Feeling more tired than usual is common on weight management treatment, particularly when you first start or after a dose increase. It affects between one in ten and one in a hundred patients. It is usually caused by eating less than you are used to, by fluid loss from nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, or by your body adjusting to the treatment. For most people it improves over the first few weeks.
Most tiredness settles with the steps below. Please contact us if it does not, so a pharmacist can check whether anything about your treatment needs adjusting.
Eating enough
Eating less is expected on treatment, but eating too little is the commonest reason for feeling drained. Do not skip meals. Aim for small, regular, nutrient-dense meals with protein, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats rather than one or two larger ones. Steady weight loss of one to two pounds a week is easier to sustain than rapid loss.
Fluid intake
Aim for 2 to 3 litres of fluid a day, spread across the day, and increase what you drink if you have been vomiting, have had diarrhoea, or the weather is warm.
Sleep and rest
Go to bed and get up at around the same time each day, and aim for seven to nine hours. Avoid caffeine in the four to six hours before bed, and screens close to bedtime.
Gentle activity
Light activity such as walking, yoga or swimming can improve energy, mood and sleep. Build it up gradually and do not push through exhaustion, as intense exercise can make tiredness worse.
Speak to your local pharmacy
Your local pharmacist can advise on anything you can take to help and check that it is suitable for you. Tell them you are taking weight management treatment so they can take that into account.
When should I contact Simple Online Pharmacy?
Contact us so a pharmacist can review your treatment if:
- The tiredness is affecting your day-to-day activities, such as work, driving or looking after others
- It has not improved after a few weeks of following the advice above
- It has started well into your treatment rather than at the beginning, or has suddenly become worse
- You are eating or drinking much less than usual and it is not improving
- You have diabetes and take insulin or a sulfonylurea such as gliclazide
When should I seek urgent medical help?
Contact NHS 111 for urgent advice if you are so tired you cannot get out of bed or carry out basic daily activities.
Call 999 or attend A&E if you have any of the following alongside the tiredness:
- Chest pain, palpitations or breathlessness
- Fainting, or feeling that you are about to lose consciousness
- Confusion, or difficulty staying awake
Do not drive yourself to hospital.