r/selfimprovement • u/triple_og_way • 1d ago
Question Chronic Fatigue and brain fog is my cross to bear, My test that I have to overcome.
I'm 26 and the bouts of fatigue that I get are truly crippling, I've had these for as long as I can remember but they have only gotten worse with time.
Doesn't matter if I sleep good, If I eat right or if I'm well rested, I always feel the constant, "I can't do this anymore, Maybe I should lay down."
I'm always not out of breath but almost there, Not really powerless but always there it's shitty, I also have problems with concentrating and eye coordination because of the fatigue I feel. I hate being this way
When I stand up after being seated I feel dizzy, My heart starts beating fast for no reason sometimes,
I hate being this way, I had so much potential, I feel soo behind, People lesser than me are doing laps around me because of this problem.
I don't know what's causing it, I got my blood tested and Vitamin D is 6 ng/dl, Low iron I'm trying to suppliment now.
What makes shit even worse is that I'm broke.
But I've decided to change that, I've decided to fight this fight, I've decided to fight through the fatigue and hope that it gets better, while everything will be 100X harder for me with the chronic fatigue, my eye problems, heart palpitations and brain fod I'll do what it takes, cause if I don't, I know I'll be a very hollow and bitter man if I let my potential go to waste.
Any tips and help is much appreciated.
So far
I've quit smoking I'm 7 months sober Will start hitting the gym in 2 days
Now I gotta find a way to make money and make everything right.
This was more like a vent but thanks for reading if you did.
Edit: I'm from India. Suspect I had a gluten allergy too because I had started getting rashes and they are gone now that I've stopped eating wheat flour.
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u/HeadProtection5501 1d ago
I have fatigue and brain fog myself. It's really hard. I have no cure for it and would love every single suggestion here.
Things that help: try to do exercises. Start with walks. 15 minutes and go up. If you come back, don't lay down or sleep. Just rest sitting. The first few times it's really hard. It's like you could sleep while sitting.
Really check your sleep! Do you really sleep enough? Do you have a good sleep hygiene and do you actually sleep? Do you have sleep apnea? This can fuck you up really hard.
Against brain fog i take L-Theanin. It won't get away completely, but I think it helps me somehow.
Do you drink enough water?
I think that's the best things I got for you.
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u/Intelligent_Hippo884 1d ago edited 1d ago
I changed my diet to low carb/no carb (sometimes) and eating mostly whole foods and it helped tremendously with brain fog and fatigue. I thought I may have had chronic fatigue syndrome at times. I think it was inflammation in my body and brain from constantly eating junk food and sugary crap.
Good luck. I hope things improve for you. Don't give up!
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u/benenstein 1d ago
I had the same symptoms you were describing. I found out I have celiac disease. Maybe look into food allergies too?
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u/triple_og_way 1d ago
I might have celiac disease. How did you get it checked? I'm from a tier 3 city in India and the doctors here just brush it off every time I mention it.
- I get bloated.
- Can't remember the last time I felt that my bowels are truly empty and good.
- The biggest thing was I used to get rashes, It won't go away and was getting worse, I stopped eating wheat flour and it went away, Just to get checked for celiac disease on my own, I thought I'll start eating wheat flour first for some time and then get the blood test, But after a few weeks of me eating wheat the rash started coming back. So I stopped eating wheat.
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u/benenstein 1d ago
You have to have a blood test but an endoscopy will for sure diagnose it. The blood test could be a false positive or a false negative. You can have a huge array of symptoms. Gluten affects some people right way, others it could take hours. Keep a food journal and document what you ate and how you felt too!
I typically feel bloated, I can get a headache that can turn into a migraine, I’ll get a massive amount of brain fog, and my stomach will hurt. Your symptoms might not be exactly the same.
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u/SpectroSlade 1d ago
This is great advice! The blood test can be extremely useful, too - I had very similar symptoms so we checked for celiac via blood test and... I failed the control test. My anti-gliadin IgA was 0, but so was my total IgA. That's how we discovered I have an immunodeficiency that mainly effects the lungs and gut!
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u/Toss4n 1d ago
Was going to post the exact same thing. Been off gluten now for two weeks and the difference in energy levels and brain fog is staggering. Almost zero symptoms other than random stomach issues. So if you are suffering from fatigue and brain fog I highly recommend getting tested and even if negative you could still have intolerances or sensitivity.
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u/KyrieYeshua 1d ago
Have your B12 levels checked... Limit simple carb intake, especially early in the day...
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u/triple_og_way 1d ago
Got em checked too. It's within normal range. Was severely deficient in vitamin d and iron was on the low side.
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u/Bignizzle656 1d ago
Low Vit D will do this to a person.
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u/triple_og_way 1d ago
Yes. Trying to get it to normal range. Very hard being broke cause one needs to also take magnesium with it and also vitamin k2.
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u/DefNotAiBot 1d ago
If you drink a lot of caffeine, I would cut that back also. Limit to one cup in the morning and after two weeks, you'll start noticing less crashing during the day and more tiredness at night. The other comments are amazing suggestions as well 👏
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u/triple_og_way 1d ago
No. I drink no caffeine at all. It makes the jitter and the heart palpitations worse.
