angie007: Severe fatigue / tiredness / lethargy / lethargic

[Blondiee1915]

I am also struggling with intense fatigue for some time now. My body feels so heavy it takes effort to walk. I wake up in the morning for work and feel exhausted even though I get 9-10 hours of sleep. I take supplements and started to exercise but nothing is really working. I have not had fatigue before lexapro. I just hope it gets better soon

[peng]

I am coming to the conclusion that following my "folate level fine" result after my blood test last week, after having been instructed to give up the 5mg folic acid supplement weeks before that, the fatigue is caused by, 

(i) slow withdrawal from Venlafaxine, (225mg last summer, down to 137.5mg yesterday.), or

(ii) taking venlafaxine for last 15 years, or

(iii) moderate depression

 

or a mix of two or more of the above.

 

Extensive reading on the Internet, including on SA, and my own personal experience of the last few years has led me to that conclusion.

I am not surrendering, and believe that an acceptance of this situation and some determination will have a positive effect.

I have been unable to exercise on the rowing machine for months, but I am determined to get going again asap.

 

Just my own personal views at this time, but I have researched a lot and the only solution my GP can offer is to see their ME specialist.

 

Finally, I have had the worst cold/flu virus for over 50 years, now lasting 11 weeks, with blocked and infected frontal sinuses.  Amoxycillin then another more powerful antibiotic eased it a little last week, but the coloured stuff has returned.

Seeing my GP today.  Maybe an ENT specialist will be next.  Of course, it is not rocket science to conclude that such an infection will impair one's strength and result in fatigue, too.

 

PS - On the positive side, I have an almost 100% record of staying off PPI Omeprazole for last 4 months now.

 

Best wishes, peng.

[mammaP]

Venlafaxine had me bed ridden, but improved while tapering. As the dose lowers, as long as it is very slow, the side effects can lessen. Chronic fatigue is a side effect and also a withdrawal symptom. If it is getting worse it would be good to hold for a bit longer to let your brain catch up and your body recover from the infection without any changes to rock the boat. 

Another factor is the very short winter days in Scotland, at the end of a long winter it can be hard to keep going. 

[peng]

Thanks for that tip, mammaP.

 

You are right about our winter.  Doesn't matter if it is abnormally "mild", dry, whatever.  When you are not well, it can be 6 months long. 

 

X

[Blondiee1915]

I agree with Peng I think it is the combination of things as well for me it is

1. Lexapro WD

2. Side effect of Luvox

3. Being on lexapro for 9 years which had depleted my adrenals

4. Anxiety

 

I am holding for 2 months now and thinking about another cut but nervous

[KarenB]

I found a combination of iron and vitamin C helped sort out my severe fatigue.  If you do try them, do it one at a time, and start on a low dose. 

[Blondiee1915]

Thank you Karen I am yet to give vitamin C a try . Sometimes I skip my iron also need to be better about that . Hope you are doing well

[Chochka]

Fatigue and drowsiness are my worst acute and chronic symptoms which I have suffered from for the last 8 months since coming off. I do have other symptoms but these are the ones which really lay me low long-term. Has anyone got any advice on how to deal with these? I take a ton of supplements for other symptoms such as anxiety and brain fog but nothing touches the fatigue and drowsiness. Is there any research into these symptoms?

[QBXdoglover]

Hi, Chochka. I'm suffering from extreme fatigue. I'm only 1 month into my withdrawal and find that I can't come close to maintaining my previous schedule. I do something for a few hours and then am wiped out. This is not normal for me. I'm sorry that I can't share a solution, which I'm sure is what you were hoping for. And I'm sorry that you're dealing with this. If I find anything that helps, I'll repost.

[Chochka]

Thanks. You sound just like me. It does get easier - the first three and half months I could barely string a sentence together and now I can ignore it quite a lot if I'm active. I still tend to fall asleep if I'm just relaxing though. And coffee helps nowadays whereas before it didn't make any difference. I do get the odd window every three months or so and after the fatigue and drowsiness are slightly lessened. All the best - keep me informed as to how your WD is going.

