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?

Yep, it's not all in your head, there is a problem, and there is a solution. That can be so validating to hear i know! Definitely go and ask for a retest so you know where you are now as a starting point. Remember, the goal isn't just to get to 30, optimal is more like 100. And there are many many types of iron so if you have problems with the ferrous sulfate (usually the first thing tried) don't give up, go for an alternative.

I was gobsmacked when I found out how reference ranges are calculated. I thought "but why am I deficient if I'm "in range"?". Turns out the quoted normal ranges have nothing to do with healthiness. They are simply calculated by the labs taking all the results for an area and excluding the 2 standard deviations at each end and quoting the range that 90 or 95% of people fall within. Never mind the fact that the people being sent for the test are likely to include all the people with symptoms indicative of deficiency and totally skew the results....

Sorry, that was to @MistyQuigley !

How much blood did you need for the home tests? I can't get more than one drop

The home tests I've done (Thriva, medichecks etc) you get a tiny vial and fill it from a finger prick. There are lots of tips to getting good blood flow - have a big drink, immerse your hand beforehand in warm water, I usually March around a bit to get some blood flowing. It's probably 10-15 drops to fill a tube.

Yes you do need a bit of blood. There was good advice in the instructions about how to do this, I found it slightly difficult at first but then it was no problem.

What the nhs think is normal and what is actually normal for you can be two different things. Years ago my hair falling out so I had a blood test. Dr said my iron levels were ‘normal’. I googled the numbers and my ferritin levels ( stored iron) were actually on the floor. I started taking iron tablets and my hair gradually grew back.

I also feel like this. Just had a recent blood test which came back normal. My scores on the doors are:
TSH 1.03
FT4 11.7
Ferritin 45ng
Vitamin D 58nmol

Not really sure what that means. I do take ferrous sulphate tablets 3 x a day as my ferritin was at 9.

It's really helpful ladies if you can put the reference ranges with your results as it makes them much, much easier to interpret, as the ranges differ from lab to lab.

Where I live, an FT4 of 11 would be low in range (9-26). If the range starts at 7, as it does in some places, it would be mid range. Another common range is 12-22, in which case it would be below range and, coupled with that TSH, we might be looking at a pituitary issue.

I've asked MNHQ to put a sticky up about this but they haven't done it yet.