cmreber Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 Hello everyone!I've started noticing a pattern and I wondered if anyone else gets this too. It seems like I am always tired these days (like many on here, I'm sure!), but even more so between 3pm and 6pm, for some reason. The problem with that is I work 9-5, so that makes the end of my work day pretty rough! It's like, I'm okay and then 3 hits and BAM I am struggling to think, keep my eyes open or do anything remotely productive! Fortunately, I work at a home business, but I can't exactly nap because I have to answer the phone and finish up reports, etc. Does anyone else get this "afternoon crash" and is there anything you have found to help keep your energy up through it? I do find that if I can make it to around 6:00 I seem to get a second wind and then I'm fine. I have tried to go to bed early and wake up early, but that just doesn't work for me and my body just refuses to cooperated with me on that front. (Too bad I can't just trade it in for a new one!!! LOL) Thanks and have a good day!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azmusiclover Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 I get this to a similar degree... I think it's just my body's way of telling me it's done for the time being. I usually push through and take my "down time" and then I get the second wind around 7pm. (which helps with getting the kids down to bed etc) I can't give any biological reason for it, but I have pretty much always been this way, even when I wasn't super symptomatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boymommy3 Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 I do something similar to this and have for years. 10 and 2 are what I call my "wilting" times. I am good in the am (unless I am in a POTS relapse then usually the whole day is bad) until about 10 and the feel like I need a serious nap! I usually just push through and drag for a while and then I get a second wind....until about 2 and then here comes the seriously needing a nap feeling. I cannot read to my kids in the afternoon during that time or I WILL fall asleep! Then I get a second wind and am usually ok the rest of the night. Do you by chance have any thyroid issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobiano Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 I get this as well, especially on days when I'm doing a lot of desk work. I do better on days when I'm moving around more and not staying in a seated position for prolonged periods (which leads to brain fog). Sometimes I will work on my laptop from a reclined position or even lying down to prevent pooling in my legs. Not sure if this would be possible for you. Some days my body just goes into shut down and I end up taking a nap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 My experiences are similar to mommy. I crash in the evening at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmreber Posted March 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 @azmusiclover, sometimes I think it's just my body's way of telling me it's done too...the problem is the timing is awful hahaha!@ boymommy3, no thyroid issues that I know of...I know they tested for it in the beginning of all this, but as I recall it came out normal.@tobiano, I think that is actually one of my main problems and I'm glad you mentioned it...I'm pretty much at a desk most of the day and don't do a lot of moving around. I think you may be onto something with that. I do have this really amazing walking trail that runs right out my backyard...I'm thinking I might start trying to take a walk on my lunches and see if that helps get some circulation going!@ramakentesh, it's interesting that we're all so similar and different at the same time. My biggest problem is that, once I get past 6pm and get my "second wind", I am WIDE awake for the rest of the evening and then have tons of issues falling asleep. Most nights there is no falling asleep before midnight...which makes getting up for work the next day not so much fun lol I keep thinking that if I'm just tired enough I'll fall alseep at a decent hour, but so far, no luck with that! haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaarina Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 I get really sleepy/fatigued around 5pm and it does feel like I am crashing as you described it. It comes on suddenly and I feel like I am just going to fall asleep where I am no matter what I am doing. I have the most energy at night around 9pm, then around 1am I feel like death. It's wierd because it doesn't seem to have anything to do with what I am doing that day or how much energy I've spent. It's just expected that I will crash in the afternoon and function best at night. I haven't found anything to keep going when I crash unfortunately, so I just have to work my life around it. I've had my theories on this, but I don't know really what causes it. Could be medication, I'm on beta blockers and I've heard that those screw up your melatonin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmreber Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Interesting, khaarina, I have often wondered why I function so much better at night. I'm also on a BB...not sure if that might have anything to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobiano Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 CMReber - the walking trail sounds like a nice break. Let me know how it goes. I have a sit-stand work station on wheels that I can take around with me. I also sit on a therapy ball to keep my core and legs engaged. Not sure if you could try any of these strategies to keep moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 I had this big time when my POTS was at its worst. I think part of it was that I was eating a normal sized lunch, which was hitting my system mid-afternoon. It helped me at the time to eat smaller meals and fewer carbs before