[Chochka]

I just replied to this but it hasn't seemed to have come up so I'll repost but excuse me if I'm repeating. Your experience sounds like mine. It does get easier and the fatigue and drowsiness slowly fade. When I first came off 8 months ago I could barely string a sentence together and nothing helped whereas now coffee makes a difference, if you can handle caffeine. I am still very tired a lot but I have had the occassional window and afterwards the symptoms are slightly eased, although I still have a long way to go. I hope you recover faster than me - all the best and keep me informed of your progress.

[Hawky]

I am currently tapering down from 150mgs dosulepin , an older tricyclic AD , in mid February to 50mgs today which I've been " stuck on " for 5 weeks and am suffering typical withdrawal, the worst being bad anxiety . My question is - is it normal to feel so exhausted its an effort to even get dressed ! ! All I want to do is lie on the couch til bed time , anyone else feel like this and will I ever feel " normal " again ??

[Blondiee1915]

Hi Hawky, I also struggle with severe fatigue where getting out of bed is a task . I have been on SSRI for about 9 years never suffered from fatigue prior to SSRI . I take vitamins eat clean mostly but the exhaustion is still there .

[Roxyrich]

Fatigue is one of my worst symptoms,in a wave I don't sleep and the next day brings extreme fatigue. If I try to watch tv I struggle to keep my eyes open,so I have to walk incessantly to distract myself. It's torture. 

[Blondiee1915]

Roxyrich - sorry you are struggling with fatigue I can relate .  When you do sleep does it lift for you ? 

My fatigue is intense and no amount of sleep relieves it.  It is a general heavy feeling where it hurts to get up and just walk and I feel like I have no slept in ages .  Truly terrible 

[mariposa84]

I have recently started to taper this week. I have been on Lexapro for about 4 years at 20 mg. Currently tapering at 18 mg. 

 

I've noticed a few things within this early phase of the taper and I would like to know if anyone can relate. What I have noticed so far: 

 

1. Extreme tiredness 

2. Difficulty focusing 

3. Brain issues - not quite zaps...but I feel like my brain is "on fire" in the morning when I awake. It usually subsides after an hour or so.  

 

Are these things normal for Lexapro/SSRI? 

 

 

[Junglechicken]

On 20 July 2018 at 11:07 PM, mariposa84 said:

I have recently started to taper this week. I have been on Lexapro for about 4 years at 20 mg. Currently tapering at 18 mg. 

 

I've noticed a few things within this early phase of the taper and I would like to know if anyone can relate. What I have noticed so far: 

 

1. Extreme tiredness 

2. Difficulty focusing 

3. Brain issues - not quite zaps...but I feel like my brain is "on fire" in the morning when I awake. It usually subsides after an hour or so.  

 

Are these things normal for Lexapro/SSRI? 

 

 

 

Yes, they are totally normal.

 

I was also on Lexapro for 4 yrs, but at a much lower dose (see my dose history).

 

My symptoms are just a dialled down version of yours.

[mariposa84]

Thanks junglechicken.. where would I find your dose history? 

[Junglechicken]

In my signature below.

 

The text is in gray.

[papaloapan]

No one here is alone in this severe fatigue symptom. I'm tapering tramadol, while taking also pristiq and quetiapine. Some days the fatigue is so extreme that it feels like a suffering the fact of feeling so ******* tired. Not normal, precisely because the fatigue is very intense. Because of the extreme fatigue, I get depressed because I feel as a useless human being that is not able to study or work/have a job because I don't have energy at all. Some days I need to take a nap because I can't keep awake during daytime.

I can't believe all these chaotic huge suffering is still happening because of the corruption and greed of big pharma. Something has to be done to stop this hell and torture suffered by SO MANY people, caused by the greed of just a few. I'm gathering medical reports of all my doctors of each side effect caused by psychiatric drugs and about next week I'll file a lawsuit against the manufacturers. All of you must do the same. The worst part of this is that we as consumers don't do anything (like suing) to stop this madness , I can't believe we continue to let big pharma make trillions of dollars (true fact) and at the same time causing us a lot of damage, we got to stop this asap.  I think lawsuits are not enough, somehow we got to get into the legal system, change laws or something like that in order to stop big pharma to keep causing this hell. 

