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Suggest Treatment For Sleepiness And Tiredness

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Posted on Tue, 7 Jul 2015
Question: for the past week I have been extremely tired and sleepy. I also get the "shakes" with both hands and arms and head from the neck up.
It is becoming more difficult to keep from nodding off while at my office working.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (51 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Several possible causes.

Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.

There were a couple of points I wasn't very clear about. First about the medication field where you say nothing other than what is prescribed, but prescription drugs can have their side effects as well, so if you are taking a prescription medication the name of the drug is needed. I also am not sure what do you mean by getting the shakes, can you prescribe these episodes more in detail, when do they happen, how long do they last, any triggering factors.

Excessive tiredness and sleepiness could be due to several causes.
One possible cause is sleep apnea, episodes of breathing interruption during the night, with disruption of normal sleep, leading to tiredness and somnolence during the day. If you are overweight or are known to snore at night or have some upper airways anomaly (deviated septum, nasal polyp etc) the chances of developping that conditions are higher and calls for an evaluation with sleep studies, polysomnography.
An infection is another consideration to be made, especially considering the shaking episodes you mention. While in the absence of other symptoms it's difficult to be more specific on the type of infection, a complete blood count, with inflammation indicators like ESR and CRP would give an indication in that direction so that more specific tests can be done.
Other causes would be hormonal (especially low thyroid function) or metabolic changes, for which apart from the blood count I mentioned some other routine blood tests like glucose, liver and kidney function tests, thyroid function, electrolytes, vitamin B12 levels might give some indication.
Of course attention should be paid to a regular lifestyle, nutrition and sleeping habits.

I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (33 hours later)
Did you have time to review my response?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Don't see any response.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again!

You ask me whether I reviewed your response, but unfortunately I don't see any response other than your original query. If you have written something else, I am sorry, it does not appear.
Perhaps some interruption in the internet connection and what you wrote didn't go through, can happen.
Of course I will gladly review it if you could write it again.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Olsi Taka

Neurologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 3673 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Sleepiness And Tiredness

Brief Answer: Several possible causes. Detailed Answer: I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. There were a couple of points I wasn't very clear about. First about the medication field where you say nothing other than what is prescribed, but prescription drugs can have their side effects as well, so if you are taking a prescription medication the name of the drug is needed. I also am not sure what do you mean by getting the shakes, can you prescribe these episodes more in detail, when do they happen, how long do they last, any triggering factors. Excessive tiredness and sleepiness could be due to several causes. One possible cause is sleep apnea, episodes of breathing interruption during the night, with disruption of normal sleep, leading to tiredness and somnolence during the day. If you are overweight or are known to snore at night or have some upper airways anomaly (deviated septum, nasal polyp etc) the chances of developping that conditions are higher and calls for an evaluation with sleep studies, polysomnography. An infection is another consideration to be made, especially considering the shaking episodes you mention. While in the absence of other symptoms it's difficult to be more specific on the type of infection, a complete blood count, with inflammation indicators like ESR and CRP would give an indication in that direction so that more specific tests can be done. Other causes would be hormonal (especially low thyroid function) or metabolic changes, for which apart from the blood count I mentioned some other routine blood tests like glucose, liver and kidney function tests, thyroid function, electrolytes, vitamin B12 levels might give some indication. Of course attention should be paid to a regular lifestyle, nutrition and sleeping habits. I remain at your disposal for other questions.