Full Work Load, Exhaustion, And Drugs.

[Raywuwei]

You know how many celiacs are tired all of the time? It makes performing well at school or work very difficult. Even when I eat as healthy as I can and take my supplements  I still have issues falling asleep or not being able to focus. 

 

So in college when a friend I trusted gave me adderall, I gave it a shot. I would take 10-20mg to study during finals week. I loved how tuned in it made me feel. Like awake and able to access all of the information in my brain, rather than stupid brain-fog. I had never been able to feel so clear (I wasn't dx'd until a year after graduating from college). 

 

I stopped taking adderall after college and didn't start taking it again until about two months ago. It had been about 3 years, and I figured I knew how to control it. But I was so eager to perform well at my job that I lost my head and started taking 10mg on work days and 20mg on weekends. Always for work, never for play. 

 

But yesterday I experienced serotonin syndrom. Luckily, my roommate is a nurse and he knew how to counter act the effects. But that wasn't until hours after taking the drugs, and my suffering and fear of dying. 

 

I am done with the drugs. Forever. But I worry I won't be able to be productive at work. I know I should eat well, take supplements, and exercise. But even with all of that I can't focus and I fall asleep. I've been dx'd with celiac for over a year and a half, but I can't beat the fatigue.

 

What can I do to be healthy and productive?

[Gemini]

Please have your thyroid checked because it can cause all the symptoms you are describing.  Thyroid disease is very common with Celiac. At 1 1/2 years into the gluten-free diet, you should not be this tired and unfocused so I would look for another underlying cause.  Also, have your vitamin levels checked to see if they are within normal, optimal ranges.

 

I work more than full time and, although I still had some symptoms until the 3 year mark, the brain fog and fatigue were much, much better after a year. I also have Hashi's thyroid disease and those particular symptoms will return if my thyroid is off.

 

Hang in there and hope you feel better soon!