[Junglechicken]

8 hours ago, papaloapan said:

No one here is alone in this severe fatigue symptom. I'm tapering tramadol, while taking also pristiq and quetiapine. Some days the fatigue is so extreme that it feels like a suffering the fact of feeling so ******* tired. Not normal, precisely because the fatigue is very intense. Because of the extreme fatigue, I get depressed because I feel as a useless human being that is not able to study or work/have a job because I don't have energy at all. Some days I need to take a nap because I can't keep awake during daytime.

I can't believe all these chaotic huge suffering is still happening because of the corruption and greed of big pharma. Something has to be done to stop this hell and torture suffered by SO MANY people, caused by the greed of just a few. I'm gathering medical reports of all my doctors of each side effect caused by psychiatric drugs and about next week I'll file a lawsuit against the manufacturers. All of you must do the same. The worst part of this is that we as consumers don't do anything (like suing) to stop this madness , I can't believe we continue to let big pharma make trillions of dollars (true fact) and at the same time causing us a lot of damage, we got to stop this asap.  I think lawsuits are not enough, somehow we got to get into the legal system, change laws or something like that in order to stop big pharma to keep causing this hell. 

 

Please keep us posted on your fight against big pharma papalopan.

 

im not sure how many of us going through WD have "what it takes" to take them on.

 

im talking about needing a lot of energy and focus and I am sure a whole host of other things......inc. money.

 

 

[HollyHope]

For me currently the feeling of pure exhaustion and feeling the need to sleep most of the day is something I am struggling with as my taper goes on 😐. It’s strange because some days I’m fine (like now even though I have just finished a night shift?!). Other days it’s an effort to get up and even get dressed - I just can’t keep up with it and the days that I do spend in bed I feel a lot worse for in terms of my mood. I am worried that I am always going to feel like this.

 

[Sottana]

hello all,

 

so, i've been out of work for about 7 months now. I will shortly begin applying and will probably have a job in the next couple months as i'm sick of doing nothing. The problem is i'm scared of being incapacitated by fatigue while working. I think getting a job and moving out will be beneficial to my mental health and healing journey. Anyone who has dealt with this, please offer me some advice on how to cope with this debilitating symptom while working a job.

 

thanks

[ShiningLight]

@Sottana After a period of incapacity, I returned to work full time. It helped me to return part time at first. A schedule of 4 hours a day worked well for me. It gave me enough time so that every day could be balanced with work and self care. Also limited rush hour traffic exposure. It was difficult at first but my stamina improved over time. I did part time for one month then back to full time. Mainly because I wanted to keep my job.

 

What helps me the most is probably lowering my expectations of my free time on days that I'm working. I don't expect much of myself in the evenings after work. I try to get a little exercise and that's about it, that's all I have time and energy for. Sometimes I don't even do that. I also try to take a 3 day weekend maybe once a month. Preparing food ahead of time and freezing it is very helpful too. Or getting take out. Just be very gentle with yourself at the beginning. Oh and I also lowered my expectations of myself at work, too. At first, it was enough to be there and try. I didn't have to be perfect. I've slowly worked up to close to my previous performance level.

[Sottana]

Shining, that’s great advice and I appreciate your reply. Unfortunately, I’ll probably have to jump back into full-time right away if I want a shot at keeping my old job. Other than that, I’ll take into account everything you said. I think the most important thing is knowing I have control of my taper this time around, I can hold for however long I want. 

 

I know I’ll be exhausted after work. Eating healthy and keeping some exercise as a part of my routine will probably be the hardest parts. Thanks again for the reply. 

[LostInMarshes]

Yep, I've got terrible fatigue in the daytime. Sometimes I sleep until 2pm. The only time I get some clear-headedness and energy is 9pm (to 1am) which is when I take my Zoloft. I end up staying late and waking up late. My adrenals must be shot

[India]

Like you have being run over by a bus or had weights attached to every part of your body..

