tasmin

[tasmin]

hi,

i am a fulltime carer to my mum who has alzheimers disease. i also have an 8 year old son.

my problem is that i am really tired all the time, i get up at 6 am and by 9am i just want to go back to sleep.

any ideas what i could do so i could have more enegry?

tasmin

[mullein3]

have you been to the doctors? the thing is you could be just run down and in need of a break..or a change of enviroment even if its brief..you have a lot to cope with and to continue then you must look after yourself..you could try b complex tablets from the health shop they turn food into energy..and you must eat well as if you go sick then you will be in for a lot of problems..you could also try ginseng..and a good multi vitamin..iron and vitamin c...try to eat as much organic food as possible and build yourself up ..it wont happen overnight but you should see improvement in a week or so..try to treat yourself occasionally to boost yourself...best of luck..

[Englishbird]

I don't have anywhere near as much responsibility as you but i am also perenially tired.  I've come to the conclusion that my tiredness is being caused as much by stress as it is by actual tiredness.

From the sound of it I think you need some you time.  If it's at all possible for you to get some time out each week to do something you really really enjoy, this could give you more energy.  I know it sounds a bit daft adding yet another thing to the things you have to do, but the endorphins released by doing something you enjoy just might swing the balance back in your favour.  Good luck x

[Laurinha]

You could get some respite care for your mum, so that eg one day a week or a weekend you can do something on your own/ for yourself - this is essential if you are a full time carer!

[tasmin]

thanks all,

i have tried to get respite care recently, but theres nothing available until january 2006.

i do try to eat better than i have been, but with both of them with me everywhere i go, i usually start picking at bits and peices of food and nothing substancial.

i havent had a brake since april, so maybe thats why i am so tired.

thanks for replying!

tasmin

[Buenchico]

I think that a trip to the doctors ought to be the first thing to do. It's easy to assume that your tiredness comes about because of your busy and stressful life but it's also possible that you might be ill yourself. (You might just need a short course of antibiotics or antidepressants).

If you've not already done so, contact your local branch of the Alzheimer's Society. Details here:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/Your_local_branch/index.htm
They may well be able to help you with your need for respite care, using trained volunteers. Even if you can only get a break for a few hours at a time, you need to spend some 'quality time' with your son doing something you both enjoy doing together. (A visit to a leisure centre with a fun pool might be a suitable idea). Kids can tire you out but they can also rejuvenate you!!

Chris

[toecrusher]

i am a full time carer to my 86 yr old father in law who lives with us  and is disabled and i have a partially  deaf child. fortunately father in law does not have alzheimers, so we are able to leave him for short periods of time, as my husband works shifts i have been able to take on a part time job, which gets me out of the house and differing surroundings which really does help. appreciate that with alzheimers you cannont leave her but do you have anyone that could sit with her for a few hours to give you a break or one of these home care sitting services? as for respite care you need to contact social services and make a regular arrangement for her to go into care for a fortnight every 3 months or so. you must have a break, when F.I.L. came to us at first he needed 24hr care and hubs and i ended up on our knees, including children not getting attention they deserved  at the end of the day, you love your mum dearly, but what good are you, if you are emotionally and physically knackered. please contact all the various agencies that are about, there are plenty of them and have a good look around the various care homes and agencies available and what services they offer, so that you can decide what care home will be the best for your mum, on a regular basis. Lastly, im sure you,ve done this, but make sure you are getting every possible benefit avavilable for your mum, there are plenty available, including, free tv licence(if she lives with you) reduction in council tax, carers allowance, attendance allowance, disables parking badge, to name but a few. good luck and let me know how you go on.P.S. get some multivitamins from the supermarket!!!

[Chessman]

Check to see if there's an oganization called 'Crossroads' in your area, they are a charitable carers organization.