Extreme tiredness

Everyone gets tired, right?

I have two children and also suffered sleeping problems so I know what

tiredness feels like.

But that was nothing to the tiredness I felt in the years following my brain haemorrhage.

I knew it could be a side effect of the brain bleed. Indeed, others who have

suffered SAHs (Subarachnoid hemorrhage - this is a life-threatening bleeding

into the space surrounding the brain) - and are lucky enough to survive –

regularly describe this as something they face during their recovery.

But it’s not really sufficient to describe what I experienced as ‘tiredness’. This

tiredness was extreme; it was a living nightmare.

I lived with my in laws (and did so for 2.4 years after the haemorrhage) during

which my mother in law did almost everything for me, I didn't even register the

tiredness.

Once we were living on our own, everything changed. For example, on one

occasion it took me almost 3 hours to unload the dishwasher (which is just

embarrassing but shows I'm persistent!) and I was living on 8 cups of coffee

a day. It takes quite a lot to upset me, but I would start the day - every  day -

wanting to cry simply because I felt so exhausted.

I used to feel bad complaining – I mean, it wasn’t like I was working all day any

more. But any energy I did have (and that wasn't much) used to ebb out of me

during the day.

It was compounded by the fact that I wouldn't be able to have a nap mid day

because of my contact lenses I wear so by the end of the day I literally had

nothing left. I would feel ill by 8PM, every day.

I had a blood test and the initial results came back normal. But since I'm not

one for just accepting things, at that point I may have gone a bit mental.

I sent a stroppy email to my doctors saying I didn't think having 3 cups of coffee

, 2 ginseng tablets and a Berocca energy tablet by 8am was necessarily normal...

They checked again (and thank God they did) because that afternoon I had a

phone call from the doctor saying I had a vitamin D deficiency.

Did my brain haemorrhage cause me to lack vitamin D? Well, it wrecked my

balance and so I needed (and still use) a walker. That meant for 3.5 years I

was unable to go outside (where you get vitamin D) without substantial help.

Imagine what it is like to not be able to go into your garden without help, to not

beable to go outside on the hottest day of the year or play in the garden with your children.

Worse, if I was home alone, I couldn't even let the children into the garden without

me because if they hurt themselves – before we had a patio built - I simply

couldn't get to them.

Do read my blog on ‘access to the outside’. Access to the outside becomes far

more important when you have none and having none actually made me ill.

Now, I take vitamin D supplements and I feel so much better. I still take Ginseng

and have added a B12 vitamin and cod liver oil tablet. I used to take ginseng at

university and the others supplements  were recommended by a friend. I thought

they can’t hurt, after checking with the doctor, and I think they do make a difference.

I know I am lucky that I was able to pin down a reason for my tiredness. I think

a lot of people who have had brain haemorrhages don't ever get a reason and

simply have to live with it as a side effect of their bleed.

However, it does show that if things aren't right it's worth speaking to your GP.

And whilst I still get really tired it's ‘normal’ tired and not so debilitating.

For example, after the most recent six week summer holidays I didn't feel like

I needed the children to go back to school. I’d actually enjoyed it.

Having that blood test made a huge difference. It has enabled me to live a

relatively normal life and I'm now doing the afternoon school run three times

a week.

Previously, I would have not done the school run at all: just the thought of doing

it on my scooter is stressful so add in the extreme tiredness and it just didn’t

happen…

So these are my top tips to dealing with the effects of tiredness (and these aren’t

just for extreme tiredness - I wish I'd thought about some these when the

children were little!):

·         Overhang: I used to be a lawyer and like to feel I can keep up

with conversation so I really rate a drink called Overhang. I drink it if I

need a boost. Best of all it gives me energy without increasing my caffeine

consumption.

To clarify: I have nothing to do with the makers of this drink and I don't

really know why it helps but I just find it useful.

·         Water: everyone says drinking water will help and to be honest I

ignored them all thinking ‘yeah, yeah I know, I know’. But guess what?

It turns out drinking lots of water really does help!

·         Ginseng tablets: I used to swear by them at university - to make

you recall facts quicker. However, it turns out they are really good at

boosting energy as well - who knew?!

·         A good quality thermos flask: An absolute essential  and I used to

take my own coffee to hospital and other appointments (I can't stand bad

coffee - I have been through enough!) This would also have been really

useful with babies. I also do get the envious glances when I rock up at

school gates on my scooter with my hot coffee...

Please note: this is what works for me and my general advice (as someone who

gets tired). I am in not a doctor and you should take speak to your own doctor

or pharmacist for advice and before/about taking supplements or medicines.