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Sleepiness and Lethargy

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StrivingOn
StrivingOn

Has anyone had experience of overcoming sleepiness and lethargy in depression?

Are there medical specialists in this field that i can go to?

I'm in my 50s and have had depression for a few years now after a neurological condition, divorce and a difficult work situation pushed me over the edge. 

The neurological condition is a form of Empty Nose Syndrome for which i take 200 mg Imipramine and 200 mg Neurontin/Gabapentin, with the Imipramine helping to fight the depression.

I have effectively taken early retirement and I generally keep the depression under control.

However, I have often-overwhelming sleepiness and lethargy that often makes doing the simplest thing a real effort. Its like having a lead blanket on my mind.  I exercise to get/keep fit, sleep well (with the aid of a CPAP machine for low-level sleep apnea), eat well and am pretty trim and fit for my age. I take 100-200 mg Provigil that helps, albeit this seems to get less effective over time.  Some days the weight is too much and I can waste whole days in playing card games or endlessly flicking through the internet news channels.

At times I get so tired of trying to deal with this that dying would be a relief.  To be clear, I'm not in any way suicidal; I just want to give up trying.

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • g.90572
    g.90572 StrivingOn

    Posted

    You say you waste whole days playing card games and going thru internet news channels. What should you be doing? Does the sleepiness keep you from doing what you should be doing
  • StrivingOn
    StrivingOn

    Posted

    Thanks. I think I do the cards and Internet because I can just sit there where I don't have to struggle against the weight on me and they're great displacement activities.

    There are loads of things that I could otherwise be doing such as revamping our house or my car project. I also feel awful over not doing something productive, which then makes things harder.

    I know what I can do to stop wasting that time; I just need to put the effort in. I'm now about to start over again at attempts to just do something in the hope that I can get a beneficial circle of action and positive energy going.

  • StrivingOn
    StrivingOn

    Posted

    Oops, pressed the post button by mistake and I can't find an edit function on my phone.

    I really want to find out if there is a specialist I could go to. My GP has done the usual blood tests and I don't know if I can get anything more out of an NHS system creaking at the seams when others have more pressing issues. I also want to stand on my own 2 feet and hate feeling or owning up to being helpless. I'd rather spend what money I have on my recovery than have a newer car or latest phone.

    I did try reducing the Imipramine and Gabapentin, very gradually to minimise withdrawal effects, to see if my lethargy was a side effect of them. However, I had some very uncomfortable effects that pushed me back after reducing to 70% over 7 weeks.

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