Exhausted, foggy brain, sensitive, bored/frustrated

[dieseluser07]

Im really struggling with life atm. Im just absolutely exhausted all the time, dont get excited about anything at all, cant be arsed doing anything and no matter how much sleep i get im still exhausted.

The worst thing has got to be the foggy brain, im wandering through life/work forgetting things that happened 5 minutes ago, not registering what someone is saying, doing things wrong, having a complete lack of common sense or awareness as to what is going on. Also dont have much of a sex drive for a young male.

Any idea what could be causing this? Could i be depressed?

If depressed would 5 htp or a dopamine agent such as dopa mucuns be more beneficial to give me more energy and get me back to who i should be. Dont really fancy the prescription med route.

[ReverendCounter]

First thing you should do is take a good look at your diet, daily water intake, and excercise.

Apparently even becoming slightly dehydrated can have an impact on cognitive abilities. If you're mainly drinking coffee throughout the day you'll not be keeping enough water in your body.

The diet - it shouldn't be hard to identify if you're eating the wrong food, but breaking the habit can be difficult especially if you need to prepare food daily for work.

However you should also definitely consider having a chat with the doc and maybe getting a blood test. The exercise - are you doing any/getting enough? If not, start. Don't need to join a gym, just walk or cycle every evening to start with. When the weather's bad, try swimming if you live near a pool (and can swim, obvs).

I'm sure other advice will be forthcoming, and hopefully what you're feeling will be an easy fix - but I would definitely go to the docs regardless. A blood test might show something simple like a minerals/vitamin deficiency etc which could be resolved by a course of tablets.

[ReverendCounter]

Incidentally, you ask 'could I be depressed?' - I would suggest not, from what you've shared. The persistent tiredness, forgetfulness, low sex drive etc would be a part of depression, but you wouldn't be at work if you had it - you wouldn't feel able to cope with getting out of bed, never mind holding your job down.

But something's up, and it's bothering you. Try not to self medicate or self diagnose, until you have a firm diagnosis from your doc. If s/he prescribes something, by all means swap it for a lower cost generic if you're put on a long course of an expensive branded tablet but make sure the strength, dose and duration is duplicated in the generic, and for god's sake get it from a trustworthy source under advice (ie a high street pharmacist).

It's too early to self medicate and self diagnose.

[Hoofy]

Good start as a reply. Might also need to check your iron levels.

Maybe take up squash or badminton for a bit of a runaround if you can afford to join a local club.

[xx99xx]

Could be low testosterone. These are all classic symptoms. They are also symptoms of a number of different causes so you need to start eliminating some. Quick blood test from GP would rule a few out.

[RTB]

As above, go to your GP describe the symptoms and get some bloods done. I felt a bit like that over the summer and went to my GP who examined me and sent be for a fairly large battery of blood tests. All came back normal and I'm feeling a lot better than I was (I think Drs refer to it as a therapeutic phlebotomy ).

The Dr wasn't sure what it could have been but it was good to have an MOT nevertheless, especially as I'd turned the big 40 and hadn't been to the Drs in years.

Get yourself off to the GP, it could be any manner of things; low testosterone, low vitamin B12, thyroid issues etc etc A set of blood test will give an indication and also give you some peace of mind.

I certainly felt better just knowing i wasn't walking around with sky high blood pressure a heart murmur and half my remaining organs on their way out!

[havoc]

ReverendCounter said:

Incidentally, you ask 'could I be depressed?' - I would suggest not, from what you've shared. The persistent tiredness, forgetfulness, low sex drive etc would be a part of depression, but you wouldn't be at work if you had it - you wouldn't feel able to cope with getting out of bed, never mind holding your job down.

I totally disagree - depression isn't a digital on/off, it's a scale. What you describe is the higher end of the scale.

And it's quite possible to 'put a face on it' for 8 hours a day and go through the motions at work. You'd be amazed how few people notice... Moreover, you keep doing that and your emotional reserves just wear down...and without something changing or some help you get worse...

ReverendCounter said:

But something's up, and it's bothering you. Try not to self medicate or self diagnose, until you have a firm diagnosis from your doc.

It's too early to self medicate and self diagnose.

Definitely go to the doctors. 100%. They can help...a bunch of random blokes on a forum can't do anything more than offer conflicting advice.

Also, if there's a (confidential) counselling helpline through your work, or something similar, call it. Talk to them...let them lead the conversation, see where it goes.

[Pinkie15]

dieseluser07 said:

If depressed would 5 htp or a dopamine agent such as dopa mucuns be more beneficial to give me more energy and get me back to who i should be. Dont really fancy the prescription med route.

So you've no idea what's wrong with you, but still want to fill yourself up with neuroactive compounds of dubious quality, efficacy & safety.

