Sleepiness/Depression

[ZACTAK]

Well, I see there are a lot of threads about depression on here, but mine is sort of a strange situation. My body loves to sleep! Last semester I did poorly in my classes because I would sleep through most of them.... I was sleeping on average about 15 hours a day. Over Christmas break, my doctor diagnosed me with depression because of the sleeping. Going off the sleeping only, he diagnosed me with this. As a result he placed me on 75mg of Effexor and sent me on my way. He wanted to see me 4 weeks after my appointment, but I couldn't because I live 3 hours away from home for school. Anyways, after about a month, under my own guidance I stopped taking the medication. When I was taking it, I started getting the symptoms of depression. I wanted to be alone, I wanted to cry, always confused, indecisive, very sleepy, always sick. Anyways, after a month of this I decided to stop taking the medication and I feel normal again. I personally think the way I was sleeping was a habit, because now I am fine for the most part, I still miss classes every once in a while, but definitely not as much as last semester. What do you guys think?

 

[TheMainException]

I don't think it is necessarily depression...although instead of just straight up meds, I wouldn't go right for the meds first, I think you should talk to someone, like a school counselor or something like that. The meds may have just opened up a new door and showed you something you didn't know...sleeping may just be a way that your body reacts to depressive feelings, keeping you from the truth of things....I suggest you take a trip to a psychologist and spend at least a good few months talking....and if nothing comes up....then accept it as something different....God bless...I hope this starts to really make sense for you, Lauren

 

[ZACTAK]

Hey, the thing is, I am not sad or down or blue... I was when the doctor put me on my medications, but after I took myself off of them, I didn't feel that way anymore. My mom suffers from narcolepsy but not to where she falls asleep anytime of the day, she is just always tired and wants to sleep like I do. So I don't think I need to see a psychologist, because I don't have any issues that I need to discuss....I am actually finally breaking out of my shell and talking to people and becoming friends with them.

 

[Mirelys]

Once depression is ruled out (and narcolepsy, since you have a family history of it), you might research chronic fatigue syndrome.
Also you could see a nutritionist; if you're missing vitamins, have food allergies, or if your blood sugar is touchy, it could cause sleepiness like that.
BTW, depression isn't always about issues. There are many things that can cause it.
Good luck Mystery illnesses are not fun.

 

[ZACTAK]

I have hypoglycemia which is low blood sugar

 

[Mirelys]

Hello, fellow hypoglycemic
Are you careful to balance your proteins and sugars/carbohydrates? I know that I don't get sick if I have too many carbohydrates (like I do with sugars), but they do make me sleepy. In fact, I've not been eating well, and have only been awake for 10 hours out of the last 48!

 

[Jessica Lauren]

I kind of have the same problem. I've never gone to the doctor, but I am always, always tired. I've been told sometimes its because I over-sleep, but even when I'm on a normal sleeping pattern I'm always tired. I've been told that I could have low iron levels, and need to take a multi-vitamin. However, I eat just fine. A lot has happened in my life and I'm THINKING its depression-- well, because... I feel depressed. eh.

 

[ZACTAK]

Hello, fellow hypoglycemic
Are you careful to balance your proteins and sugars/carbohydrates? I know that I don't get sick if I have too many carbohydrates (like I do with sugars), but they do make me sleepy. In fact, I've not been eating well, and have only been awake for 10 hours out of the last 48!

I had a really bad hypoglycemic attack that nearly put me in the hospital and for about a year afterwards I followed a strict diet, but I wanted fast food and all that again, and since then I can't stay away from the sweets.

 

[The Julikenz]

I've had sleeping issues for many many years. Slowly they've worstened, and I've been sent to coucillers (i was 12 at the time, 2000) been told i have depression, been diagnosed with a million and one different things. Last year (2004) i started to fall really sick all the time, and it would take a month for me to be able to recover from a cold, a week to recover from vomiting once. After talking to my doctor about it, especially the fact i was needing 15 or 16 hours a night to be ok for 7 or so. (i was falling asleep in classes, sleeping in the afternoons, making up the missing time whereever i could)
He took a blood test and not much came up.. other than i had low iron stores(which i knew, being a vegetarian who doesnt eat sea food either) and my antibodies that fight virus's werent making up as quickly after i got sick, so i would get sick easier and quicker and they wouldnt get better fast enough. I was told this was a result of not getting enough sleep.

Eventually i asked Him about Chronic Fatigue... i told Him i'd been unoffically diagnosed with it before, He said it was most probobly the case, however it is pretty hard to diagnose and be assurred of, as your body cant give a definite sign or signal, and there is no one test that just reveals it. I've basically given up since then, too tired of not knowing, just assuming im a tired little girl with a sleeping disorder That was 6 months ago i talked to him about it, and im stil sleeping 16 hours nights atleast once a week... and im still always tired and always falling asleep. To quote a very very wise Christian
"Mystery illnesses are not fun."

Don't let them tell you that you have depression, if there's a Chance you have Chronic fatigue syndrome. It happened to me, and it's not fun, it makes you more cerceptable later to things like ED, SI, Depression itself and many other things (from someone who has had this happen) God bless i will pray for us, and those like us.. that Jesus would be our deliverer..

 

[The Julikenz]

how did you go Zach?