biochemistry is better than mine could help.

Viv 8)
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I do want to give what you are suggesting a go, but worried about a couple of things. Firstly, I need to figure out how to go about it. Carbs are everywhere when you think about it, especially at lunchtimes. I can get round that though. More importantly is the worry about how it will affect my gym classes or not. I've been doing a lot of work in the gym and getting on great with it, don't want that to change.

Last night was weird. I went home from work and lay down. I was dozing off and felt so tired. No way was I going to the gym. It was now 1705 and I needed to leave at 1715, but I just wanted to sleep. Something clicked and I forced myself out the door. Got to the class and felt amazing!
 
Hi Fencer - maybe worth seeing your GP - we tend to think once we have this flaming thing that everything and anything that happens to our bodies is the DB - not eveything is about diabetes and it may not be connected at all -it could be any number of things- at least if there is nothing else untoward you can then look at "things diabetic"
 
There are several conditions that cause extreme fatigue. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue and it wasn't that at all. It was Vitamin D deficiency because I don't go outside enough as I work in an office all day. Underactive Thyroid, Anaemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency all cause tiredness.

Go to your doc and get some blood tests done.
 
))Denise(( said:
There are several conditions that cause extreme fatigue. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue and it wasn't that at all. It was Vitamin D deficiency because I don't go outside enough as I work in an office all day. Underactive Thyroid, Anaemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency all cause tiredness.

Go to your doc and get some blood tests done.
Click to expand...

That's funny, I was listening to a Radio 4 documentary last night on Vit D and thinking to myself that I should consider this.

Thanks for the advice.
 
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