[Sottana]

India, that's a spot on description. Throw in a bad cold and I am officially bed-bound. The worst thing is i haven't exercised in a week and i fear it's making the depression worse.

 

Looks like you've made a lot of progress on citalopram though, that's something to be proud of!!!

[persistente]

i am going to write about it here but moderator please move it if more applicable somewhere else.

 

my extreme fatigue (can not move from sofa, sometimes can not even move my hand, can not walk, can not fix myself some food (can eat when prepared and served in front of me but can die from hunger if i have to do it)  is usually a part of each wave...for a long time it was not my major concern because i had to fight with worse symptoms.  now it is something that i see when it comes and goes. anxiety comes with it, also deep dark depression. 

 

 i did not find a way to ease it up, time slowly improves it but recently i realized something interesting.

 

my entire household had some kind of respiratory virus. high temperature, cough and the same fatigue i explained above. nobody had anxiety or depression. not even me. but i had the exactly the same fatigue that i get in my waves. 

 

almost like it was the body's reaction to the same thing. inflammation? any thoughts?

 

 

[Indio]

TIRED IS FROM THE WORST SYMPTOMS AND THE MOST PRESENT ALL THE TIME.
In my case it appeared like this in the first xanax, always continued until I left, continuing with Trazodone and after stopping Trazodone.
After 4 months without trazodone, my muscles remain fragile and sensitive. A simple 1 hour bike ride, a light lap, will give you an afternoon of fatigue and incredible exhaustion, as if you had done 100km at a high level.
No symptoms are good, but fatigue makes us feel like we are 90 years old.
I hope it gets better with time.

[Cathy4]

It’s so good to read this thread and all your experiences.  I’ve always been a fairly active (sometimes in the past very active person), and right now there are some days where I have to take long naps and my energy levels are just so low.  
 

Somedays I can exercise and the exercise makes me feel better, but other days I try and it just wears me out.  
 

So, is reason for the fatigue in withdrawal due to being amped up from the ADs for months/years?  Or is it more due to sleep issues:  lack of sleep, lower-quality sleep, etc.?

 

Cathy

[Indio]

5 hours ago, Cathy4 said:

É tão bom ler este tópico e todas as suas experiências. Eu sempre fui uma pessoa bastante ativa (às vezes no passado, uma pessoa muito ativa), e agora há alguns dias em que tenho que tirar longos cochilos e meus níveis de energia são tão baixos.  
 

Alguns dias eu posso me exercitar e o exercício me faz sentir melhor, mas outros dias eu tento e isso me desgasta.  
 

Então, é a razão do cansaço na retirada devido ao aumento das ADs por meses / anos? Ou é mais devido a problemas de sono: falta de sono, sono de baixa qualidade etc.?

 

Cathy

Hi Cathy.
I think it is the combination of both things, abstinence from anxiolytics and antidepressants and bad sleep, one thing leads to another, but when sleep is bad everything gets worse.
In my experience, even when I sleep better, I always feel a lack of energy and weak muscles, especially leg muscles and knee joints.
One thing that has helped me a little with tiredness is coenzyme q10.

Another thing that also happens is that on days when anxiety is strongest, when the nervous system is hyperactive, by the end of the day the body is exhausted, anxiety sucks energy.

Anything that can help with my experience, you're comfortable.

[Malon]

Hi all,

I was reading the complete thread and this is my first post. Along with anxiety, fatique is the worst symptom I have to struggle with. On meds I had this symptome as well. Now in WD it feels very similar maybe it is even a bit worse. I am not completey sure if it comes from med/ WD but it seems to be the most likely thing.
Many other here seem to have exactly the same problem. This really helps to understand it and gives me hope that it will be better some day. Blood tests etc. showed no result. By doctors I was told that it is psychologically. However, it doesnt feel so.

I have noticed that the fatique is worst in the morning hours. Ususally it gets a bit better in the miday hours and in the evenning hours it gets often much better. It feels like sleep makes me tired and fatique.

