Constant lethargy but all bloods etc normal

[ShouldersBackChestOutChinUp]

So I always feel so sluggish and weary. Everything is such an effort.

I'd rather snuggle down for a three hour nap every day than do anything else.

I walk 5kms every day with dogs. Active with dcs in the summer holidays. At weekends, I often sneak off for a snooze and leave dh to play with dcs or ferry them about.

I long to be energetic and bouncy and have go get 'em energy. Blood tests and thyroid checks all come back normal.

I can't just be lazy, can I? I don't think I'm depressed. Am I just a sloth-like person?

How do you get your energy levels up?

I am exactly the same so marking my place!

You could try taking complete B vitamins?

How is your sleep? Do you wake feeling rested? Do you snore?

Have you had covid - this sounds like my Long Covid or ME.

How much sleep do you get? What's your diet like?

I’m like this and it’s probably because both partner and myself snore. I’m going to try a couple of nights in the spare room. Peri menopause?

Oh gosh this is me too! I went and had all my bloods checked last year and they were fine, but I still feel exactly like this. For me it has been since my second child was born and he's now nearly 3! But I can't accept that it's just normal to feel this way, so keen to hear the responses you get!

When they tested your thyroid did they test FT4 and 3 in addition to TSH? Apparently in a routine test they only test TSH, but it's possible one of the other hormones can be low. I felt like you before I started taking thyroid medication and after a week I already feel so much better. I did a home thyroid test that checks all 3.

B12 vitamin deficiency can make you tired, did they test for that?

As well as what's been suggested above - if you have anxiety that can leave you feeling physically exhausted.

This. The NHS is notoriously bad for checking thyroid function properly. You're better off getting it tested privately.

Which blood tests did you have and do you have a copy of your results?
My GP says my TSH is "normal" when it's 4 but at that number I feel dreadful.

You sound like me! I do have a bit more energy when being careful with my diet to maintain more stable blood sugars (basically eating low carb and snacking less). How’s your diet?

Yes this was me, luckily I did a home test that showed that actually my FT 4 was really low, I went to the GP with that and they've started me on thyroxine, it has helped SO much.

I would really recommend anyone who has symptoms of underactive thyroid, especially women over 50, to do a home test. I found one online for 30£ and had the results back in a couple days.

OP I'm in the exact same boat and I could absolutely weep. I am so exhausted all the time and for no flipping reason. Bloods are all normal. I did get one abnormal thyroid reading but when they retested it was back to normal so I guess it was a blip. I wish I had some sage advice to offer but at least I can say you are not alone!

Definitely share your TSH numbers. The range is 0.3 to 3.0. I feel like death at 1.5 (dead in the middle of normal) because I have the associated auto immune disease.

I was literally about to write a thread just like this (hence my name change) and then came across this thread!! I had bloods done the other day and am awaiting results! I cannot function I'm that tired all the time and if my bloods come back normal then I haven't a clue what i'll do because i feel like i need some medication or something

Hi, I posted upthread a bit and just coming back to ask if anyone had any tips or ideas to share about how to cope? I am not getting any better, if anything its getting worse and I'm really struggling. I have two children and a full time professional job and I am terrified that I can't keep going. I feel like a battery that can't hold a charge, nothing seems to help and all my tests are normal. Any tips gratefully received!

Did your blood test do your b12 and iron levels???? I had a full blood count recently and it didn't even include these two things which was baffling

There's a massive difference between 'within range' and optimal. Your ferritin can be really really low and you can be basically crawling along before it goes out of the 'normal' range. Same for b12. As for thyroid, hah! My TSH has been 4+ for years but docs refuse to do anything about it unless it goes over 7 (or even 10, some of them have said).
do you have your actual results?

I also suggest getting your actual test results so you can see if they did test for everything relevant, and also whether anything is technically normal but still likely to produce symptoms.

Unfortunately it does really seem like women especially have to push to get properly tested and taken care of!

If they did a thyroid test, see if they tested your FT 3/4 in addition to TSH. I have been taking medication due to low T4 (which they don't usually test for) and it's made a huge difference. I say this just to give you some hope that things can get better, you may just have to push for it.

To reiterate what others have said about thyroid levels, ask for you specific numbers. I feel terrible if my TSH is over 3 but that would be easily within some laboratories and GPs ‘normal’ levels.

My TSH in July was 4.93 but no meds prescribed. I can barely move some days.

Thank you so much for the replies! I have the latest test results here. I had two tests two weeks apart. The first set were labelled as abnormal, the second satisfactory. The most recent TSH was 4.10, down from 6.16; GFR 73mL, up from 49 on last test; B12 was a little low but nothing dramatic.

Did they check your Ferritin level. If not, you should ask them to.

Sorry, just saw that someone else had also mentioned Ferritin. Low ferritin can make you feel like death warmed up. It also made my hair fall out to quite an extent.