[andy_s]

Pinkie15 said:

dieseluser07 said:

If depressed would 5 htp or a dopamine agent such as dopa mucuns be more beneficial to give me more energy and get me back to who i should be. Dont really fancy the prescription med route.

So you've no idea what's wrong with you, but still want to fill yourself up with neuroactive compounds of dubious quality, efficacy & safety.

I wouldn't touch any drug until you've had proper advice.

[HustleRussell]

I take it you don't smoke pot OP?

[HustleRussell]

Also how much / how well are you sleeping?

[anonymous-user]

I’d try a big daily intake of long chain omega 3, likely fish oil form

Maybe as much as 9000mg or maybe even 12000 per day

If it works, you will notice the difference in two days

I’m not qualified to give this as advice, but it is what I would do

[Funk]

RTB said:

As above, go to your GP describe the symptoms and get some bloods done.

This.

Until you know what's wrong, you can't start fixing it. A couple of years ago I was run-down, tired all the time, ached everywhere - not just muscles, it was in my bones. It was like flu but it wasn't - thought it might have been shingles again as I'd had it once before so went to the doc to ask for anti-virals to treat it. She was excellent and said that if it was shingles again, she'd like to know why. One full blood panel later (including for HIV which could have explained shingles coming back) and I was surprised to hear everything was fine except for vitamin D. She put me on a course of high vit D for a month and then to level it off to a 'maintenance' dose and the improvement was phenomenal. I take 50µg (2000 IU) of D3 daily now.

Without knowing what was wrong I'd have still been very, very unwell and trying to 'treat' something that wasn't wrong with me. A staggering number of people in the UK are vit. D deficient.

Go see your doc OP.

[pete757]

I think you may be GLUTEN intolerant.

The 'Brain Fog' is a classic symptom, along with the others you describe.

I suggest you cut out gluten for just 2 weeks, it is quite easy to do, albeit it frustrating when foods are not simply labeled 'Gluten Free'. But there is a lot of choice out there... (Gluten free bread is vile as bread, but quite ok once toasted!)

But you must not have ANY Gluten ingredient foods at all during this time... and BTW, most beers contain gluten as well! (you can get 'gluten free beer btw!)

It will 'cost' you nothing to try this, but I reckon you will feel a LOT better for trying.

Please post back with your thoughts after trying.

Good luck mate.

[toddler]

dieseluser07 said:

Im really struggling with life atm. Im just absolutely exhausted all the time, dont get excited about anything at all, cant be arsed doing anything and no matter how much sleep i get im still exhausted.

The worst thing has got to be the foggy brain, im wandering through life/work forgetting things that happened 5 minutes ago, not registering what someone is saying, doing things wrong, having a complete lack of common sense or awareness as to what is going on. Also dont have much of a sex drive for a young male.

Any idea what could be causing this? Could i be depressed?

If depressed would 5 htp or a dopamine agent such as dopa mucuns be more beneficial to give me more energy and get me back to who i should be. Dont really fancy the prescription med route.

I’ve had all the symptoms you describe for the last 10 years. As someone else said, they are classic signs of low testosterone. I’ve lost both testicles to cancer so use a daily testosterone replacement gel called Testogel. I’m on the maximum daily dose allowed which keeps me functioning but I still have all the symptoms you describe, plus irritability, insomnia and night sweats. As suggested already, a full set of bloods would be a good start. Be warned though, many GPs are not particularly knowledgeable about male hormone issues, mine certainly isn’t. I see an Endocrinologist regularly and she’s fantastic.

It’s funny you mention depression. Many of the symptoms you describe could also be due to depression according to this: https://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/depression.aspx

I score 20 out of 27 on that self-assessment. I’ve been having some pretty darks thoughts over the last few months, so I’ve finally made an appointment to see my GP on Monday.

[Regiment]

toddler said:

I’ve had all the symptoms you describe for the last 10 years. As someone else said, they are classic signs of low testosterone. I’ve lost both testicles to cancer so use a daily testosterone replacement gel called Testogel. I’m on the maximum daily dose allowed which keeps me functioning but I still have all the symptoms you describe, plus irritability, insomnia and night sweats. As suggested already, a full set of bloods would be a good start. Be warned though, many GPs are not particularly knowledgeable about male hormone issues, mine certainly isn’t. I see an Endocrinologist regularly and she’s fantastic.

It’s funny you mention depression. Many of the symptoms you describe could also be due to depression according to this: https://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/depression.aspx

I score 20 out of 27 on that self-assessment. I’ve been having some pretty darks thoughts over the last few months, so I’ve finally made an appointment to see my GP on Monday.

