# Need solutions asap to solve chronic fatique problems



## Tknight (Jul 30, 2018)

Hey ya'll,

I'm at a loss at what else to try. It's been years since I have had a good sleep where I wake up feeling refreshed. I have chronic fatigue. Probably close to 10 years now. I'm 29. Slightly overweight. Male. It's slowly killing me. I fall asleep throughout the day, constantly in a haze. Stress levels are manageable though and I am not depressed.

I was diagnosed two years ago with sleep apnea and got the cpap machine. I clean it regularily, use distilled water with the built-inhumidifier have replaced the filters and hoses several times. I use it every day and properly. Still it doesn't seem to do anything. 

I have no problem falling asleep. I usually have a 7 hour sleep. I avoid the snooze as much as possible. Still, I wake up as if I had no sleep. My neck and back are constantly sore. 

I went to the doctors yesterday. He wrote up a requisition for blood work, which I will do on my next day off in 2 weeks. He wrote in his notes it could be either a mineral defficiency so I started taking magnesium and multi-vitamin supplements. Still nothing.

My thoughts are these:

1) It is very possible that it is my bed that is the problem. I never had this problem at my parents house when I used their bed and on business trips I get great sleeps from the hotel beds. I need a really firm bed orwise I get pains in my hips and upper shoulders. Presently the bed I am on is not firm at all, so instead of having it on the boxspring I put the mattress right on the floor. It helps a bit. I have seriously debated just sleeping on the floor with a camping mattress, I am sure I would get better sleep. For now I am saving up for an Endy mattress in hopes that it changes my life. 

2) Could be some sort of viral infection or chronic disease but you'd think by now, after many bloodwork tests it would have picked it up. 

3) I know exercise helps, I just never have energy to do it. And when I do exercise I am so sore and tired the next day that I pay for it 10x.

4) Last guess is diet. I don't drink too much booze. I stay away from juices. I never eat processed foods and cook most meals myself. I cook alot of italian food, don't eat much bread and I stay away from sugars. I definitely need to incorporate more raw vegetables in my diet but even when I eat very healthy a week or two straight nothing changes. I drink coffee twice a day, have quit on and off and same result. I just quit smoking, but this sleeping problem has been around for such a long time that I doubt tobacco is the problem, but for sure it's better for my overall health. I don't get cramps or pains from eating anything. I have a tendency to fast all day and eat massive suppers, which I know is not the best. I have thought of maybe it's because I eat too much at once or eat too fast and although when I was young I could get away with it my age is starting to catch-up with me. 

Does anybody have any recommendations for things I could try to get better sleep? 

Thank you.


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## brooklynAnn (Jun 29, 2015)

When you eat massive dinners and then go to bed within 2 to 3 hours, your digestive system gets sluggish. Because everything slows down during sleep. So, you might want to start eating smaller meals with greens.

Maybe , you are anemic or have thyroid issues. Hopefully your blood will tell.

Start exercising it would give you an energy boost and help you to sleep. 

Stop eating carbs. You should check out the keto diet. It might work for you.


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## wilson (Nov 5, 2012)

An air mattress with a pump is under $50. You can probably get one from craigslist or goodwill for almost nothing. You can pump it as firm as you like. They're a lot more comfortable if you put a mattress topper on it if you have one. If not, put a thick comforter under the bottom sheet so you're not right on top of the plastic.

Incorporate regular exercise, but at a lower level. Go for a walk every night of 30 minutes or so. "Lack of energy" is just an excuse. And you know what? Lack of exercise causes lack of energy! So start exercising at whatever level you can. Whether or not you lose weight, regular exercise will improve your overall health.

At 29, you seriously need to start developing better eating and exercise habits. This is the age when your body begins to go downhill. When you're young, your body naturally works great even if you treat it poorly. Starting in your 30's that all changes. Your metabolism slows down and your body won't hold onto muscle as well. Unless you make staying healthy a priority, you're going to end up overweight and weak. No one is saying it's easy, but you have to accept the reality if you don't make an effort to fight back.


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## Mr.Married (Feb 21, 2018)

Try a doctor of FUNCTIONAL medicine. Cured my daughter of chronic fatigue.


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## Tknight (Jul 30, 2018)

Thanks everyone.

The other day I went to the movies. I didn't anything all day. My hands and feet started going numb. I ate after, then instantly I was extremely tired.

I'm going to get some more blood work done but I believe I am showing early signs of diabetes.


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## Married but Happy (Aug 13, 2013)

Get tested for Lyme disease, Rocky Mtn spotted fever, etc. - any of the tick-borne diseases. These can look like chronic fatigue, which is a non-specific diagnosis that is usually something else.


