Where is my energy???

Do any of you have a problem with energy? I have almost no energy everyday. I rarely get manic. The only times I get manic are the times I go off all my meds (haven't done that in years) or the times I am under a lot of stress. The mania is rare. But the depression and low energy are always there. The depression isn't always bad, but the low energy? Oh my God! It's there everyday! I am so sick of it! The doctor has played with my meds over the years, but it's always the same.

It is a chore to get out of bed everyday and go to work. I have missed a lot of work because of this. Unless I keep myself VERY busy, I will get back in bed and take a nap. I'm not talking about a 45 minute nap. I'm talking a 3 hour nap! I can EASILY sleep 12 hours a day, sometimes 14.

I'm also a night owl, which doesn't seem to help. Sometimes I have morning shifts, and unless I take an ambien or a bunch of NyQuil, I cannot fall asleep until 2 am or later.

Yeah, I know what I am supposed to be doing. Eating well, excercising (I have a gym membership I never use), going out with friends, getting sunshine, volunteering. All that stuff to lift my spirit and my body.

But I just don't have the energy or the motivation. I just want to wake up and feel energized with a little bounce in my step. I am so tired of waking up and feeling like I am tredding through mud everyday. I just get so tired!

I guess I should be grateful. I'm pretty sure my BP is rather mild. I'm not addicted to drugs, I've never been in the hospital (I've come close a few times) and I've never tried to kill myself, and I've had a job for the past 11 years. So, yeah...

Can anyone else relate to my problems? Thanks in advance!

I'm on board with the seemingly constant depression and lack of energy. Eating well and exercising I find does help. Though it's not always easy to do so when you're already depressed and lacking energy to work out or make something healthy to eat. Most meds don't help you feel bright and cheery in the morning either. I try to work out when I'm not having bad days. It helps to follow a plan or schedule to keep you motivated. I don't like the gym, too many people, always someone using the machine you want. Working out at home I find to be the best, quickest, and easiest way for me to exercise. But it does help(some). I think eating healthy and keeping a good sleep schedule is probably more helpful though, a lot of the food we eat today is not too good for our bodies to say the least. I should try that sometime. I wish I had a better answer for you but I haven't found many things that have left me peppy during the day other than drugs. Which of course, aren't good for anyone much less someone with BP.

If im not on meds i have alot of energy, I swear the meds suck the life out of us. Why can they make meds that give energy but help keep us stable. Ever who invents that drugs going to get rich.

Before I was diagnosed and then on the current med combo I had a lot of problems with this. I could sleep for ages and had no motivation - unless I was manic and went bonkers. Also on some of my old meds I had this I think as side effects. I still have times where I can sleep all day and all night but it is usually when I am depressed. Some thoughts are firstly whether the BP is properly under control as this could be coming from depression. The other thought is whether your current meds are doping you up. In which case asking about whether anything can be done to change this might be an option. Changing meds is always a risk but on the other hand you need to be able to live your life.

Hope things settle

Cracked

I've felt the same way, like I have no energy, no motivation at all...sleeping 12 hours a day, no problem. I think for me it was depression mixed with a bad med combination. When I stopped one of my medications (With my doctor's approval) I found it much easier to wake up in the morning. I didn't feel so "blah" all the time. Make sure that you get yourself on a regular sleeping schedule, try not to take naps during the day and only sleep at night. Make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep (for me I need more like 10 to feel rested) Only use your bed for sleeping. Don't watch TV in bed or anything like that. Your body will adjust itself to know that when you're in bed it's time to sleep. Try not to lay down. I know that I have to keep myself sitting up or else I'll just doze right off no matter what time it is. Also, talk to your doctor. I don't know what you're taking for meds but it could be one of the more common side effects of some of the medications your taking. Some adjustments may need to be made.

I was in the same boat, but even before medication. Sounds like your body may not exactly be on a 24 hour schedule. If you're tired through the day and antsy at night that is. How hard is it for you to sleep at night? Some people's clocks are off an hour or two. This leads to difficulty sleeping at night and difficulty waking in the morning. (I was spending 12+ hours a day in bed) If it's not too severe, it can be fixed by taking melatonin at least an hour before bedtime and getting bright sunlight in your face as soon as you wake up, for 30-60 minutes. It can be light through a sun-facing window or a lightbox, which costs like $60.

Light and darkness are powerful tools when it comes to your internal clock.

If it's really bad, it could be a disorder. You'll have to think back before you were ever on meds and judge if it's truly the medication or if it's a problem you've had for a while.

I felt this way when I first went on medication. I was so used to having a ton of energy and just going on and on until I would basically collapse from exhaustion. Now I often wonder where all the energy went. I feel sometimes like I'm a zombie but then I realize it is just how I am viewing having a normal amount of energy.

So I am sorry to hear some of you guys are lacking energy. I hope you find a way to balance things and get enough sleep. Everyone's amount of sleep needed is different so don't try to force yourself into "the norm" .

I would say my #1 complaint is very low enery. You sound exactly like me!! I have mild to morderate depression..in other words no suicide throughts, and Ive had 2 hypomanic episodes my entire life. My depression is present no matter what. I Always sleep a good night, and feel like hell in the morning, I dont have a high stress job. Dont drink or mess around with street drugs. Ive tried all the over the counter vitamins for energy, and nothing budges it. Im on the HCG diet to lose weight.. so hopefully that helps as I do have sleep apnea. So Im wondering if my sleep apnea is triggering my depression. Time will tell. Best wishes and I feel your pain!

Thanks guys! At least I'm not alone.

I will refer back to this thread for more support and insight in the future.