Why Am I So Tired?

[Indieflickers 298]

I'm six months out from RNY and about 93lbs down and I'm SO BLOODY TIRED! It feels like it's getting worse. I just got my 6 month lab work back and the doctor said it all looked really good so she's not sure why I'm so tired. I usually get about 7.5 - 8 hours of sleep a night and I use my CPAP religiously for my sleep apnea. The doctor suggested I make an appointment with my primary care doctor to see if my thyroid is ok, but with the bureaucratic hassles it could take weeks to get those results. Does anyone have any advice on what to do in the meantime?

[samelton68 64]

did she check your Iron?

[ShrinkingPeach 1,291]

Iron or B-12?

[Indieflickers 298]

@@samelton68 and @@ShrinkingPeach yep! The doc said my B12 was great. My Iron was a little low but not enough to be causing such extreme fatigue.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Indieflickers

[ShrinkingPeach 1,291]

Dehydration? Getting in enough fluids?

[Indieflickers 298]

@@ShrinkingPeach yep! I get at least 64 Fluid ounces of Water a day, and usually more than that.

[ShrinkingPeach 1,291]

Well dang it now I am stumped!

Sounds like you will just have to get the PCP appointment to solve the mystery. Let us know how you are!

[Sajijoma 1,324]

Are you getting enough sunlight? I have a D deficiency and if I don't take supplements and get enough actual sunlight on my skin I feel tired- like my butt is dragging the ground tired. I also wonder if you are getting enough overall calories or if your body is perceiving a starvation period and trying to conserve energy to make up for the famine it feels it's in. Have you looked at your food diary(assuming you have one) to see if you are tracking enough overall or if you maybe need to punch it up or bit with some good sources to see if it helps.

[KristenVSG2014 1,871]

I also suffer from chronic fatigue but have "perfect blood work". I've had this problem for years though. I thought losing weight would help but the only time I noticed a difference was when my PCP prescribed me Valium for one month because I had been grinding my teeth really bad and my jaw had shooting pains. I got the best, deepest sleep and could actually function and have energy leftover after work. I completed the prescription and I'm back to exhausted and my jaw and neck pain is returning so I think I may have a sleep disorder. I suppose I'll go have a sleep study done.

[James Marusek 5,244]

What type of meds are you taking. If you had high blood pressure before surgery and took meds for it and are still taking BP meds after surgery, it might drop your blood pressure too low and make you lethargic.

[bazoooms 4]

if you have been taking B12 supplememnts, some people don;t respond to the most common one used in shots and subliguals/pills...there is another type of b12 that works better for some people, cant remember right now what it is though.

major life changes can make you very mentally fatigued--it's a profound type of tired...similar to nthe fatigue you feel when actively grieving. you are having to change the way you think about everything. it's hard work.

[Indieflickers 298]

Thanks @@ShrinkingPeach, I will!

@@Sajijoma I live in CA and spend a fair amount of time outside. I also take a Vitamin D supplement because it was low before surgery. I was wondering if maybe I'm not getting enough calories. My NUT had said to get between 800 - 1000 and on average I get about 900 a day. But I also work out at least half an hour every day, and recently it's been about an hour a day. I'm not really sure how to add calories though - I eat every two to three hours as it is.

@ that doesn't sound fun at all! I'm really glad I had a sleep study done and I'm definitely a lot more rested then I used to be. Plus with the weight loss, my CPAP pressure has dropped by half and I'm hoping that I will someday soon not need it at all.

@@James Marusek I'm actually not on any medication. Despite being morbidly obese with sleep apnea, I was actually quite healthy. The only prescription I take now is for allergies.

@@bazoooms my doctor said my B12 levels were great. I do the sublingual once a week. And I take a B6 every morning. It has definitely been a major life change though!

[James Marusek 5,244]

I had RNY surgery, and the recommended Vitamin regiment was 500-1000 micrograms sublingual B12 daily. If you are taking the sublingual weekly, you might be deficient.

A B12 deficiency could cause pernicious anemia, mood swings, paranoia, irritability, confusion, dementia, hallucinations, or mania, eventually appetite loss, dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, diarrhea and tingling sensation in the extremities. B12 deficiency has also contributed to anxiety, stress, and depression. A B12 deficiency could explain the weakness you are experiencing.

[Indieflickers 298]

@@James Marusek that's interesting! I was told I only needed to take it once a week. If I was deficient wouldn't it show up in my blood work? The doc said my level was really good.

[James Marusek 5,244]

The Bariatric Discharge Instructions that I received stated:

Gastric Sleeve patients take 500 to 1000 micrograms sublingual B12 weekly.

Roux-En-Y (RNY) & Vertical Banded Gastric Bypass patients take 500 to 1000 micrograms sublingual B12 daily.

Duodenal Switch patients take 1000 micrograms B12 weekly.

The RNY surgery rerouted my stomach so that it is no longer capable of synthesizing many Vitamins from foods. Whereas the other surgeries, the patients still retain stomachs that are capable of this function.

Sublingual B12 passes into your bloodstream quickly and it is used up quickly. If you took your sublingual B12 within a couple days of when the bloodwork was drawn, that might indicate normal levels of B12 still within your system.

Anyways it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Try taking 500-1000 micrograms of sublingual B12 daily for a week and see if it improves your energy levels.