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## oceanbreeze (Oct 8, 2007)

I threw out my bed. I ordered online Amazon the Japanese futon (queen size). so I"m basically on the carpeted floor. I placed 2 blankets on it and then sleep under other blankets also. I did it mostly because my baby fell off the bed once and then it almost kept happening a few other times but I caught him in time. He doesnt like the crib and has gotten out of it a few times, so my husband donated it. And I got my baby a floor bed also with plenty of cushions because he is a restless sleeper. 

I hope your blood work came back with results the doctor can help you with.


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## stiiky (Jul 29, 2017)

“I cook alot of italian food […]”

I’m not familiar with Italian food except for usually pasta is involved. I personally cannot have bread or pastas because I have a hard time sleeping. You could try cutting out the pasta and see how it goes for you.

Magnesium needs to be taken on an empty stomach. It competes with other nutrients. Take it about an hour after your last meal for better absorption.


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## wilson (Nov 5, 2012)

stiiky said:


> Magnesium needs to be taken on an empty stomach. It competes with other nutrients. Take it about an hour after your last meal for better absorption.


Why would that be? Don't most people typically get their magnesium from food anyway?


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

brooklynAnn said:


> When you eat massive dinners and then go to bed within 2 to 3 hours, your digestive system gets sluggish. Because everything slows down during sleep. *So, you might want to start eating smaller meals with greens.*
> 
> *Maybe , you are anemic or have thyroid issues.* Hopefully your blood will tell.
> 
> ...


I bolded some things, but all of this is good. My largest meal is now lunch, with a smaller dinner. I do not eat after 6:30, and I sleep much better.

When you have thyroid bloodwork done, make sure they do the FULL panel, not just the shortcut one. Some people have their low thyroid dx missed because of this.

Exercising is an excellent way to increase energy and help with sleep, but don't exercise within 2-3 hours of bedtime because it is hard to settle down in time for bed.

B-12, vitamin D and green tea are part of my daily routine in the morning. I notice a difference having this.

It sucks to feel exhausted all the time.


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## stiiky (Jul 29, 2017)

wilson said:


> Why would that be? Don't most people typically get their magnesium from food anyway?


Yes if people eat the right types of food. Even nature is flawed in one way or another. There are some nutrients that require other nutrients to be better absorbed and others that don’t absorb well when taken with other specific nutrients. Magnesium interferes with manganese and calcium absorption.


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## Affaircare (Jan 11, 2010)

Tknight said:


> I'm at a loss at what else to try. It's been years since I have had a good sleep where I wake up feeling refreshed. *I have chronic fatigue. *Probably close to 10 years now. I'm 29. Slightly overweight. Male. It's slowly killing me. I fall asleep throughout the day, constantly in a haze. Stress levels are manageable though and I am not depressed.


 @Tknight, 

There has been a lot of advancement in CFS recently--in fact many folks now call it myalgic encephalomyelitis because in real life it's not just "feeling tired" but rather a muscle pain (myalgia) and inflammation of the brain or spinal cord (encephalo = brain, myelitis = inflammation of spinal cord). Thus the reason you feel tired and hazy is because there is an inflammation in your nerves or cells that causes your muscles to feel like you just ran a marathon. In fact, one way to describe it to people who think it's just "feeling tired" would be "Imagine having the energy to do 20 things in one day, and after that you are dead exhausted, and getting dressed is 1) walking to the closet, 2) lifting down a shirt, 3) lifting down pants, 4) walking to the dresser, 5) choosing undies, 6) carrying clothes to the bathroom, 7) hanging clothes on the hook, 8) grabbing a washcloth and getting it wet, 9) lifting soap to the washcloth, 10) washing, 11) rinsing, 12) drying, 13) putting on socks and undies, 14) putting on pants, 15) putting on shirt. Now you only have 5 more things you can do ALL DAY and you're exhausted!! And the exhaustion feels like that ache in your muscles when you've just run a marathon--WAY over exerting yourself."

Part of the reason you don't get a good night's sleep is due to this CFS. It can be debilitating. So if it's not that serious for you yet, cool--you can learn to live with it earlier. But if it is this serious, don't think of it as "just being tired"--it is much, much more. I would say, if you recommend trying to avoid "Woohoo I feel better so I'm going to ___"...over-tiring yourself...and then crashing. I call that 'push-and-crash' because it's so nice to finally feel a little better that it's absolutely tempting to go do something normal! But then you crash and get so sick, it's just not worth it. So instead do your best to find your energy envelope and try to pace yourself mentally and physically at a slow but steady pace, balancing rest and activity. 

It's also VERY important to have steady sleep habits, like going to bed and waking up at the same times, and making sure you get enough sleep. For example, you may need 8 hours, and if you do, then plan how you can get 8 on a regular basis. 



> I was diagnosed two years ago with sleep apnea and got the cpap machine. I clean it regularily, use distilled water with the built-inhumidifier have replaced the filters and hoses several times. I use it every day and properly. Still it doesn't seem to do anything.
> 
> I have no problem falling asleep. I usually have a 7 hour sleep. I avoid the snooze as much as possible. Still, I wake up as if I had no sleep. My neck and back are constantly sore.


