Tired is an understatement

TIRED! so ridiculously tired. I knew that when I started sleeping for 10 hours a night and waking up feeling like I hadn't slept at all that something was wrong.  I started struggling to get through the days, my bed became my happy place. Four days of chronic fatigue and then all of a sudden extreme tiredness stays and insomnia kicks in. So to put this into perspective, chronic fatigue but cant sleep, brilliant! It doesn't take long for the exhaustion to kick in and everything spirals out of control. Me being me though I will keep on pushing on until my boss forces me to take some time out. I am learning though to not let it get to this point. Take the time when it first starts to ensure a quicker recovery.

I am lucky enough to have a very understanding and supportive workplace. I currently am on reduced hours as I have had a flare up of fibromyalgia ... this comes hand in hand with thyroid disease. Reduced hours doesn't mean I go home, chuck my pj's on and settle in for the afternoon watching movies and eating popcorn. Admittedly I do put my pj's on but i'm either on the phone to clients or catching up on emails. 

What is fibromyalgia you ask? Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that has no cure. Chronic muscle pain, severe fatigue and decreased energy, Insomnia or waking up feeling just as tired as when you went to sleep. Difficulty remembering, concentrating, and performing simple mental tasks (“fibro fog”), migraine headaches, sensitivity to noise, bright lights, and feeling anxious.

I have felt every single one of these things over the past two weeks. Symptoms can intensify depending on the time of day — morning, late afternoon, and evening tend to be the worst times. Symptoms may also get worse with fatigue, hormonal fluctuations (such as just before your period), stress, WOO HOO who doesn't want to feel these things...!!! I know I don't. But how can one person have all of these symptoms and more? The amount of times I have heard "it's all in your head". Yeah, you're right, its in my head! Why would I want to feel like this? Why would I make all of these things up. NO, its not in my head but thank you for your concern. Believe in yourself and listen to your body. Don't let someone try and convince you that's it in your head cause it isn't! Go and see a doctor that will actually listen.

I have spent a lot of time over the past couple of weeks researching ways to help ease these symptoms. I have just found a product Alpha Venus that seems to be doing something as I have been able to get back to going to the gym. I have attached a link', so do some research for yourself but i'm always up for trying something new and it also says it can help shift a couple of unwanted kilo's. BONUS! These guys have just released a new podcast on chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia that I found very interesting to listen to. Here is the link ATP sciene podcast - episode 90

I have also just starting taking a high dose of fish oil, which studies shows can reduce inflammation which is essentially what is happening at the moment.I I'ts also very important to try and stay as active as possible, surprising keeping active can help with your symptoms. I know how hard it is some days to even get out of bed but If I can recommend one thing is don't stop doing the things you love.  For me the gym is a mental release and a last effort to use the rest of my energy to try and get a good nights sleep. It has also helped me to keep in shape as best as I can having no thyroid but it also keeps the endorphin's pumping. Depression and anxiety are very common in thyroid disease patients so I do what I can to avoid going down that track. The most important thing is to not give up. I have been pretty hard on myself during this flare up. It feels like it's taking forever to calm down. I don't know if it is because I am getting older or its because I didn't stop before it got really painful. Anyway the best advice I can give is to REST!


Ashton X
#thyroidmadness