Jump to content

Energy levels, sedating medication and cutting down on caffeine.


Recommended Posts

My medication can be quite sedating and my energy levels are generally bad, my work can also be quite un-eventful and boring (delivery driver.) In turn I drink quite a lot of coffee/caffeinated drinks which is bad for my anxiety and can make me irritable and short tempered. Sedating medication is a pretty common complaint (with mental health medication) how have people in this forums delt with that?

Link to comment

I understand this may seem a bit petty in comparison to how emotionally other posts are written. I'm just trying to keep things practical. My energy levels and the often negative effects of caffeine (which I can't get through the day without) has a significant effect on my anxiety, ADHD and OCD, (all diagnosed) which are pretty unbearable at times.

Link to comment

Hi Mike,

This is affecting you, so it's not petty at all.....I just wonder if it's possible you might be creating a bit of a vicious cycle with this? The problem with caffeine's that once it's worn-off there's a nasty payback with feeling less energetic, and then needing to drink more to get those levels back up again, the same goes with anything sugary.

Your idea to cut down on it seems like a good one, would it be worth experimenting with reducing how much caffeine you're drinking and replace it with eating small snacks throughout the day to keep your blood sugar levels balanced? I'm not saying you'll definitely notice an improvement, but it would be interesting to see if taking it out breaks the cycle and your energy levels improve along with hopefully feeling less anxious.

Something else that might also help could be exercise. I know that might seem like a daft suggestion when you're already battling feeling exhausted, but I've noticed my energy levels are a lot better when I go for a long walk at the weekends or a short run.

One of these days I hope they'll come up with a medication w/o any side effects, it would make life a lot easier wouldn't it.

Link to comment

Hi Mike,

I thought my meds were sedating me and sapping all my energy. I decided to live with it as a side effect as the positives from meds are greater.

Just found out from a routine blood test I am anemic, and it's not the meds making me tired!!! Starting iron tablets today.

Link to comment
1 hour ago, Isthisreality said:

Do that. I have a theroy that irondeficiency makes OCD worse. Could be a obsession of mine 

That's interesting, never heard that before. It will be interesting to see what I am like on iron tablets, although I am doing well at the moment.

Link to comment

There is a huge study who links anemia to many mental disorders. 

I am pretty much a vegetarian, not vegan because i don't have money now. SO i just eat what i get... I have tried ironsupplements from time to time but i always get tired of eating pills so i stop, but i have some of the times got relieve from my anxiety. 

B12 is also something which can give anxiety if it is deficient.


Don't take this as a this will cure it forever. But i generally think that nutrition is HIGHLY overlooked, and that medicines of all kinds (because it's a huge business) have taken over the nutritonal part. It would be great if you got relieve but you should work on eliminate compulsion no matter what. AND i would like to add that this can become an obsession in itself! So it's a fine line

Edited by Isthisreality
Link to comment

@PolarBear

I take 150mg of Clomipramine. (Nothing else.)

@Hal

It's definitely a cycle just one that I don't really have an answer for. If I stopped drinking coffee I wouldn't get anything done and would spend even more time in bed. I'm better than I used to be, I've replaced maybe on third of my coffees for decaf.

@Isthisreality @Bodger

I've had 3 blood tests over the last 10 or so years after complaining to various doctor's about energy levels and never had anything outside the norm. Iron tablets are pretty small financial commitment though so I'll give them a shot anyway. Thanks.

Edited by Mike_Check
Link to comment
40 minutes ago, PolarBear said:

A quick search reveals that one of the side effects of clomipramine can be low energy. Maybe it's time to talk to your doctor.

@PolarBear

Yeah I realized that, hence "sedating medication" being in the title of the thread, also mentioned it a couple of times within the posts and mentioned I've had 3 blood tests in the last 10 years after telling various doctors about low  energy levels.

Link to comment

@Hal

I think your right about exercise for a few reasons. It increases sleep quality, that "boost" you talked about and the fact it just makes people feel better is good for motivation and lessens the need for caffeine to provide that extra nudge.

Exercise and mental health is just such a difficult combination, I know I need to do more.

Link to comment
1 hour ago, Mike_Check said:

@PolarBear

Yeah I realized that, hence "sedating medication" being in the title of the thread, also mentioned it a couple of times within the posts and mentioned I've had 3 blood tests in the last 10 years after telling various doctors about low  energy levels.

So have you considered changing meds from clomipramine to something else, like an SSRI? 

Hal is right about the vicious circle. You take clomipramine to lower your anxiety. The side effect is low energy. You take coffee to boost your energy but the side effect is increased anxiety.

Link to comment
46 minutes ago, PolarBear said:

So have you considered changing meds from clomipramine to something else, like an SSRI? 

Hal is right about the vicious circle. You take clomipramine to lower your anxiety. The side effect is low energy. You take coffee to boost your energy but the side effect is increased anxiety.

Yup I've already agreed with Hal about it being a cycle.

 

3 hours ago, Mike_Check said:

 

@Hal

It's definitely a cycle just one that I don't really have an answer for.

I'm sure you do a lot of good on this forum but it seems like you haven't read anything I've written. No offense intended.

Yes I have tried various other medications including Fluoxetine.

Edited by Mike_Check
Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...