What are your testosterone, shbg, prolactin, oestradial and free testosterone levels whilst your using the gel? Presumably being on TRT, you are having regular blood tests to keep an eye on hormone levels? I'm on TRT but i use the injections instead of gel, Test is now at 24.8nmol trough level but Prolectin and Oestradial are high so currently taking an AI to try to bring them down so going for another blood test in a few weeks to hopefully check what my new levels are with the AI, even with an AI though i still get the brain fog and energy problems sometimes but i do feel more comfortable around people and i've certainly packed on a lot of muscle over the last few months since starting.

dieseluser07 said:

Im really struggling with life atm. Im just absolutely exhausted all the time, dont get excited about anything at all, cant be arsed doing anything and no matter how much sleep i get im still exhausted.

The worst thing has got to be the foggy brain, im wandering through life/work forgetting things that happened 5 minutes ago, not registering what someone is saying, doing things wrong, having a complete lack of common sense or awareness as to what is going on. Also dont have much of a sex drive for a young male.

Any idea what could be causing this? Could i be depressed?

If depressed would 5 htp or a dopamine agent such as dopa mucuns be more beneficial to give me more energy and get me back to who i should be. Dont really fancy the prescription med route.

It sounds like exactly what i had which is low testosterone. Describe the symptoms to your GP and ask for a full blood test with hormones, word of warning though that NHS GPs do not understand male hormone levels so when you get the blood test back, you want a copy of the results rather than just having your GP telling you everything is fine. My GP told me that me having the testosterone level of a 70 year old man and being in the bottom 5% of all men tested wasn't causing me any problems at all as it was still "within the normal range"

Edited by Regiment on Thursday 27th September 14:33

[toddler]

Regiment said:

toddler said:

I’ve had all the symptoms you describe for the last 10 years. As someone else said, they are classic signs of low testosterone. I’ve lost both testicles to cancer so use a daily testosterone replacement gel called Testogel. I’m on the maximum daily dose allowed which keeps me functioning but I still have all the symptoms you describe, plus irritability, insomnia and night sweats. As suggested already, a full set of bloods would be a good start. Be warned though, many GPs are not particularly knowledgeable about male hormone issues, mine certainly isn’t. I see an Endocrinologist regularly and she’s fantastic.

It’s funny you mention depression. Many of the symptoms you describe could also be due to depression according to this: https://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/depression.aspx

I score 20 out of 27 on that self-assessment. I’ve been having some pretty darks thoughts over the last few months, so I’ve finally made an appointment to see my GP on Monday.

What are your testosterone, shbg, prolactin, oestradial and free testosterone levels whilst your using the gel? Presumably being on TRT, you are having regular blood tests to keep an eye on hormone levels? I'm on TRT but i use the injections instead of gel, Test is now at 24.8nmol trough level but Prolectin and Oestradial are high so currently taking an AI to try to bring them down so going for another blood test in a few weeks to hopefully check what my new levels are with the AI, even with an AI though i still get the brain fog and energy problems sometimes but i do feel more comfortable around people and i've certainly packed on a lot of muscle over the last few months since starting.

Been on TRT since I lost my 2nd bk 10 years ago. I see an Endo twice a year for a chat and bloods. Not sure what my levels are, we tend to go by how I'm feeling rather than numbers anyway. I've never tried injections, we have discussed them but I'm not keen. It's interesting that you still get the brain fog and energy problems on injections. Why are you on TRT if you don't mind me asking?

[tim0409]

ReverendCounter said:

Incidentally, you ask 'could I be depressed?' - I would suggest not, from what you've shared. The persistent tiredness, forgetfulness, low sex drive etc would be a part of depression, but you wouldn't be at work if you had it - you wouldn't feel able to cope with getting out of bed, never mind holding your job down.

I've also got to strongly disagree with that statement. I have suffered depression for years and have been able to get out of bed and function; it effects people in different ways.

The symptoms the OP described certainly point towards depression although a trip to the GP would be the first step. I suffered from brain fog and it was one of the most debilitating symptoms, not least because my role at the time required public speaking/meetings etc. and I had to really, really do my best to put on a front.

[kurt535]

Have you had your blood sugar levels checked?

[popeyewhite]

Pinkie15 said:

dieseluser07 said:

If depressed would 5 htp or a dopamine agent such as dopa mucuns be more beneficial to give me more energy and get me back to who i should be. Dont really fancy the prescription med route.

So you've no idea what's wrong with you, but still want to fill yourself up with neuroactive compounds of dubious quality, efficacy & safety.

Where did he say he was going to "fill himself up?"

OP - If you want to try a dopamine agent then try L-Dopa. Start with a small dose and build until you reach a level that suits. There is a caveat however - there are side effects you may not like (do your own research), and you can't stay on it for long and when you come off you go right back to your previous state....you may even crash. Enjoyable mood/libido raiser when you're on it though.

If I was you I'd take some time off work and have a holiday, reassess your situation and incorporate a little more self-care. Drugs will not help in the long term.