What now? Why am I feeling lethargic?

My thoughts? You’ve been through a lot in the past few months. You’re body is probably just exhausted. Plus, sometimes when you have big goals and you have accomplished them all, it’s kind of a let down because you were focusing all your energy on them and now you don’t have as much to occupy your mind.
Just take a break. Give your mind and body a rest. Sit back and look at all you’ve done. You should feel very proud.

Some ideas:

Depression.

Deficient in Vitamin D or iron. Maybe have those checked.

Thyroid. Another simple test to get checked.

Any other symptoms besides tired?

Have you changed your caffeine intake?

@JLeslie : no. no. been the thyroid route, no. Not really. Huge caffeine intake but now it’s instant instead of the custom hand made espresso I used to have. Don’t know?

But, still the same amount of caffeine at the same times of day?

3pm-4pm is a very nornal time of day for people to crash a little. Think about the tradition of tea time; I think it keyed into this. Do you revive after an hour or so if you indulge in a little rest? Or, are you done for the day?

What does no no been the thyroid route exactly mean? You had all of those tested?

@JLeslie about 3–4 cups of coffee when I get up, then the day, and a cup of strong dilmah tea at about 4p or 5. I just can’t seem to focus like I was when I was traveling and putting this all together. I was a monster, I rented a house and did everything like a terminator. Now, I feel lost, like I don’t know what to do, and I have to earn some money, and I don’t know how. sort of.

Maybe it is all just catching up with you? Do you think you get enough sleep? I remember my aunt telling me that when I stopped working full time I would sleep for a month. It’s what happened to her.

That feeling of lost, it does sound like there might be a psychological component. Maybe being tired is a way to avoid or procrastinate?

I hope it all straightens out for you and you get to the bottom of it. I know so many women who feel exhausted and can’t quite figure out what is wrong. Doctors dismiss it as hormones, lack of exercise, or just too bad you are a woman and getting older. Something is going on that isn’t understood I think.

@JLeslie I don’t know, I am not depressed, I am certain. I just took a leap, and kind of bludged my way into making it all happen, with no references and no job. I am procrastinating alot, I don’t know if I’m just hell tired or scared now or what. I already went through the thinking it’s thyroid, menopause all that. It’s not, in my case. I feel like I moved a mountain. I had no help from anybody and I moved over 7000 miles, alone, and sourced and bought everything I needed myself, second hand. Thanks for your input. I remember feeling scared in the same way, when I was 30. At night, I wake up, worried.

Yeah, I don’t think it has to be depression, but it can be sort of a paralyzing feeling.

When I asked what does no no mean, I meant specifically have you had your vitamin D level checked? This is one of the most common deficiencies I hear about from my friends that makes a huge difference when corrected if thyroid has already been ruled out. Iron I am sure you have probably had checked directly, or indirectly through a CBC.

@JLeslie I know it’s not thyroid. I was diagnosed low vit d but that was in the pacific northwest which is dark but I have been in south africa and australia for about six months now which even in winter are pretty sunny. I do have vit d tablets I will take them and see if that makes a difference. I don’t think it’s an iron thing. Thank you, I hadn’t thought of vit d in a long time.

Ha, @JLeslie beat me to suggesting thyroid and vitamin D.
I didn’t know it, but I had a vitamin D deficiency for years once I moved out of the Sun Belt. I got on a super high prescription level supplement of it, and have transitioned to over-the-counter daily supplements. It helped with my depression and energy levels so much.
Have you been tested for malaria or other tropical illnesses?

I am extremely D deficient even living in sunny Florida if I don’t take D, because I use lotion to protect my skin. If you aren’t tanned you are likely D dificient. Blocking tanning rays, UVB, blocks the vitamin D rays. I have to take about 60,000 IU’s a week to stay up in the normal range. There is absolutely no way I would have known how much D is enough if I had not done blood tests. At one point I went down to 2,000 IU’s daily thinking it would maintain my levels once I had reached a good normal level. I wound up practically crippled (an exaggeration, but I could not finish my hour zumba class, I could not hold my phone to my ear without my bicep cramping, I had to be very very careful not to push myself, I felt weak and tired in general). I went back on the big doses and the difference is so significant. Many of my friends say D really helped them feel more energetic. Taking some D is not the cure, the normal blood levels is what matters, it has to be enough D. It would be great if that is the problem, because you can fix it. Hard to know what for sure is going on. This sort of thing is so frustrating.

@bookish1 Good point about diseases. Also, maybe west nile and dengue. Although, I think those are viruses that you can get sick, some people get more sick than others, and then you get better. Similar to having the flu or hepatitis A.

