J.R. asks from Bay City, MI on January 19, 2008
Sleep After Exercise
Is it normal to fall asleep immediately after exercising? This has happened all my life, to become really sleepy afterwards. However lately after walking on the treadmill after 30 minutes I literally feel drugged and have fallen asleep for 3 hours. Everyone tells me I'm suppose to feel energized, but I'm ready for the nearest couch and pillow. I am a normal active person, playing softball in the summer and participating in local 5K walks...so I'm not a couch potato.
Also, I'm wondering if it has become more extreme due to being on blood thinners. I had an Pulmunary Embolism in October and have been on the thinners since. What are your thoughts? Is this normal?
Thanks
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More Answers
D.S. answers from Saginaw on January 20, 2008
from what i have read online, it really depends on what kind of blood thinner you are on. NSAIDs. now i take naproxen, and it says right on the bottle it can make you drowsy. but the thing i'm curious about, should you be doing any exercising at all while being medicated? have you talked to your doctor about this? did this ever happen to you before you took the blood thinners after exercising? i highly recomend calling your doctor, especially if the bottle doesn't mention drowsiness. he/she gets paid to help you, let them do their job. i would appreciate it if you would let me know what they say. good luck and i hope everything works out for you!
R.F. answers from Bismarck on January 22, 2008
You should absolutely discuss this with your doctor. I don't know if this could possibly be normal, or if perhaps this is a sign of anemia, or if there is something else to blame. However, since this has worsened since being on blood thinners, you should bring this up to your doc.
T.H. answers from Grand Rapids on January 21, 2008
I would say" Defintely talk to your doctor. I'm usually sleepy going or thinking about getting on the treadmill :0) but after walking usually your suppose to feel engergized.
T. H.
J.H. answers from Boise on January 21, 2008
I think you are getting some great advice. Your blood thinner is probably playing a part. It may also make you a bit anemic, so I would try some iron. Also, I would try eating protein after your workout (even if it is just a spoon of peanut butter or a protein drink you can get from GNC or some other nutritional store, I like apex's product). Your muscles cannot rebuild and your body cannot recover if you do not get some good protein within an hour after working out. It could be that your muscles just don't have the nutrients they need to recover.
J.J. answers from Omaha on January 21, 2008
My first thought is to ask are you feeling short of breath at rest? When you had the PE did they test your lungs to see if they are functioning at full capacity?
Also, I definitely think the blood thinners could be playing a role in how you feel. I assume you're getting your blood drawn regularly to make sure your PT/PTT levels are okay. If you're really that tired it sounds to me like for some reason you're not getting enough oxygenated blood to your brain and body. When is the last time you had your hemoglobin checked? When you're on blood thinners you're at risk for bleeding easily. Are you looking kind of pale?
I'm sorry I'm asking so many questions - but it sounds like this is an excellent question for your doctor! You need to follow up on this.
J.B. answers from Des Moines on January 21, 2008
I'm like this too. I've been told it's because I have really low blood pressure & there's supposedly nothing they can do about it at my age. I also was told by a trainer if you overwork yourself (i.e. watch your heartrate) that you can become very tired after working out.
You mention you do 5K walks & play softball, do you also feel tired after those? If not, I'd really pay attention to that heart rate
A.I. answers from Lansing on January 20, 2008
C.S. answers from Fargo on January 21, 2008
I was reading through the responses and one individual's response mentioned that you might not be getting enough oxygen to your brain and body. I was experiencing tiredness and other symptoms that were really starting to bother me. I thought it was my thyroid but turns out I am B12 deficient so I now get monthly injections because my body is unable to absorb B12 from foods. B12 is needed in the body to carry oxygen through the red blood cells to the brain. You might also want to get your B12 levels checked.
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