What Causes Excessive Sleepiness And Lethargy In An Elderly Person?

Posted on Mon, 14 Nov 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 Answered on

Mon, 5 Dec 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I am 52 yr old man in good shape. Ive been very tited the last 2 days and feeling very sleepy and lethargic. When i wake up my calfs feel as uf they are asleep. I take synthroid 137 and testosterone shots 200 mg every 3 weeks. Also fish oil and milk thistle tablets daily. What is wrong?

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Lethargy

Detailed Answer:
Good evening

Thank you for writing on health care magic

Well, the lethargy can have a lot of causes...i would like to know a few more things to guide you further :

1. Any history of fever at present or in preceeding few weeks

2. Any pain in the calves in the night as well?

3. Any medications you are taking apart from these 2./

4. What was your last TSH level

5. Did they check your Vitamin D Level Recently??

DO let me know these queries. We need to look at any viral illness/Deficiency

Regards
Dr naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Naval Mendiratta (28 hours later)

No fever, pain in calves at night as well, no other meds. Fish out, milk thustle tablets daily, 137 stnthroid, tsh level fune 1 yr ago, no check if vitamin D, i di get at least 1 he of sunlight iutside livung un Florida

Answered by Dr. Naval Mendiratta (17 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Calf Pain

Detailed Answer:
GOod evening

Well, the calf pain is always a tough diagnosis. We normally prefer correcting the Deficiency first before investigating/treating further...

Most common causes are due to Vitamin E and D deficiency. Even though You do have sunlight exposure, it still may not be enough to convert the sunlight into adequate levels of Vitamin D. SO I would recommend you start supplements for Vitamin D...Either a daily capsule( 2000 Units or a Weekly capsule( 60K units will do.

Also supplement yourself with Cap Evion 400 mg once daily..

These 2 normally does help calf pains...

Kindly recheck your thyroid levels also since it has been a year of medicine without knowing the level.

Incase these still doesnt work, we may need to get an EMG NCV for your calf muscles..But that would be at the last stage

Hope the information was useful

Do let me know for more queries

Regards
Dr naval

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng