Really bizarre symptoms going on - perhaps undereating?

Yesterday around 3 pm I went to the store with my husband. I got really irritable and right as we pulled into the parking lot, I started feeling extremely fatigued. I almost told him to go into the store without me, but I just made myself do it. I wanted to hurry because I felt really dizzy and a little nauseated.  We got what we needed.  Figuring it was a lack of calories, I grabbed a thing of nuts from the "natural" section of the store.  By three o clock I had consumed about 550 calories. So I thought maybe that was a little low, albeit not unusual lately.

On the drive home (5 minutes) I fell asleep. Don't worry he was driving. As we pulled into the driveway, I muttered, "You got this? I gotta lie down." And off to bed I went. I felt like I was literally going to die. 

At that moment death would have been completely fine with me. I would not have struggled with it. I mean, seriously. I felt like there was nothing in me - no life, no energy. I wasn't ill like flu ill. I had no fever. I just wanted to sleep and my brain was shutting down and there was nothing I could consciously do but relent to rest. It was an uneasy rest, not going into a deep sleep but rather a doze.  I thought that possibly I needed food, but I had no energy and absolutely nothing sounded remotely good.

I attempted to get one of the kids to help bring me something but they didn't answer me. I vaguely remember one of them knocking on the bedroom door but I had no energy to answer them so I ignored them, hoping they would cease and go away back to the game from wence they came. After about five minutes of my teen knocking (which I must say I am proud of him for sticking with something that long)...

Finally, around 6ish, I decided that I better feed the crowd. My husband had someone over here, which I hoped he would not introduce me to because I was beyond a bear and would have growled angrily or at least said nothing. I remember my husband saying that he was going to make dinner, yet the lack thereof indicated he changed his mind.  I attempted to get the older kids to do it. I have 3 older ones and 2 younger ones. The 20 year old (I thought) was gone so she could have gone to get something for these starving crumb snatchers begging for coco-roos.  I could hear them in the family room arguing about something. I am not sure what over. Usually I would have cared, but that moment I could have cared less.

I was feeling better but still dizzy and nauseated. As the kids were screaming, and my husband unable to deal with them appropriately, I thought I would take them for a drive through a drive thru to get them some food and let my husband get through with his meeting.  Still blessed he had not introduced me becauseat this point the guest was nothing more than an unwelcomed irritant (he was an insurance salesman, BTW).

So I told the kids I would get them burgers from the drive through. My 3 year old started to cry, "That's junk, mama! No!"  My older child realized that I was in no mood for opposition, though deep inside (way, way down deep) I was proud of my little warrior for standing up against the fast food industry.  The daughter seeing that I was in no mood for this opposition told him that I wasn't feeling well and to just take anything at this point. 

I pull up and ask for 3 number 4s.  "Sandwiches or meals," she replies. 

"Meals." Yet I am thinking that ordering the number 4 would indicate that I wanted the meal - DUH!  So now this woman is already getting on my nerves, which is really easy to do at this point. 

"So you want 2 number fours," she asks

It's my cue.  The gods have spoken.  Idiots have made this nasty burger and they are trying to pawn it on me - Go, go go!  I say nothing more and drive off to let her figure out what to do next. I ended up getting the chicken family meal just a bit further down the road. 

But I was just so fatigued. The only thing I can think of was that I sprayed bug spray and got a big whiff that morning (no sudden onset of symptoms, so I ruled that out), or that I have not been eating enough lately.

If the latter is true, how do I get more? I simply don't feel like doing much around the kitchen lately. 

There are a number of things that could explain those symptoms.  Of course, undereating.  Are you drinking enough water?  ... Also I couldn't help but mention that ... morning sickness could be the culprit?  That sounds a lot like how I felt.  Insanely tired, nothing sounds good but you're insanely hungry, irritable, dizzy .... all of the above.  Just a thought.

