Fatigue

It's interesting you mention unmasking. I only recently found out about being Autistic. I am unmasking at home with my boyfriend but I have an internal struggle if I speak with other people. I'm now aware of my Autism and I feel more anxiety and stress trying to present myself and communicate well.

Before I knew I was Autistic, I just masked snd played a role I played for years. Now that I know, I'm over-analysing myself and I find it more difficult to interact/communicate. This newer anxiety and stress about who I am and worrying how to relate to others could be causing me more fatigue. I hope this makes sense!

Peri and full menopause are important to mention, thank you. I'm currently having long-term (5 years) treatment for breast cancer - the daily drug Anastrazole helps with cancer but it has given me a 5 year menopause. It's an oestrogen blocker.

I never had troublesome symptoms when I went through my natural menopause years ago. Now, with this (necessary) drug, my fatigue, lethargy and brain fog are through the roof. 

Highly unlikely it's that then.

Caffeine is a tricky thing. My reaction to caffeine changed recently: my morning cup of coffee with breakfast used to make me more awake. Now I have to nap after breakfast.

God I hope that's the case. I've been looking forward to menopause for 25 years. I'm on high dose progestins to shut down menstruation, although I've been tired for longer than I've been taking them.

I wondered if you might have been experiencing peri or menopause but you do seem a bit young for that although some people can experience peri-menopause symptoms from their 30's.

The brain fatigue/fog is classic of that, according to the accounts of some women who I've had dialogue with about it.

You could get your sex hormones level checked easily with a blood test but due to your age and if your menstruation is normal it's doubtful an NHS gp will do it.

I never considered my daily fluctuations before... good thought!

I keep reaching long stages of burnout that is debilitating.. to the point that tasks like brushing my hair, cleaning my teeth and even eating is difficult. I'm currently taking time-out of life in general and staying in a dark room or in the bath for hours at a time to focus on special interests and stimming when I need to. I also need to remove as much sensory stimuli as possible when I'm like this as I'm getting frequent shutdowns and meltdowns. If you work.. sometimes taking time off is a must to recover. I'm at a loss at what I can do to avoid these episodes.. as in general even when well the fatigue is difficult.. but I never used to un-mask which is something I am trying to do now. 

I managed to see a student doctor in 2012 who did blood tests (normal apparently on the iron front, no inflammation, and I don't have caeliac) but she left and every one since then has been dismissive.

I don't remember being particularly tired then. More anxious, which I'm not so much now. I sometimes feel like anxious and tired are the only two states I have ever experienced.

That's a good point about knowing your daily fluctuations. I am often very alert and productive before 9am and then it gradually gors downhill from there 

I don't use caffeine at all because it makes my body react like I have food poisoning.

Wow, that's not OK! Get a second opinion or change GP?

I struggle with chronic fatigue - probably due to serious physical illnesses, medication side effects, age, sensory overload, anxiety. I realise I need a morning nap and regular healthy meals and snacks that include protein (I have Reactive Hypoglycaemia so I have to restrict sugar and carbs) to keep my blood sugar normal and stable. I take a variety of vitamins.

I also have to recognise the only time of day when I have some energy (usually after lunch and my afternoon snack) so I plan to do tasks at that time when I can manage them (paying bills, emailing, tidying up, etc.). I cannot do anything in the morning that requires energy and the ability to concentrate. My mind is very fuzzy and disoriented in the morning.

Before I go to sleep at night, I wind down by watching lengthy, soothing YouTube videos. I found that crossword puzzles are too mentally stimulating and I can't fall asleep properly.

I have to admit that I do drink three cups of coffee a day before 3:00pm and I have a glass of diet cola in the late afternoon before dinner. So caffeine is indeed part of my routine for energy!

I do not have a good success rate of convincing GP to do anything like that. I tried to do Thriva a few years ago (this is a long-standing problem) but couldn't get enough blood, it just made my fingertip numb for a couple of weeks.

35, pre-T transmasc

What's your biological sex and age?

Have you had blood tests? It could be your thyroid or various other things. Says someone who suffers from fatigue and has never done this because I hate blood tests even though I have to have them every year for meds and could possibly ask them to check things related to tiredness... hmmm, maybe I should this year? But executive functioning...

Over the last two years I've run systematic dietary experiments, starting with only eatng rice and water and then adding one food at a time to figure out what I tolerate and don't. I managed to put together a nutritionally adequate diet and have been on that for at least six months now. It is great no to have the digestive problems I used to, and I've gained weight right up to the middle of the healthy BMI range, but I'm still tired. Maybe less tired than I was before I started the process, but still tired compared to when I was younger. And specifically more brain-tired. It's harder to focus.

Before I worked out some of my allergies, I was overwhelmed with fatigue. 

Sugar and inflammation was the first thing to get sorted and this made a night and day change. Eventually I had to cut out gluten and grains. I'm now on a FODMAP diet and try to mind the sugar. << about 30 years of getting myself sorted.