Muscle pain in CFS is very common because for some reason your muscles don't break down the lactic acid right, and it stays in the muscles and they get sore. So instead of using oxygen, your muscles act like they are doing something REALLY strenuous and use glucose, which makes lactic acid. Normally muscles would change the metabolism some and clear out the lactate and start using oxygen again, but somehow your muscles inflame to try to repair, and that's where it all goes wonky. I'm not a doctor so I don't know exactly the science, but that's the simple idea. 

Honestly, one really good treatment can be regular massage to help clear the lactic acid, and another that helps but isn't quite as good is like BenGay or a heating rub. It's helps--but massage is better.  



> I went to the doctors yesterday. He wrote up a requisition for blood work, which I will do on my next day off in 2 weeks. He wrote in his notes it could be either a mineral defficiency so I started taking magnesium and multi-vitamin supplements. Still nothing.


Magnesium is a good start, and so are Folic Acid and B12, C, D3, CoQ10 and Zinc.



> My thoughts are these:
> 
> 1) It is very possible that it is my bed that is the problem. I never had this problem at my parents house when I used their bed and on business trips I get great sleeps from the hotel beds. I need a really firm bed orwise I get pains in my hips and upper shoulders. Presently the bed I am on is not firm at all, so instead of having it on the boxspring I put the mattress right on the floor. It helps a bit. I have seriously debated just sleeping on the floor with a camping mattress, I am sure I would get better sleep. For now I am saving up for an Endy mattress in hopes that it changes my life.


I have a mattress like this (not Endy, but a 3-layer foam) and it is AMAZING...expensive as can be but worth every penny because it conforms to me. In the meantime, you might want to try a blowup mattress on the floor--there are LOTS of really good ones right now, and I suspect it may be a lot more comfortable than this soft, fluffy bed. YUCK! 



> 2) Could be some sort of viral infection or chronic disease but you'd think by now, after many bloodwork tests it would have picked it up.
> 
> 3) I know exercise helps, I just never have energy to do it. And when I do exercise I am so sore and tired the next day that I pay for it 10x.


These two are directly related to your CFS. Actually exercise is not "helpful" for you in the way that it is for most people. Yes, you have to keep moving or you'll lose it, but for many people exercising is more like "oooo I don't like sweating" and for you it's being in bed sick after trying to play tennis. So pick an exercise that is somewhat slow and steady, like walking or swimming, and do it doing your energy envelope. Honestly, you may need to recover a little before you can attempt exercise and that's okay. Right now your muscles kind of ARE like having a chronic infection because they are continuously inflammed. And there isn't really a blood test for CFS, so in real life, they wouldn't have necessarily seen anything weird in blood work. What you can suspect is that it's not a virus or bacteria...just a CFS flare. If you can learn how to calm your flare, and then manage to balance activity and rest, you'll be able to feel a bit better. 



> 4) Last guess is diet. I don't drink too much booze. I stay away from juices. I never eat processed foods and cook most meals myself. I cook alot of italian food, don't eat much bread and I stay away from sugars. I definitely need to incorporate more raw vegetables in my diet but even when I eat very healthy a week or two straight nothing changes. I drink coffee twice a day, have quit on and off and same result. I just quit smoking, but this sleeping problem has been around for such a long time that I doubt tobacco is the problem, but for sure it's better for my overall health. I don't get cramps or pains from eating anything. I have a tendency to fast all day and eat massive suppers, which I know is not the best. I have thought of maybe it's because I eat too much at once or eat too fast and although when I was young I could get away with it my age is starting to catch-up with me.
> 
> Does anybody have any recommendations for things I could try to get better sleep?


Your diet doesn't sound too shabby other than what you know: drink a little less booze and stop smoking and limit caffeine and processed foods. Sounds like you're working on it. But fasting all day and then eating massive dinners does two things: 1) during the day your body doesn't have what it needs to function, so you exacerbate that whole oxygen/glucose/muscles thing. 2) when you eat a lot really late, your body doesn't have the time it needs to digest properly, so even though you are tired and 'fall asleep' your bod is still working late into the night. Thus, I would recommend some sort of protein for breakfast to give your bod some energy--I like peanut butter toast myself or high protein yogurt...sometimes a piece of fruit cuz I'm a sweet-tooth! LOL For lunch, again do some protein because it is energy that's steady, but as an example since I'm little I do something like a sandwich or tuna salad. And then by the time you hit dinner, you aren't starving for food or energy. I think it's something like eat 4 hours before you go to bed...so if you go to bed at say 11pm, eat dinner by or before 7pm. Then your bod has time to digest and IT can rest when you do! 


Thank you.[/QUOTE]


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