Surely not everyone gets this tired?

[Sometimesonly]

Over the last year or so I have found it harder and harder to stay awake all day, especially if I have done any physical exercise. This just seems to be getting worse. This morning I walked for an hour and a half (had plenty of time and didn't fancy getting the bus). It was not a difficult trek! It was on the level and I walk a lot. I had to go to bed for a couple of hours tthis afternoon though to recover. This is getting ridiculous. My doctor says it's normal at my age (not yet 50!) and that my iron levels are slightly low. Is it really normal???

Have you discussed peri-menopause and HRT with your doctor?

Have you discussed peri-menopause and HRT with your doctor?

Yes, she wasn't keen but suggested the pill instead.

It is normal in my view. All iron levels etc normal, still very tired much of the time.

Menopause, age, weather.

Yes, she wasn't keen but suggested the pill instead.

She isn't keen?

Sounds like yet another woefully ignorant gp when is comes to peri-menopause.

I would be going to a specialist. That's what I did.

My iron is 12 and my ferritin is 6, and I am exhausted.

Try nano iron or spa tone. If you've increased them since last year then your absorption isn't a problem, it just takes ages to build stores back up again.

@MacbookHo

I’d get a second opinion and demand an infusion. It’s rubbish that your GO is leaving you to struggle on. Do you know why your iron is so low? Mine was because of hideous flooding periods which have since been sorted, thankfully.

YES my hair grew back! Have you had a baby? If so, you know the bit when your baby is 3 months old and you’ve lost loads of hair but it starts growing back, with tiny tiny hairs all round your forehead? It’s like that. It all comes back, honest.

There's no way in hell you'll get an infusion for levels that the OP has.

Have you checked vitamin d levels?

I take iron at night, it needs an empty stomach.

Too much caffiene inhibits iron absorbtion IIRC. And vitamin c helps it. (I don't think this is woo, happy to be corrected).

Can you up your dark green leafy veg a bit? Stir kale into pasta sauce?

I was going to suggest obstructive sleep apnoea too. I’m not sure if you’ve a partner to ask this, but do you snore? This has detrimental effects to sleep as your oxygen drops.
It may be worth finding out as this makes people wake up tired, regardless of how many hours you may feel you’ve had and falling asleep napping throughout the day.

Sounds like yet another woefully ignorant gp when is comes to peri-menopause.
I am abroad and it was actually my gynaecologist who wasn't keen on HRT! (I see a gynaecologist and a GP both on national health service). Gynae said it was too early to consider HRT. Can you start it before your periods stop?

Have you checked vitamin d levels?
Lowish but within normal range.

I was going to suggest obstructive sleep apnoea too
Husband has never said I snores but he is probably snoring even louder! Are there any other symptoms?

Gynae said it was too early to consider HRT. Can you start it before your periods stop?

You absolutely, 100% can start HRT before your periods stop, and it's recommended to help preserve your bone and heart health especially if you start peri on the younger side.

I've got low feratin levels, prescribed tablets the same as you and really struggled to get my levels up. I've felt better since I've been religious about taking them first thing with orange juice and not having any milk or caffeine for at least an hour. And also taking vit d. Could be placebo, I don't care! It's taken a good 3m.

Also food pairings, high iron meat with dark greens and red

@indecisivelurcher I think my downfall might be caffeine. I'm going to make an effort to do that.

@aquamarine1029 Thanks. I will push further next time. I have also been diagnosed with osteopoenia and want to know what I should be doing to help protect bones but again, didn't seem important to either gynae or GP.

I often feel the need for an afternoon nap. It’s usually after I’ve eaten my dinner, and I have to fight the urge when I’m working !

@Sometimesonly me too!

Can I ask what the difference is in the irons ? Sulphate/fumerate.

I’d suggest you have a look at a recent YouTube video with Trinny and Dr Louise Newson for brilliant menopause info.

You have symptoms of perimenopause. Hair loss, loss of bone density and fatigue.

How is your diet? Make sure you are eating plenty of red meat, leafy greens and fortified goods like cereals etc. As well as your supplements and a multi vitamin. Cutting down caffeine helps with iron absorption and also helps energy levels.

How much sleep are you actually getting?

There’s sleep apps that record you overnight but honestly it’s probably low iron, lowing vit d & too much caffeine.

If you want to feel healthy at this age you really have to put the effort in.

I go to bed at about 10 as I can't guarantee I won't wake up at 3am and not get back to sleep! This happens probably twice a week though. Mostly I sleep till 6. I think my diet is not too bad - I love green vegetables and red meat! Dr did say to cut back on cheese due to high cholesterol though. Thanks for all the tips - am following them all up. Off to look for that YouTube video!

If you want to feel healthy at this age you really have to put the effort in.
I think that's very true. I have probably been getting away with an ok-ish but not great diet and lifestyle for a while but now it's catching up with me.

I'm 41 so maybe it doesn't count but I began to feel a bit like you this year, I have always been very fit and healthy and would run several times a week so at first I thought I was doing too much exercise.
I would get home from work at 5 and need to go straight to bed to lie down for an hour before I could do anything else. If it wasn't for kids needing their tea etc I'd have happily stayed there for the rest of the night.
It actually crept up on me so slowly that I didn't twig there was something wrong, my husband is a doctor and urged me to get my thyroid checked as he said it wasn't normal to be going to bed so early.
Turned out my thyroid was very under active. I was diagnosed with hashimoto's and after 4 months of taking levothyroxine I am only just starting to feel a bit more normal again. The thyroid dysfunction came as a bit of a surprise as I had no other symptoms such as weight gain etc.
I'm sure the iron is what's causing you to feel so tired OP but I would also recommend getting your thyroid function checked out.
I take a massive dose of vitamin D everyday as well and I take vitamin B complex to try and regulate hormones as I feel very much like I'm peri menopause.

@Fluffycloudland77

There’s sleep apps that record you overnight but honestly it’s probably low iron, lowing vit d & too much caffeine.

If you want to feel healthy at this age you really have to put the effort in.

Very interested in this thread. Can you give me a list of things to work towards ?