Hi guys,
so im in my third year of a phd. Ive been suffering from really excewssive tiredness recently, ive been missing days of work, leaving early, never get in til late in the morning- then when I am in I suffer from what i can only descrive as 'brain fog',where work is really hard.
After going to the doctors he seems to think i have post viral fatigue - now whether this is just a fluffy diagnosis because hes doesnt know what or if something is wrong, i dont know, but it doesnt change the fact that im really not working 100%, and if i do push myself to work harder i pay for it for the next few days.
Im really not sure what to do- id like to speak to my supervisor, but im worried he wont understand. A friend has also suggested some time off, but im not sure if this is a good idea.
Any advice appreciated!

I had post viral fatique syndrome a few years ago and it is hard to cope with. I was on a uni placement seeing practice at a vets at the time and I would come home about 7pm and would pretty much go straight to bed then be knackered and lethargic again the next day.. Its just one of those things you have to ride out but it does get better. My advice would be to take a few days off, do no work, chill out and make sure you eat/drink/sleep properly.. Its good to exercise too as that gets your heart pumping etc etc and releases endorphins which make you feel better.. Oh yeah and Chromium is a good supplement to take as it boosts energy levels.

Hi Birdsandbees,

sorry to hear that you are feeling so tired, must be difficult to manage your research.
In my opinion tiredness is a difficult symptom. There can be a great many causes both physically and psycologically. Normally the clinical history, physical examination and bloodtests are required to come to a diagnosis. If no major physical cause is found then an emotional issue is more likely and treatment would be to address this. This could mean anti-depressants if depressed, sometimes rest for some time etc. In general it is important to look after yourself; the PhD should not be the most important thing in your life (my opinion) and one should allocate time for sports, keeping in contact with friends etc. Hope this may help