why do i feel so tired sometimes

• By steven5
• Reply 3616255
• December 11, 2012 at 7:04 pm
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Ladyj56,

I began to notice a pattern when I felt tired. When I did too much one day, I saw the energy levels drop. I searched for a level I could maintain without pushing too hard. It took a lot of trial and error, and a lot of listening carefully to what the body was telling me. Each of my 7 surgeries and procedures had a different comeback plan. I realized business as usual would fail without adjustments, and I needed to make significant adjustments. With adjustments, I found I could do progressively more in time. I hope I gave you something to think about.

Steven

• By chb90
• Reply 3616401
• December 11, 2012 at 7:56 pm
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Ladyj56, I feel the same way. Steven is right, you just have to conserve energy when you don't feel great, and try to pace yourself. I fel the blanket fall on me every day by 3pm. I can't think straight, everything requires extra effort. I find if I STOP and rest for an hour, I will feel a bit better. Are you working part time again? We have very similar jobs ( I'm an QC tech in Radiology) , and the mental strain from concentrating so long can totally deplete our strength....Hope you feel better soon. listen to your body. are you sleeping ok at night??

• By momsnelsen
• Reply 3617806
• December 12, 2012 at 10:11 am
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Ladyj56,

I am right there with you, too. I hope you find comfort in Steven's note (I did) that with some trial and error it is possible to find the balance. I am 38 so having to take a daily nap is very frustrating. However, if I do not nap I start to lose words and eventually I feel like I hit a brick wall. I finished chemo so it isn't related to treatment, but my new normal. I do work part-time and have 4 kids so that adds to my fatigue. My neuro-oncologist prescribes Ritalin and that also helps a bit. Plus I never drank coffee before my cancer, but now it is how I start my day and I think the added caffeine provides a little kick.

When I have more energy I try to do more, but I am still trying to learn not to push myself. As Steven stated, it definitely takes a lot of trial and error and it is not always fun to listen to your body request rest when there are things you want to do! All of the medications I take to prevent seizures say they cause fatigue so that might be part of your issue too if you are on such meds. Finally, my neuro-oncologist had me do a sleep study. I never fully enter deep sleep (REM). Normal treatment for that is sedatives, but with my current medications and kids we have chosen not to do that . If you are worried about the fatigue, you might want to ask about doing a sleep study or if there are other things your neuro-oncologist might suggest.

I wish you the best of luck and please know that you are NOT alone!

Take care,
Susan

• By ladyj56
• Reply 3618910 · In reply to 3616255 by steven5
• December 12, 2012 at 3:51 pm
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thank you..i am sure that i can learn to adjust
was getting upset with myself for the sudden drops in energy
i am on a watch and wait program with my tumor
and since the dva was noted .i seem to be more tired
i do know the epival they are giving me does that...so i spoke to doc and he suggested taking it at bedtime
when the pressure is greater in the day
i have to take a couple to even things out
and yes you have given me something to think about and learn from
i appreciate this

• By ladyj56
• Reply 3618917 · In reply to 3616401 by chb90
• December 12, 2012 at 3:54 pm
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no still not working part time,,actually tried for awhile but it was far too much
i know about the early blanket though
seems i am getting beaten earlier every day
think i should indulge in that hour sounds like a great idea
i always want to push to the fullest
guess i need to admit that being tired is ok
and yes we have similar mind taxing jobs
thanks for the input,,i will start these adjustments today and see where i get
honestly i spend a lot of time researching on here
thanks again

• By ladyj56
• Reply 3618923 · In reply to 3617806 by momsnelsen
• December 12, 2012 at 3:57 pm
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wow
you amazed me !!!!
you are handling so very much and at such a young age
hats off to you
i can imagine you would be tired regardless.having 4 kids is a handfull all on its own
thank you for answering me
you guys have uplifted me right now
and have great ideas for me to work on
thanks so much
and yes admitting that you are tired is ok
i do hope all is well with you all soon
god bless

• By steven5
• Reply 3619529 · In reply to 3618910 by ladyj56
• December 12, 2012 at 7:50 pm
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Ladyj56,

The tumor itself is an energy drain, and that is no one's fault. I found doing the blame thing got me out of positive mode and into pity party mode. Getting upset with yourself is a complete waste of time. It was more productive to key on what I could do, adjust, or change to make a positive difference. Medication timing can have a huge impact. I had a six year process to regain some semblance of normal. My skill set was turned up side down, and I found myself using backup skills. In the sixth year, the original skill set is showing signs of returning. I made it a point to be in it for the long term.

