Every day when I get home from school she's asleep. My Mom is only about 40 years old and whenever I get home from school she's asleep. She is also really run down and achy all day. I'm really worried that something is terribly wrong. Not 3 months ago she could Sticky hand fight and play and was generally normal. But now shes just run down and it seems like she's aged like 40 years on a few weeks. I'm really worried for her.
Would your mom agree to go to the doctor? If not, do you and your mom share the same family doctor? If so, perhaps you could make an appointment and discuss your concerns and describe her signs/symptoms/behaviours to him or her. Also, I recommend sharing this with a guidance counsellor at school to help you strategize on how to deal with the situation, as well as to validate your feelings and provide you with support.
You mention a couple of things - fatigue and achiness - that bring some things to my mind; however, I am not a doctor or nurse, and symptoms can mimic many different conditions/diseases. That being said, fibromyalgia is a common chronic condition that causes chronic fatigue and generalized pain, and morning stiffness. One tell tale sign is pain when pressing certain tender points in the elbows, neck, knees and buttocks areas, to name a few. While the exact cause is not known, it is believed to be in response to a physical or psychological trauma, or viruses such as the Barr Epstein. Another variant of fibromyalgia is chronic fatique, without the pain.
The other thing that comes to mind is has she been bitten by an insect, like a tic (which can carry Lime disease) or mosquito (which may carry the West Nile virus). Did she visit a foreign country recently?
Since your mother did not display any signs of depression prior to the rather sudden onset, it is a good idea to get her thoroughly checked out medically.
In the meantime, take care of yourself and continue to reach out.
I also wonder why kind of diet she's eating. Is she eating a balanced diet which includes protein and B vitamins? Who does the cooking for the family?
What kind of "aches" does she have, and in what part of her body? That could be a clue for a doctor to explore.
Do you live in an area close to forests, or areas in which deer might live? It's possible also she could have been bitten by a tick, although the symptoms are more extensive than what your mother has.
There's also the possibility of something systemic, in which case, the sooner it's discovered and addressed the better.
Or had she started on any new medications? I'm also assuming that she's not in chemo or getting radiation - they're physically and emotionally draining.
Have there been any emotional upsets in the family? Dealing with sadness, grief and other traumatic events can cause fatigue as well. Doctors are more aware now of what they call the "mind-body connection", or "Mindfulness" as some describe it.
Another question is whether or not she's napping, or has she been sleeping all day? What time does she get up in the morning? If she's up at 4 or 5 to get your father off to work, a nap in the afternoon isn't unusual.
How many children are there in the family and do they help with housework? Are there young ones at home? Does she work outside the home and if so, what is her profession?
Lots of questions to answer; categorize and record as many as you can and accompany her to visit a doctor, the sooner the better.
Some hospitals have a women's health center, which might be better because she won't have to worry about some of the male doctors who just pat a woman's hand and assure everything is okay.
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