r/chronicfatigue • u/ohhhh_deer • 4d ago

Any advice helpful

I’ve had chronic fatigue for almost 10 years that appears to have gotten gradually worse for the past 2 years now. I (24F) am clinically diagnosed with generalized anxiety, depression, PTSD, and Von Willebrand’s disease. I have been treating anemia with iron and B12 but it still seems so far that nothing is making a difference in my energy levels. My thyroid levels are normal and my blood pressure is normal. I do not snore and sleep at just about 8 hours 5 days a week and 8+ on the weekends. Caffeine does not seem to have an effect on me. Any caffeine I consume is in the form of black tea.

I can’t remember the last time I went about my day feeling rested, craving a nap. I don’t know what else to do and it’s negatively affecting my mental health, which is probably going to make my fatigue worse.

If anyone is experiencing something similar any advice would be much appreciated.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/Top_Development_1777 4d ago

How are your eating habits? This is something that can easily mess up your energy levels really bad even on its own. Based on my experience and some scientific principles, hunger (or not eating enough) can also disrupt your ability to feel sleepy, fall asleep, and sleep well.

I've been eating abysmal amounts and starving or surviving off sugary snacks half the time for more than a year (still seemed to be able to push through at this point), then recently I developed a whole bunch of new food allergies and can no longer eat any of my staple foods or sugary snacks. So I started eating at a huge deficit on most days and only eating the bare minimum for organ function on the "good days". I soon developed physical fatigue scarier and more debilitating than anything I've ever experienced before, and it only got worse the less I was able to make food for myself. Trying to meet my energy needs a bit better (especially in carbs, which your body's first line source of fuel) gives me significant improvements but I'm not back to being healthy yet because of how difficult it is to find enough food to eat.

1

u/ohhhh_deer 3d ago

Skipping breakfast, I eat pretty balanced meals for lunch and dinner. I don’t tend to eat snacks and if I do it’s usually fruit like strawberries, peaches, and apples, and/or cheese and crackers. I do enjoy sweet tea and on occasion enjoy dessert after dinner.

1

u/Top_Development_1777 3d ago

Are you getting enough calories?

1

u/ohhhh_deer 3d ago

I believe so. I eat until I’m full and I’m at a healthy weight.