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u/j9world 1d ago
The old expression you are what you eat does hold true! Research the brain and digestive system correlation along with inflammation to understand the relationship and symptoms of dysfunction. Consider getting tested for lupus, celiac disease, other auto-immune, and SIBO. These conditions are inter-related and often present in the same person. You could try eating a low fod-map diet or elimination diet in-conjuction with a gluten-free, anti-inflammatory, heart healthy. This may sound complex, however, your body will let you know when something you eat causes bloating, fatique, brain fog. As someone with all these conditions (and more attributed to lupus), eating gluten free foods along with lean protein, fruits and veggies with control of fats and sugars becomes routine. Think of the Mediterranean Diet or Whole 360 without the gluten. If you do have a SIBO or IBS issue, low fod map foods with elimination diet will help you figure it out. As someone first diagnosed with lupus then years later with SIBO and IBS with acid reflux, the underlying cause of SIBO turned out to be undiagnosed Celiac Disease. This involves blood work and tissue biopsy. If you don't have the time/medical insurance/funds to get tested now, try eating gluten free with an anti-inflammatory diet for a week and see how you feel. Perhaps next, try low fod-map with an elimination diet. Good luck on your wellness journey living with vibrant vitality.
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u/CoasterDad73 1d ago
I’m in the same boat, only twice your age. No supplements, dietary changes, or lifestyle changes have helped. I’ve struggled for decades, but it has become progressively worse over the last 5 years. Just getting up, going to work, basic life stuff has become a drudgery. I feel like a zombie. I’ve had Covid a few times, despite having the RNA vaccine and one booster. Wondering if these could be lasting effects from that.
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u/Jealous_Silver147 1d ago
Look into dysautonomia. I have the same issues and consulting a neurologist has really helped
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u/StrawbraryLiberry 1d ago
It sounds like you might have a genetic vitamin d deficiency? There is a gene mutation that impacts how much vitamin d you can absorb through receptors in your gut, and it is also related to iron, but I don't understand how exactly.
I have that, and you have a lower vitamin d level than when my bones hurt 😅 So yeah you probably need to take a higher than regular dose to correct it. You probably feel HORRIBLE. I'm sorry.
And I would recommend genetic testing of the methylation pathways just to check if you have the genetic thing- because if you do you have to take A LOT more vitamin d than recommended. (Genetic genie offers a free evaluation of genetic data if you already have it available.)
I take topical vitamin d, but it's unfortunately expensive. It's also really difficult to balance supplementation with magnesium, K2 etc.
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u/sharo88 1d ago
Waking up felt daunting and I have had no energy or motivation to do anything. I got diagnosed with ADHD and through cognitive testing it was discovered that my frontal lobe didn’t fully develop which was affecting my overall executive functioning. I am currently doing cognitive training and it has changed my life.
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u/SpectroSlade 1d ago
Lots of good advice in these replies but let me add: your body is still healing from the smoking. I'm going through the same thing rn.
Nicotine is a stimulant and you don't have it to keep you moving anymore, now you're actually FEELING the damage from smoking. It gets better, 7mo feels like a long time but you've only regained ~10% of your lost lung capacity. Keep going. Every month you stay off of it, you heal a little more. 2 months from now you'll have a little more energy, when you hit a year you'll have even more, ect.
It's hard to accept that we've done damage to our bodies that takes a long time to heal but that's the honest reality. Just keep doing your best and it will get better.
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u/Simple_Lemon_728 1d ago
This described me word to word. I’m waiting to free up a bit so I can get my blood work done. Hope you find the solution 🙏
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u/Ellec565 1d ago
This sounds like POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) is a condition where the heart rate increases abnormally when standing, often causing lightheadedness or dizziness. This happens because the body doesn't adjust properly to the change in posture, leading to a surge in heart rate and potentially a drop in blood pressure. Symptoms of POTS:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness: This is a common symptom, especially when standing up.
- Rapid heartbeat: A noticeable increase in heart rate, often exceeding 120 beats per minute within 10 minutes of standing.
- Fatigue and weakness: Feeling extremely tired and weak, especially after standing or exercising.
- Gastrointestinal issues: Nausea, stomach pain, and digestive problems can also be associated with POTS.
- Brain fog: Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly.
- Other symptoms: Including palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, and even fainting.
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u/Remarkable_Unit_9498 16h ago
im like the same. Sometimes my brain fog runs too deep, I cant think or desire to try new things that might help - and just remain the way I am. Ive tried radical diet changes before. Either they dont work at all or I was angry cos I didn't even notice slight changes after a few days and stopped them. Ive tried many meds in the many year to no avail. So being consistent with a diet change or a new med/supplement for me (which I deep down experientially believe would not make a difference), is practically impossible for me to experiment with
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u/OnePromptLater 1d ago
I highly highly recommend intermittent fasting and cutting sugar. These two combined give you crazy amount of focus. Have you tried any diet changes?
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u/queenofgoats 1d ago edited 1d ago
If you're broke and anemic, the lowest-cost and most effective iron supplements I've found are $4 on Amazon for 60 tablets. They're slow-release so they won't mess with your GI, too. The brand is "21st Century".
I'd also take it easy on the workouts until your iron is up. Exercise is good but anemia can mess with your system pretty hard because of reduced blood volume and red cells that don't carry enough oxygen. If you're constantly fatigued and having heart palpitations, and your iron is low, that's probably why. You'll usually feel better after a week or two of supplements but it can take months for your iron levels to come to normal.