I often feel lethargic and tired. Could this be caused by a protein deficiency? I don’t eat meat or meat substitutes and try to get enough protein with buttermilk and an egg (up to three times a week). But I also use fentanyl patches after a failed operation on my back; could that have something to do with it?
Female (63)
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
You can safely eat an egg every day; the thought that this would be bad for your cholesterol has been completely abandoned. If you eat dairy, peanut butter, legumes, nuts and regular bread, the chances of developing a protein deficiency are very small.
I would point to the fentanyl patches as the culprit of listlessness and fatigue. You can ask your GP and possibly a pain outpatient clinic whether the fentanyl (a morphine preparation) can be replaced by, for example, a tricyclic depression drug in a low dose. Stopping fentanyl won’t be easy, but I think it will make you happier.
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