I've definitely not been firing on all cylinders lately and feel very tired a lot of the time. A lot of it can be attributed to two things....
First, I don't sleep brilliantly. I haven't for decades, but it seems to be getting worse. My daughter, Kay, did not sleep through the night until she was 8 years old. My sleep pattern was therefore severely disrupted to the point that in the end my General Practitioner prescribed amitriptyline to help me sleep. It is an all-singing, all-dancing drug that has a variety of uses from preventing bed-wetting, helping with depression and, in my case, taking at night to aid sleep. I have been on a very mild dose (5mg) for the last 27 years and until the last few years it helped to keep me asleep without the after-effects of more conventional sleeping tablets that might prevent me from driving or going about my usual daily routines. However, in the last few years, I have had to increase that dose to 10mg. That is still small-fry compared with the 150mg daily limit I could increase it to, but I find I am still surfacing four or five times in the night (every 60 to 90 minutes) and consequently by morning, I feel exhausted.
The second reason has no doubt been the recent succession of heatwaves we have had in London. With temperatures peaking to 35C over many days, my house has been like a furnace. I have a flat roof, huge windows and my bedroom faces West, which means that by bedtime (even once I have been able to draw back the curtains and open the windows once the sun has gone down), the thermometer in my bedroom has registered 32C at midnight! That has made sleeping virtually impossible and on a couple of occasions, I even slept in the kitchen/diner a couple of nights with the patio doors open! I was so hot and bothered, I would not have cared if a burglar had walked in. Now the temperatures have dropped to a more acceptable 25C, I still feel I could do with some more oomph. I've even suspended my gym membership for the whole of July and August to give me time to recover and use my time on other things that needed doing.
However, in recent months, I have been experiencing palpitations in the night, usually on waking - even if that is in the middle of the night - and so my daughter urged me to see my GP. He arranged for me to have a 24-hour ECG and also some blood tests to see if it was a thyroid malfunction or anything else. I am still on the waiting list for the ECG - a ten-week wait apparently - but had the blood test last week. I think the phlebotomist was Dracula's sister, as I have had the most impressive bruising on my arm for the last ten days - going through a range of colours - first red, then brown, purple, green and yellow. As I hadn't heard back from the GP, I looked up the results online, as now seems to be the norm, to discover one of the tests is below the range it should be. The GP had marked it with concern and has indicated he wants me to make an appointment to see him. In panic, I immediately texted my on-call medic daughter (who is on holiday) and her interpretation is that I may be low in iron. All other results seem fine. So that might explain why I have been feeling a bit weary. I still have to have the 24-hour ECG, so will wait to see the GP after that has been done. Fingers crossed, whatever it is can be easily remedied.
15 comments:
Hi Could I urge you to have a FIT test (Faecal Immunochemical Test) done? Low iron can sometimes (not often, so don't panic) indicate internal bleeding in the bowel. Nettie
Low iron? Start drinking copious amounts of "Irn Bru" - made from girders. I thank my lucky stars that I have always been a good sleeper. During my retirement I have tended to sleep for seven unbroken hours every night. I hope that your issues are properly addressed. It's true what they say - "Knowledge is Power" and this is just as valid with regard to health concerns.
Thank you Nettie. I've now got a GP appointment so will explore the various implications with them. Getting old is not for cowards!
I can't remember when I had more than 2 hours' sleep at any one time. I envy you your 7 hours!
I'm sorry you're having such problems sleeping and well done to your daughter for making you consult a doctor. It sounds as though she may be right. I hope you get answers and healthy sleep soon. Ten weeks though . .
I’m sorry to read you are not too well and hope your GP gets to the bottom of it. With regard to the heat wave I wondered if you had considered an air con unit for the bedroom. These temperatures are not going to go away and will likely get worse in the future. I’ve mentioned this to my son who is also suffering in London, but aged 31 it’s too sensible an outlay for him.
I know. Getting to see a GP these days is like winning the lottery!
I know so many people who are now considering aircon units. The way our climate is going, I think it is definitely worth considering. I think all new builds must have them now.
I don't sleep at all well at night when it's hot either + various pain problems. It really tends to turn life upside down as I then often fall asleep in the daytime instead. I take sleeping pills occasionally to get back on track, but don't want to get back to be too dependent on those. Hope you find/get the right kind of help for your own situation.
There is a very simple solution to the hot bedroom: buy yourself a portable air con unit. Cost: from £25 to £125. Just do it. Delivery in 24 hours.
I did a comment but it disappeared. Perhaps it was spammed.
Oh, it's there now.
I agree, being dependent on sleeping pills is not a good thing.
I think if these heatwaves continue to be a thing, we shall all have to get air con units. Everyone I speak to is suffering from the extreme heat. Goodness knows how animals feel with fur coats to lug around all the time.
I am fine without air conditioning. I think it is mind over matter sometimes but I really do not suffer from the heat indoors but I know if I did I would buy a suitable unit.
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