Fatigue - What is causing me to sleep so much and what can I do ?

Hi Cindy. I am so sorry to hear you r going thru this. I have suffered from iron deficiency anemia since I was 18 (12 yrs now). Thru these twelve yrs I have had good yrs and bad ones. I was hospitalized when I found out at 18 because my hemoglobin was 6.0. I was in almost 2 wks. They gave me blood ransfusions, iron, and birth control because I also have endemetriosis and lose a lot if blood during my period. It took about a year and I was seeing a hemotologist the whole time once a week getting hemoglobin checked. After that yr I was up to near 10.5, and a females should be around 12, so that was good considering how low it was. The birth control and iron seemed to help, and eating red meats. I did pretty good up until 2 yrs ago and I had to have an ovary removed laproscopically due to cysts constantly. The surgery seemed like a success ntil I noticed 2wks after I had not had a b.m. Sorry I know this is gross., but i dont have insurance due to pre-existing conditions.

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I went 3 months with out one and a gastroenterologist finally admitted me in hospital and placed tubes thru my nose to my stomach and cleansed me and did colonoscopy and only got 75% of way thru and i woke up but he did not find a cause. A couple weeks after they released me I realized I was constipated again. The drs put me out of work and tried to send me to out of town specialists but I could not afford to go. I was really weak from my belly being so full, and have started passing out every so often and found out my hemoglobin is back to between 6.5-7.5 back and forth. I sleep constantly. I get so bored, I don't have kids, my hubby works constantly because I can't and we r barely making it. I can't take iron now because it causes constipation. If I were u stay with iron and vitamins, also ask your dr for birth control, and eat red meats, drink plenty of water and gatorade. I understand exactly how u feel. There r some days I will sleep 16 hours. Just walking downstairs to kitchen wares me out. I worked at a daycare before my surgery and I miss my 2 & 3's so bad and I tried to work 4 hrs a day and it wore me slam out. If u don't mind my asking, do u know what your hemoglobin is? You might could use a transfusion, but iron, read meats, and birth control, and unfortunately until your hemoglobin gets to atleast 10 I would get lots of rest if yuor time permits it. I hope I helped some. I will friend u and u friend me back f u want to talk privately or publicly. Good luck and please keep me informed. We can probably help each other. Your friend, Anna.