Is this a sleep disorder or lethargy?

Question

I always felt very tired during the day. Imagine you being the doctor and you were ask me question on how I felt I would respond by saying my symptoms. My symptoms are excessive sleepiness during the day, feeling fatigue very weak and drowsy, always feeling the need to sleep, when doing activity immediately felt fatigue, 8 hours of sleep ended up with unrefreshed sleep then immediately felt fatigue, felt slow downed and sluggish, depression and anxiety, have the narcolepsy gene, but don't have it, was diagnosed with sleep apnea and have insomnia.

In addition if you asked me what is my healthy lifestyle I would respond by, I eat 3 times a day with healthy food of vegetables and fruit, I exercise daily consisting of 30mins to 1 hour, and always think positive. But during that activity I felt very fatigue and can't complete it. I no longer could complete the activity. I wasn't like this before I remember the symptoms started in the year 2000 and still progresses. It appears that it has gotten worse. I already saw my doctors and it appears they cannot find the source of the problem, they did mention it could be other problems but unsure what it is. I know live in a stress free environment and I should be doing better, however; I am not and very concern about it. Who knows it can probably make me even more ill and can probably be life threatening. Anyone know what specialist I should be seeing and what tests are needed to be done to fix this problem? You can email me I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Also to mention I was givin a sleep apnea machine and been using it since June 2007 until now and haven't felt any difference, it appears that I still have the sickness, I was also given Provigil and been taking it. I have never missed a dose of it. Although it doesn't have any effect on me. I notice 1 hour from taking the Provigil I immediately felt very tired and need to sleep followed by fatigue. I felt I should mention this cause it can probably help me find out what it is and to take care of it.

Well I do have sleep apnea, but it only happen during the sleep lab because they make you wear this vest to monitor your breathing and that caused it, but normally I don't have it I had my family monitor me while I sleep. Like I said even with the machine I never felt relieved I wish I was. I also had insomnia now you can still get apnea though. Once your insomnia goes away you go to sleep and still can get apnea however I was told I was breathing fine without the machine. I am also shocked Provigil didn't work so this couldn't be sleep apnea for sure!

I also noticed that when I sleep I do sleep 8 hours uniterrupted if I did get interrupted probably 1 or 2 times, but I do noticed I wake up really early like 5AM and I would get up exercise to get me active, but then again followed by fatigue and need to sleep. I felt so weak that I can't do normal activites no more and my mom was asking me why I don't clean the house anymore and I told her I felt weak and sleepy. I know it isn't laziness cause I never let my tasks fall behind I try to push myself to doing the activities, but it gets harder and harder. I feel like I am completely burnt out....

I feel physically and mentally fatigue and not sure what to do. I did see many doctors to help me resolve this and no results yet. I hope sooner or later I get back up and running again.

Yes I do eat fruits and vegetables lots of it 3 times a day. I even eat whole grain wheat bread and some protein from meat especially from beef I try to avoid turkey and such cause of that special proten tritophan or something that makes you drowsy. I do drink water at least 6 -8 glasses a day and I exercise 30mins to 1 hour a day, and I live in a low stressful environment, but even with that I feel fatigue, because I did come from a high stress environment back then but now I don't have that stress problem anymore. But still suffer greatly from behing very drowsy and very fatigue. Is this the Epstein Barr Virus or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Maybe major depression or lethargy possibly mononucleius. Well I really don't know and wish to get to the bottom of this.

Like I said in the previous posts I do use a CPAP Machine! However the cpap machine doesn't relieve my symptoms nor does it decrease it. I had it since June 2007 until now and still used it, but I still feel very drowsy and very fatigue. VERY VERY Fatigue I mean so weak I can't even do my normal activities no more.

I should also mention this too it probably can help out. I am a 21 year old Male that goes to CSUN.

I also did 3 type of tests and 2 of them were at the sleep clinic. The two tests were polysmnograph and the multiple latency tests. In the polysmnograph they found Sleep Apnea and periodic movement disorder, and in the MLT they didn't find anything pecular. The third tests was a blood test called narcolepsy panel and I was found to have a gene of narcolepsy, but not a diagnosis of narcolepsy. I also had another blood test to see if I was iron deficient, but it proved to be fine.

