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Sleepiness After Eating
Hello all, I am new to this board and I am so grateful I found you all. It's such a relief to realize I am not alone in this battle. I am 70 y/o and have been suffering from long-Covid for nearly two years. I did not get the "jab" and was very healthy and active before getting Covid in February 2024. Now, I struggle through each day. My symptoms are the typical extreme fatigue and shortness of breath after any moderate exertion. So far, nothing has helped, but I am still hopeful and still searching...as we all are. My question today is about the inability to stay awake after eating. No matter how large or small the meal, or what foods I eat, within 30 - 40 minutes after eating...I fall asleep. And it isn't a short 20 minutes or so....it's a solid, deep, 2 hour nap! I start feeling incredibly tired, my eyelids get very heavy and I just cannot stay awake. My body gets a heavy feeling, my arms and legs ache, I get a ringing in my head and I simply fall asleep. I've tried everything I could find online to fight off this effect, but nothing works. Has anyone else had this problem associated with Covid and what are you doing to fight it?
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@law59 Believe me, I DO rest after each task. LOL I also have the shortness of breath to deal with and one small task leaves me huffing and puffing. I have no choice but to sit and rest. My new neighbor is a respiratory therapist and she has offered to help me with breathing exercises. That may help me to regulate my breathing and not get quite as worn out after somle tasks.
@diverdown1 I so agree with you about people not believing this is real. My only relatives are my brother and his wife and neither of them really believe I am suffering. Of course, they live 200 miles away and I haven't seen them for 3 years, so they just don't know. And even my own doctor doesn't believe in long Covid....so I have left her and can't find another doctor that has any understanding of it. Doctors just don't want to take on a patient who suffers from something they don't understand. Sad.
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4 ReactionsLong COVID did this to me for the first year...eat anything and I would fall asleep at my desk. I also increased protein in my coffee and water using Genepro unflavored protein. I did the elimination diet and had to temporarily give up gluten, dairy, sugar and more. Started low dose naltrexone at .5 mg and worked very slowly up to 4.5 mg per day. The naltrexone seemed to reset my immune system so that I can now have small servings of anything but simple carbs without falling asleep. But if I cannot sleep, a piece of bread will do it every time.
The naltrexone also took away almost all of my pain from the constant inflammation...love it!
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3 Reactions@law59 I wanted to report back and let you know that I took your suggestion yesterday. I sipped on a Premier Protein Shake from 10AM to Noon instead of eating a meal. I not only stayed awake but felt good and had a bit of energy. I ate a grilled chicken breast around 3PM....stayed awake and felt good. I ate another chicken breast at 7PM and was sound asleep in my chair by 7:30PM! LOL I slept hard for 3 hours, was unable to go to bed again until 3 this morning and slept for 6.5 hours.
My sleep routine - what little routine there is - is really messed up now, but the protein shake seemed to help. I just need to work out a plan for eating in the future - like you also suggested. At least now I know what helps.
I thank you again for your advice. ❤
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1 Reaction@law59
I noticed this also, particularly after Breakfast, and I reasoned that it takes energy to digest food.
So, I have been practicing (non-physical) yoga nidra (via free YouTube channel of Ally Boothroyd) after I eat and before I take my shower.
My 'favorite' is the "17 Minute Yoga Nidra Nervous System Reset". It doesn't take long and really does energize me. I'm always amazed.
Good luck,
My best,
Pam
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3 Reactions@shelleyr
IF anyone of our relatives or friends really want to understand us, I always encourage them to visit the free YouTube Channels of: 1) Gez Medinger (he is one of us and has a ton of information available) and 2) Broken Battery and 3) the Bateman Horne Center.
Many Doctors don't want to deal with us because there is nothing 'medically' available to help us.
As I've previously said, I'm 83 years of age and 5 years post covid. I manage my symptoms (it's a constant project) with a lot of supplements, (mostly amino acids) and twice-daily (non-physical) yoga nidra sessions with the help of another free YouTube channel of Ally Boothroyd.
Because of my age, I pay particularly attention to ingesting sufficient protein which also helps with energy.
If you need some information about supplements and amino acids, I recommend another free YouTube channel. Visit Dr. Paul Anderson.
If you are not certain you can pull up YouTube on your device, look for the red retangular block with a small white arrow inside of it. That is the application which will open the YouTube world.
Good luck to all.
My best,
Pam
@mspaminreno thanks so much for that info!
@mspaminreno I have "followed" the channels you mentioned on YT and will check those out later today. As for trying to get friends and relatives to understand what we are going through.....they just don't care! All have the attitude that, if it doesn't affect them, why take the time to understand it?
As for ingesting enough protein, I am already a committed ketovore....eating very low carb, high protein, moderate fat meals. I do this to try and lose some of the weight I've gained as a result of LC. I am one of the "rare" victims where instead of losing my appetite from LC ......I am actually hungry ALL the time! It seems the LC affects the hypothalamus gland....which affects the pituitary gland....which regulates the hunger hormones released in the body. My body doesn't know when its full and should stop eating!
It's just such a vicious cycle of trial and error to figure out how to live with this mess. I'm going to be a crazy scientist by the time I learn all there is to know! LOL
Blessings to you all. ❤
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1 Reaction@shelleyr I am so happy for you that that was helpful and hopefully just with time and learning your sleep will also be so much better 🌈
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2 Reactions@shelleyr I too am hungry all of the time with Long COVID. I was accepted into the Scripts Long COVID study so will be receiving a GLP1 or placebo this Thursday. If I receive the GLP1, it should tamper down my appetite and allow me to lose some of the LC weight!
I try to eat protein when the hunger is intolerable...and not move toward the simple carbs!
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