To get up in the morning is a torture, no matter how much I sleep. Usually I sleep very good and during the week 7-8 hours. In the morning hour I feel incredible tired, fatique and muzzy. On the weekend I sleep 9 hours or more and feel a bit better, but fatique is still there.

I am working on a full time job (office). But to be honest I am really not able to work on a full time job. I am lucky to have homeoffice from time to time and bave the possibility to begin work a bit later.
Most times and especially in the earlier hours I am like a zombie and I feel very uncomfortable cause of this fatique. This state gives me depression and suicidal thoughts but later it gets a bit better and I become a bit more clear in my head - normally.
My colleagues are already used to seeing me like this and they dont understand it and making fun of me sometimes. This really hurts me. It helps me to understand that this fatique is not my fault. When I was on meds and did not know much about its side effect, I tend to give me the fault for it (like if would get earlier to bed yesterday etc.)

Alcohol , sport and making other adittional things than my normal work, makes the fatique worse (the next 1-2 days). I am trying to live healthy but this does not seem to help much. From what I could learn here, time seem to be the only thing that helps. I am not sure if can stand this state for several years, I hope it gets at least a bit better < 1 year.

I wanted to ask If anyone else experience the same, if the fatique is worst in the morning hours.
I am also thankful for every tip, hint or hope.

Greetings from Germany
 

[Cathy4]

Thank you, Indio.  
It seems like even if I sleep better/well, I’m still tired the next day (it’s as if I didn’t really sleep deeply enough or something).  So, that’s a similar experience to yours.  
 

Lately the anxiety has been very intense:  it seems I’m afraid of almost anything/everything and I feel like I must hide until this passes.  Then there are a few days where the depression & fatigue dominate.  It’s strange and unpredictable how the symptoms cycle through.  
 

Thank you for the suggestion of coenzyme q10.  I have heard of this but have yet to try it.  
 

I appreciate so much you writing.  
Cathy
 

 

[Indio]

11 hours ago, Cathy4 said:

Obrigado, Indio.  
Parece que mesmo se eu dormir melhor / bem, ainda estou cansado no dia seguinte (é como se eu realmente não dormisse profundamente o suficiente ou algo assim). Então, essa é uma experiência semelhante à sua.  
 

Finalmente, a ansiedade tem sido muito intensa: parece que tenho medo de quase tudo / tudo e sinto que devo me esconder até que isso passe. Depois, há alguns dias em que a depressão e a fadiga dominam. É estranho e imprevisível como os sintomas passam.  
 

Obrigado pela sugestão da coenzima q10. Eu já ouvi isso, mas ainda não tentei.  
 

Eu aprecio muito você escrever.  
Cathy
 

 

Yeah, it's so hard, sometimes we sleep and wake up very badly .... for example today apparently I slept well and I have some anxiety and a lot of gastrointestinal problems and a feeling of a hot head .... but you have to have it willpower and face the symptoms, apply the counterintuitive technique ie if your fear or your symptoms scream to stay at home, just the opposite is the principle and the essential to lose the fear ...

It's hard I know, but what alternative is there ??? Spend the rest of your life wrapped up in medicines ??? I don't think so ....

Force.....

[Cathy4]

15 hours ago, Indio said:

Yeah, it's so hard, sometimes we sleep and wake up very badly .... for example today apparently I slept well and I have some anxiety and a lot of gastrointestinal problems and a feeling of a hot head .... but you have to have it willpower and face the symptoms, apply the counterintuitive technique ie if your fear or your symptoms scream to stay at home, just the opposite is the principle and the essential to lose the fear ...

It's hard I know, but what alternative is there ??? Spend the rest of your life wrapped up in medicines ??? I don't think so ....

Force.....

Yes, Indio, I agree.  Staying on the medications is no longer an option for me, either.  I’m working on finding a balance between moving through the fear and taking care of myself.  Sometimes it’s difficult to know what the best move is.  
Determination and perseverance are key, though, yes.  Onward we go.  
Hug,

Cathy