Calories are a unit of energy.... If you deprive your body of energy there will come a point where you simply run out of steam.  What you describe sounds a lot like low blood-sugars.  In extremis, you can feel faint, dizzy, irritable, lethargic, low...  If you've been routinely been eating next to nothing for breakfast and lunch and/or if your total calorie intake or carbohydrate intake has been too low for some time then that would be consistent.  I note from your profile that you talk about 'ignoring hunger'... I don't think that's a good strategy.

Have a look at your total energy needs (total burn) for each day...  I'd suggest you spend the weekend getting that amount of energy from good quality foods and spread evenly throughout the day e.g. a much larger breakfast and lunch.   If the symptoms go away then you've got your answer and you should probably rethink your weight-loss calorie-intake and eating patterns ongoing. Aim for a weight-loss intake that is within 500-700 of your total daily burn.

If the situation doesn't improve by giving your body more fuel, then go to see your doctor.  What you describe could be symptomatic of several conditions, some more serious than others.

Out of curiosity, do you have depression? I can see some of the nausea, fatigue, and irritability being part of the lack of calories. However, some of what you describe sounds like depression. I'm bi-polar and when I have a low I can barely move. It hurts to just breathe. PLus I go through a roller coaster of emotions and iritability is one of them (I feel so bad for my bf).

I hope you feel better!!!

It sounds like how i feel when i  am having a very low blood sugar.. I get light headed sick to my stomach, blurred vision confusion and extreme fatigue and very irritable and argumentative and then shaky. It feels so horrible!!! Maybe you should consult with your DR..?? I hope you feel better soon

I was hypoglycemic as a kid and used to pass out if I didn't eat in time.  The difference between being OK and going into total can't-move-grouchy-gunna-murder-someone land is like an hour difference if you don't get food in right away.  Maybe you have an insulin problem and low blood sugar?  I agree with the rest - Keep your calories steady throughout the day and if that doesn't work, see your doc.

That sounds a bit like a migraine! when i get them i'm just like that but my head hurts too. I get them when i don't sleep enough or don't eat breakfat.

Sounds similar to what happened when I'd get low blood sugar.  I'd start feeling nauseated.  Then shaky.  Then lightheaded.  Then easily confused/irritable.  Then extremely dizzy.  I'd eventually pass out if I didn't eat anything. 

Used to happen multiple times per day since I was a kid.  Eating more protein and fat and less starchy things made it completely go away. 

When you get to feeling that way, eat something.  Peanut butter always worked great for me if I was in a real pinch.  If you're having trouble getting enough calories into you, eat higher calorie things. 

A great snack for me is some raw nuts, real cheese, and some berries (usually blueberries, yum).  Doesn't take any time to throw together.

I agree with all the low-blood sugar comments.  I also get low blood sugar.  It makes me very irritable, tired, naseuous and dizzy.  Just completely drained.

In fact it's the #1 reason I don't work out in the mornings.  When I have tried, this was what it led to.  I also try to make sure I get protein at every meal or snack.  And I try to eat several ti8mes per day--- like 5-6. 

Hypoglycemia

Although I can't actually give you a diagnosis, I have to say that I am 110% that it was low blood sugar, having experienced it myself almost daily until I got it under control.

It sounds like me when I get low blood sugar. And you menitoned that you had some nuts when you started feeling bad. For me - when I get like that, I need carbs. Nuts and protein bars have actually made me feel worse in these circumstances. Now I know better.

On the other hand, my future mom-in-law (sweetest woman ever, second to my mom) can have her mood shift dramatically when her blood sugar drops too low, but for her, protein is the answer.

So if blood sugar is the issue, you are going to have to figure out what works for you.

It sounds like low blood sugar to me, too - that's how I feel when mine is low.  I try to eat low-GI foods to help manage it.  If I don't eat for awhile or eat a lot of sugary food, I get shaky and feel like passing out.

It's probably something you want to ask your doctor about because it could point to something like hypoglycemia or diabetes (or it could be nothing! probably is if you haven't been eating a lot :))