Tired ..gone crazy.

[keefer51]

The first time i was on dialysis i worked a hour away from where i lived. I almost feel asleep at the wheel several times. Coffee helped. My levels then were half of what they are now. I worked for forty years. Now i am on dialysis for three years. I do not work. i can hardly do anything anymore. I live by my self. I don't sleep a normal 4-8 hours. I don't go to sleep till maybe midnight or later. sometimes i am awake all night. I can taste the poisons in my mouth. I do go out for shopping and just to get away. Sometimes you just have to succumb to the inevitable. Amen.

[Bette]

I have been very tired the past 9 months I've been on dialysis.  I don't work but I am responsible for all the housework, so I just talke my time.  I worked full time when I was on dialysis before , at age 19-26, and I don't know how I did it.  I am able to keep a positive attitude most of the time because of my faith and that helps, but the exhustion is real. 

[LightLizard]

Well, I have nothing but a giant basket of respect for anyone that can be on dialysis and still work every day, or even part-time.
Here, in Canada, I'm allowed a disability pension. Actually, it's called a 'PWD' - 'Persons With Disabilities' and it barely covers rent and utilities. My wife works with seniors for a little extra.
I'd love to get back to work. Even though my energy level is better than it was before dialysis, it is too inconsistent to be able to commit to a regular schedule of work, unfortunately.
I am tired a lot of the time. My wife thinks I'm 'depressed' and that I should go on anti-depressants. But, I'm not sure about that. It's like the old chicken-and-the-egg question, to me.
Am I tired because my kidneys don't work, or am I depressed because my life has been taken away by this condition? What is the difference between being 'depressed' and being tired and 'worn out'?

love

~LL~

[KICKSTART]

The difference is that anti-deppressants would not take away the tiredness. Both feel similar, both are like a big black cloud following you about . The only way i can tell one from the other , is that should the miracle of a really good nights sleep occur , i feel i can tackle the world. Sadly to add to the consistent tiredness , we also suffer from erractic sleep patterns! Anyone know why ?

[stauffenberg]

The human nervous system has to perform complex and energy-consuming opertions to make it possible for a person to fall into a deep, continuous, lasting, and refreshing sleep for seven or eight hours a night.  But because the toxins which accumulate when a patient is on dialysis damage the nervous system, sleep is often disordered, so the patient has the restless, interrupted sleep of a person whose nervous system is deteriorating from advanced age.  So just as old people often cannot sleep at night, dialysis patients as well fail to get the rest they need.

[kitkatz]

I get plenty of rest. I sleep like a rock most nights.  But them working full time tends to put me right to sleep afterwards.

[LightLizard]

I get plenty of rest. I sleep like a rock most nights.  But them working full time tends to put me right to sleep afterwards.

and there's the bottom line, again. the reasons dialysis patients may not get as much quality sleep as they could varies widely from person to person. its not possible to blame one cause, but is usually due to a combination of reasons.
for some, who have the energy to work, physical activity will often ensure a sound night's sleep.
for others, who lack the energy to work full, or even part-time, they might suffer from disrupted sleep because of a chemical imbalance, or just lack the processing of certain chemicals in their system through less physical activity. psychological causes may also be present.
this is why i recommend qigong, for these types.
i know we've discussed it already, but it might be helpful to realise that when we sleep, we breathe in a full and complete manner, just as we do in qigong. the difference in qigong is that we do it consciously and for only about 20 or 30 minutes. for those who may be concerned about their acidity levels rising during qigong, you must check with your caregiver/doctor first, of course, but for the most part it is a pointless concern. we are doing that kind of breathing when we sleep, anyways!
but, to do it consciously, daily, can have real benefits for one. calming the mind, improving digestive and respiratory functions, and, it does help to stabalise sleep patterns, regardless of one's condition.

love

~LL~