I will start the vit d tablets. How much should you take? I did have pretty invasive surgery in subSaharan africa but it was pretty modern I guess, in afrikaans clinic, I know don’t think it’s malaria or anything like that. I guess if the vit d doesn’t help I’ll go to the dr. Thanks all, forgot about the vit d.

@trailsillustrated The best (only) way to figure out how much D to take is to get the blood test and see where you are at. Many doctors are now recommending 2,000 IU daily, but like I said, for me that is a drop in the bucket. Other doctors are recommending 8,000 IU’s daily, there is a ton of controversy over it. I personally think doctors who say 2,000 daily, or who say D doesn’t help, don’t run the tests on their patients. But, then there are people like my husband, he has darker skin than me, and supposedly it should be harder for him to absorb D, but his D level is good. But, he goes out in the sun, and is tan, tanned darker than the parts of his body that don’t see sunlight. He takes D in his multi, but that is 400 IU’s daily.

Will you be going to the doctor any time soon? Some sort of yearly check up where you can add the test on? Or, maybe you can order the test yourself at a lab without a doctor? In America we can do that with some tests now.

@JLeslie I have vit d tablets I brought from america I’ll just take about 6000 iu to start and see how that goes. I’ll make an appointment with my dr. if it doesn’t help- I just don’t want to go in there sounding mental. Thanks so much for your advice.

Doesn’t it suck that we have to worry about sounding mental to our doctors? It has caused more anxiety in my life than anything else. Good luck. Give us an update. FYI: I think if it is going to help you will notice in about a month. But, eventually you still need a blood test. You need to have your calcium checked when taking a lot of D, just to make sure it doesn’t go too high.

Maybe it’s time to sit back and laugh at the lyrics that Madeline Kahn sang in Blazing Saddles…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-05BWHilRBA

You wake up worried at night? Is the solution as simple as sleeping more? If you’re not getting a full, uninterrupted night of sleep, perhaps you need afternoon naps for now.

It could be a number of things. Have your doctor order some bloodwork, take your vitamins and be patient with yourself. You’ve been through a lot!!

Perhaps the stress of unemployment,a new move,health problems after surgery etc.
See a doctor, in case the after effects of surgery may have soething to do with it?

I doubt you got malaria in South Africa it is not a high area for malaria.

I have also moved countries and done all the things you said and I am exhausted. Moving is one of the most stressful events particularly if you move countries. I am anxious and that tires me out. Change is difficult. I am also taking Vitamin D although just started, The climate is different and that also tires me out. Then again I do suffer from depression and anxiety. Plus I have had a UTI for maybe 2 months so loads of antibiotics later. You’ve also just had surgery so it all adds up.

I am building up my immune system and trying to focus on what I eat. Perhaps that may help?

Thanks @LornaLove no I didn’t think it was any tropical disease or anything like that- I am trying to eat well, starting the vit d and just refusing to worry. But if I refuse to worry, I’m afraid something wil happen. I am sounding crazy now. Haha no sleep Thank you all.

It sounds like a response to the stress of the last year or so. You’ve been through a lot. I’d say you’ve been running on adrenalin for a lot of that time. Now you’re here, everything is falling into place, and you’re tired and it’s probably all a bit of an anti-climax too. Can you take a few days to do pretty much nothing than go and visit friends, watch a film, sleep. Talk to you son? Not worrying about work or houses or power. Just smelling the eucalyptus?

I really think you just sound tired and run down by stress.

With work, I thought we were still fairly short on dentists so hopefully you won’t have too long to wait until you find something. Could you check out unis too? There seem to be more dental programmes being offered.

Anyway – I hope it’s not a health thing and you just need to give yourself some time to breath and relax.

I definitely would not be worried yet. Do you sleep when you feel tired? Some people refuse to nap, I am not assuming you are one of them. Grab sleep when your body will let you for the next week.

Thanks @Bellatrix – I just don’t know what to think and I have been doing nothing! I am looking for work, the guy at centrelink has been really helpful. I am not a qualified dentist anymore, not because of any wrong doing but I could not pay the professional fees for so long that after a certain amount of time you have to retake the clinical board exam, an unthinkable expense. I hope it’s not a health thing too.

Damn. Still, that experience and knowledge has to count for something. I hope you get something soon.

Part of the problem may be you’ve slowed down. You know like when you’re madly busy and as soon as you stop or slow down you succumb to a cold? Make sure you plan some things to do like going for a walk in the fresh air. Read the paper in the sunshine. Go and see a film. So you do have things to do but give yourself time to adjust to your new home and lifestyle.