lunch. Eating a normal dinner at night was never a problem. I am not sure if you have a sitting job, but it also helped me to walk around a little bit a few times during the day. I think the pooling is worse when you sit all day.You may want to measure your BP and HR in the morning vs this time to see if you can figure out what is going on in your body. This symptom went away for me as my POTS improved. My worst time of day by far is in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 For those of you on BBs, what time of day do you take them? I found it was best for me to take them at night - so the drowsy part helped me fall asleep at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaarina Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 For those of you on BBs, what time of day do you take them? I found it was best for me to take them at night - so the drowsy part helped me fall asleep at night.I was taking them in the morning but I noticed that my heart rate was always about 10-15bpm higher at night than during the day so I am taking half in the morning and half at night. I just started doing this so I don't know how it will affect me overall yet, but my heart rate is more consistant so far.Interesting, khaarina, I have often wondered why I function so much better at night. I'm also on a BB...not sure if that might have anything to do with it.Do you have trouble sleeping as well? My insomnia is brutal and I think it may be the bb, but I can't stop taking it because my heart rate will go through the roof. I have been thinking about trying a meletonin supplement. I'm going to bring it up to my doc on the 3rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 mornings ****, then sometimes i have a 1:00 (p.m.) - 2:00 (p.m.) crash adrenal stuff or tired/dizzy. not on bb's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmreber Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Tobiano,I'll defintely have to see how the walking on lunches thing goes. I actually have a lot of freedom in my job since I'm my own boss, lol, so I might try to get one of those exersize balls to try out Yogini, you bring up a good point about smaller meals, and I think that might also have something to do with it. I have a tendancy to get so busy throughout the day that I forget to eat small meals and then, by the time lunch hits I'm starving and eat more than I probably need to. I'm sure my body trying to digest that doesn't help anything! I do sit at a desk most of the day, so moving around for me will probably be a big help. I might also try taking my vitals and comparing them, just to see if there is any sort of pattern there. I take 50mg of Metoprolol twice a day...so once in the morning around 7 and in the evening around 7 also. I want to start decreasing my dosage, but Dr. Goodman doesn't want me to yet Khaarina, I do have a lot of trouble sleeping, and like you, I'm not sure if this is a byproduct of the BB or not. I have been a night person my whole life, but it has definitely gotten a whole lot worse since this whole POTS thing started. I have read some posts on here about meletonin, but haven't looked too far into it.Angela, I'm pretty sure mornings are the bane of my existence hahaha... for that reason Garfield the cat is my hero I have been experiencing more dizziness than usual lately, especially in the afternoons...not really sure why. I'm wondering if this has to do with the seasonal change and the fact that it's getting warmer where I live. No idea. Isn't POTS just a hoot sometimes? ;-P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyagh Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 this happens to me too. usually I nap with my 3 yo and that's how I survive, but when she doesn't nap, I'm done for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khaarina Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 That's a lot of metropolol. Could be the cause of your crashing because bbs can bog you down, or could be that it's the insomnia messing you up. Either way, I would ask the prescribing doc again if its possible you are on too much or need a melatonin supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pink1975 Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Mornings are the worst for me. I struggle to get out of bed and then struggle to get to work. I am dizzy, shaky, weak and zappy in the morning and then as the day progresses I feel more functional. I do get a crash in the afternoon where I feel like I am going to just drop into a deep sleep no matter what I am doing. I push through it until I get home at 4:30 or so. When I get home from work I often need to lie down for a bit before I can cook dinner or anything else. I also have fibromyalgia so I think the combination of that with the POTs is what makes my mornings so tough. I am not on beta blockers yet, not until April when I see my Dr. again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmreber Posted March 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 joyagh, I don't have any kids, so no napping with them...I DO have 3 dogs and a cat...maybe I'll just start napping with the cat hahaha. I bet I would feel great if I slept as much as she does khaarina, yeah, I've been wanting to cut my dose for awhile. I asked my doctor around the beginning of this year, but he didn't want me to change anything at that time. I think I'm going to have to talk to him again because I don't think it would hurt to cut back and see what happens. Worst case scenario, my bad tachy comes back and I go back to what I'm taking now In fact, there is a part of me that might just take a high hr over feeling this utterly exhausted all the time! I also want to look into the melatonin thing because I'm tired of not sleeping at night!pink, hopefully you will find a medication that helps you feel better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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