Answer 1

This really sounds like sleep apnea - only because my husband was diagnosed with it - He is going to studies at a sleep lab to see what his options are. He is very very tired during the day - and snores ever so loudly at night time and can't catch his breath sometimes....There is this machine that will be able to help him breathe at night - hopefully this will help!!! I would see if you can get into a sleep lab with your dr's permission...

Answer 2

Sure sounds like sleep apnea. Do you use CPAP. This is a machine with a mask or nasal device that applies pressure(blow air a little) to your airway to keep it open during sleep. People with slep apnew usually do great with thistreatment and begin feeling a lot beter really fast. Some people just use oxygen. some people have surgery to open up the upper airway. It maybe some help just sleeping on your side instead of your back. These methods are for obstructive apnea ( airway becomes blocked during sleep causing the person to have to momentarily awaken open the airway gasp a coupe breaths then fall back asleeP) The other kind of apnea is Central sleep apnea which is a brain centered problem. Some people have both and need CPAP(continuous positive airway pressure). If I were you I would get some help with this, like a sleep clinic or a Pulmonary Doctor

Answer 3

It sounds like sleep apnea to me. Have you had a sleep test? You spend the night at the hospital hooked up to wires. Techs watch your sleep patterns, and see if you stop breathing during the night. Then they hook you to a CPAP machine, which continuously sends air to your lungs through a mask and hose, to see if that helps.

I have sleep apnea, and in 4 hours, I stopped breathing for more than 15 seconds over 70 times. With the CPAP machine, I breathed normally. The problem is, there is a flap in the throat which can block your air passageways while you're sleeping and obstruct your breathing. This causes you to wake up several times in the night gasping to breathe (you may not remember it in the morning--I didn't). Because you're waking up at night so much, you don't get enough rest, and you're tired all the time. There may be other signs if you have sleep apnea, too--do you snore a lot? Nighttime insomnia might even be a part--if you stop breathing all the time at night, your mind may be saying "No thanks--I'll stay awake." Also, I had bad dry mouth, from sleeping with my mouth open, trying to breathe, I felt worse when I woke up than when I went to bed, and I often had a headache when I got up.

Definitely get checked out--sleep apnea can cause heart attacks and strokes because of the stress it puts on your body. The CPAP machine may be a pain (my husband calls me the elephant woman), but the night I got mine, I had what seemed like the best sleep I'd had in my life.

Answer 4

Maybe your diet and exercise is part of the problem. Do you eat vegetables? Do you walk or do something to get your heart rate up ?Do you think positive thoughts and have hobbies you enjoy? Some people are allergic to yeast and MSG in foods.This can make you tired alot. Some people have more melatonin than others. Do you drink alot of coffee? this can make you tired anxious etc..Do you smoke? This can make you tired and anxious. triptophan is a chemical in certain foods that induces sleep. what foods are you eating? Find out what foods work best for your body and get some exercise and drink plenty of water.Find some books on positive thoughts. I like the book, You can if you think you can by the late Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Trivita sublingual Vitamin b 12 b6 folic acid might help some too. I don't know if you have sleep disorder or not but maybe one of these suggestions might help some . God bless you.

Answer 5

I have a similar condition, but without the weakness.

Sleep apnea is quite common for people who snore. To be really sure you need to electronically monitored while you sleep.

I am concerned with your weakness. It might be a sign of imune deficiency or other illness.

You should get proper medical advice, but my suggestion would be to try to treatment for any snoring or breathing difficulties. I would then try to regulate your sleep patterns

I would keep away from simulants like coffee.

My condition is mainly short term memory or concentration, but I also have some sleep issues that may be related.

Answer 6

I'd say you arent feeling re-energized when you wake up because your not doing anything to us your energy in the day. I'd try running in the morning or afternoon. it creates an energized feeling to keep you awake all day and at night you'll sleep better feeling more refreshed in the morning

Answer 7

could be anything, I suggest asking a physican or calling an Ask a nurse line if your local hospitals have one, I actually feel worse if I get more sleep than 8 hours, and I try to sleep between 6 and 7.

Answer 8

many people might say that it could be something, but then it also happens to many people specially when your working at night. Me for an instance is also experiencing that kind of feeling. Let your body clock adjust to kind of set up.

Answer 9

I dont know i feel the same way all the time, thats a really good question for someone to answer for you and me.

Answer 10

To have sleep apnoea you have to go to sleep. So if you have insomnia how do you have sleep apnoea, Just curious as I have sleep apnoea.