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?

I'm betting on not enough calories. How major are your workouts? If you are eating 900 calories a day and then working out really hard for an hour, you could be burning anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of those calories. I don't think your body can sustain itself for long on 400 to 600 calories.

@@Hockeyfan well recently I've been walking for an hour. I'm not very fast, so I only do about 3 miles but it's definitely more than I'm used to. So it's not high impact, but I'm moving the whole time. I may try upping that somewhat but there's such a fear about eating too much, you know? Logically I know all the scientific stats about how more calories are often better, but I still get in my head about it.

Edited July 24, 201511 yr by Indieflickers

@@Indieflickers That's definitely puzzling and no doubt frustrating. I'm sorry you're going through this. Getting your thyroid checked might really be a good idea. It's a pretty simple, basic blood test so I'm surprised this doc won't just order the test himself or herself? Maybe if you explained that it's a real hassle to wait to get into your PCP, he or she would just do it?

Have you increased your activity in the last month? Either started exercising more or increased the intensity? I just wonder if it could take time for your body to catch up?

@ I have increased my exercise in the past month which may play a big part. I'm definitely going to get my thyroid checked too!

@@Indieflickers Good luck! Hope you feel better soon!

@krisrpaws - You should be able to get a squishy "night guard" from your dentist. Almost everyone I know over 40 or 50 has one. And you do NOT need a sleep study because you grind your teeth. A sleep study is really for sleep apnea (or some other actual sleep disorder). Check out this link https://www.massdental.org/content.aspx?id=878

Does sound like you would need to add some calories. Also make sure you stay hydrated and a magnesium potassium supplement cannot hurt. My energy was low from workouts before and that really helped.

I had this issue as well I'm five months post op sleeve but it was just a few weeks after surgery I felt so weak could barely shower I wasn't getting enough fluids u may need more than your getting I also had to eat a bit more than I was however I also have AFib and it was determined that my potassium was low and I was given a RX for that and my thyroid meds had to be adjusted do not take any supplements without dr approval though potassium can alter heart rhythms u need blood work to see what's going on

@@FocusOnMeNow I do take a potassium supplement but I'll try taking magnesium as well!

@@shellyd88 that sounds terrible! I'm definitely not that weak! But I am seeing my doctor on Tuesday so hopefully I'll get the blood work I need!

@krisrpaws - You should be able to get a squishy "night guard" from your dentist. Almost everyone I know over 40 or 50 has one. And you do NOT need a sleep study because you grind your teeth. A sleep study is really for sleep apnea (or some other actual sleep disorder). Check out this link https://www.massdental.org/content.aspx?id=878

Yes, I have a mouth guard to protect my teeth but it doesn't really keep me from clenching. I went to the doctor yesterday for some back pain and when they checked my heart rate and oxygen level the nurse asked if I smoked (I never have and I'm actually very sensitive to smoke and perfumes) because my O2 level was 94 sitting in the doctor's office. They didn't say anything else about it but is it possible to just not be a good breather? If my oxygen is that low during the day what is it at night?

@@Indieflickers it wasn't fun but I'm great now was mostly due to dehydration the dr thinks hope you feel better and you get answers

IndieFlickers,

Congratulations on your impressive weight loss so far!

I think everyone here has made some good suggestions about possible reasons for your fatigue. I wonder whether your body is simply tired. You have lost an average of nearly 4 lbs per week for 6 months! That’s A LOT! And while it’s great for weight loss and probably long-term health, it may be tough on your body when you consider you’ve had nearly a 2,000-calorie deficit every single day for 6 months.

Something else I wonder about is your sleep. If you’re using a CPAP machine, that means there’s probably some reason – there’s something going on with your sleep. Maybe those 7.5-8 hours aren’t as productive as you might be hoping. Or, maybe you just need more, since sleep needs can change over time. When was the last time you took several days in a row and slept without waking to an alarm clock?

And finally, don’t forget the effects of stress. I don’t know if anything else particularly stressful is going on in your life, but WLS can be emotionally and certainly physically draining.

Anyway, good luck with your doctor and let us know what happens! Good luck.

@@Alex Brecher thanks for the advice!

I am thinking you should have a cardiac workup just to be safe. love sara

@@scrapbasket I'll ask my primary care doctor about that!

@@Alex Brecher since I started using the CPAP machine almost a year ago, I find that I actually have trouble sleep more than 7 - 8 hours. For example, today I didn't set my alarm and I still woke up at 6am. I also seem to have a decent amount of energy when I wake up, it just fades fast!