• By valerie37
• Reply 3628240
• December 15, 2012 at 11:40 pm
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Hi. I think we all understand getting tired but my psychologist helped me understand it much better when he explained to me that my mind was damaged and it had to work much harder to do the same tasks that it use to do. My damage is in my left temporal region. Only a small portion of my Oligodendroglioma was removed due to it's location. One example he used was how our brains scan the roadway and the area around it while we are driving but we are not very aware of the work it is doing until it lets us know something is occuring that needs our attention such as a child chasing a ball that is rolling out towards that roadway. He explained that our brains are taking in and processing much more data than we are aware of and we only become aware of it if our brain realizes that it needs our attention. Wow! This made perfect sense on why I would get tired much sooner driving during the day than at night. Obviously, there is much more data for my brain to process when my surroundings are lit up. I also become much more tired and forgetful when I don't get enough sleep, at least 9 hours, I get too busy or become stressed regardless whether it is a happy excitement or an upsetting kind of stress. It helps me to keep a planner that I write things down when I schedule them immediately and then allow my mind to forget about it. Yes, I let my mind rest assured that I have it in my planner and I no longer need to worry about it. I also leave myself post it notes on many items and will often call my home phone to leave myself a message when I am in town and come across something or someone that I need to remind myself about. This eases alot of the stress and has greatly improved my ability to enjoy my life. I have even forget about an appointment or two when I had a stop in town before my appointment. I now set an alarm on my phone for approx. 30 minutes before I am suppose to be there so it will remind me if I get side tracked. Obviously there are many other reasons for being tired such as medications but this is what has been a big issue for me. These changes have greatly reduced how tired I feel and I think my psychologist knew what he was talking about. My brain Power is now about as comparable as a greyhound bus running on a VW bug engine. If I push it too hard, it just stops working all together! I have done some investigating into an application you can get for some cell phones called PEAT. It was initially produced by NASA and has been reworked to assist those with disabilities. These are amazing and I recommend everyone that has memory issues to do their own investigation into this neat little toy! If there is a will there is a way. We just all find different and unique ways to help off set our disabilities. My memory is terrible however, my creativity has gone crazy! Best of luck to you!

• By DebbieMc (Inactive)
• Reply 3634100
• December 18, 2012 at 9:54 am
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I get tired easily too! If I push myself too hard I'm in bed by 5 p.m.! A 6 year survivor told me it took her about 1 year to get energy back. I work 2 hours a day but only 3 days a week. I can't drive so all of the bussing and walking does me in too.

• By butterfly0
• Reply 3635100 · In reply to 3616401 by chb90
• December 18, 2012 at 4:00 pm
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My energy level is usually good in the mornings. and by 2 or 3 I start dragging. I go home and try to rest. Sometimes I come out of that heavy feeling. Sometimes I dont. I wonder when I will have a steady pace all day everyday! Its been 6 months since surgery. I had my 6 month checkup with neurosurgeon. He wants to see me again in 3 months instead of the original next 6 month. He saw some scar tissue up there. I dont know where exactly or what that means?

• By steven5
• Reply 3635518 · In reply to 3635100 by butterfly0
• December 18, 2012 at 6:58 pm
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Butterfly0,

Six months after surgery is not a long time. My time frame was 7 months to get back to work (after two surgeries). I had to jump into work full-time as part-time was not an offered option from my employer. The next 5 surgeries and procedures had to be crammed in with time off and the work load. Energy level wise the first year gave me the most trouble. The second year was a year of adjustments and finding limits. Third year fine tuned the adjustments with setbacks. The fourth year I found trouble maintaining the gains. Year five was more steady progress. Year six was a breakthrough year with dramatic progress. (Two surgeries the first year (2006) and one every year since as of 2012)

Steven

• By chb90
• Reply 3635896
• December 18, 2012 at 10:04 pm
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We all have had very similar experiences. Im 11 mos post op and finally I dont need to nap everyday. But I do agree we all need to listen to our bodies and find the balance. What a great explanation from Valerie as to why our brains need rest. I think I need to see a neuro-psychologist too, as I know I have some PTSD from this whole stupid brain tumor thing! It is way past my bedtime to have any brain function left.

• By NYroseOligo
• Reply 3647686 · In reply to 3617806 by momsnelsen
• December 23, 2012 at 8:32 pm
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wow! Susan . You are my twin, except I have 5 miss and they are 9 and punder. I get exhausted after several days of pushing too hard.

• By jaypaul
• Reply 3652918
• December 26, 2012 at 9:12 pm
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Ladyj66~ what you are going through is totally normal for us brain tumor or brain cancer patients, especially while taking all those cancer meds and drugs and chemo. It is important to get the rest or naps each day when you can. I had three surgeries during 2012 and anthesia and drugs, and stress wil tire and de-energize one. I am 65 and do the best I can and still a type A person but I am learning to go slower and save my energy as much as I can. I am retired now thankfully, otherwise I don't think I could survive each day with the energy that I need for each day.

Good luck.
John

• By ladyj56
• Reply 3661832 · In reply to 3628240 by valerie37
• December 30, 2012 at 7:14 pm
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thank you..i was inspired by your words
and it really is helping me get through
seems every scan shows a new issue for me ..and i am feeling like a tightrope walker
not sure which gust will knock me off balance

• By steven5
• Reply 3664476 · In reply to 3661832 by ladyj56
• December 31, 2012 at 7:08 pm
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Ladyj56,

The tightrope walker who thinks they will fall always falls into the net. Ladyj56 those images need to be more positive--responsive as in what can be done. A ballerina dancing around obstacles or leaping over them. An eagle soaring in the sky. An image needs to be appropriate to yourself--if you have never done tighrope, then it may not be appropriate. If you have done gymnastics, a balance beam might be appropriate. The goal is to stay on and not worry about falling. You seem to try a positive image and devolve into a negative on the end. Staying on, dancing, leaping, or soaring keeps it positive.

Steven