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Original poster

What is wrong with me?

20 replies

Rachell1 · 19/10/2022 18:10

This is probably my third or fourth post in a month (unrelated to previous threads), apologies for the spam on the chat but never knew how helpful you lovely people are!!

I wondered if anyone could shed ANY light on what might be happening to me.

This isn’t a new thing but has gotten debilitatingly worse over the past 6 months (currently 5 months pregnant, pregnancy have have heightened it but felt bad before pregnancy). Although I have to admit, although I felt this way occasionally prior to having my first child (who is now almost 2), since becoming a mum things have gotten a lot worse.

So, onto the actual problem… I am exhausted. Utterly exhausted, as in thrown to the sofa/bed for hours whilst my poor mum is forced into caring for my son because I am weak and even breathing is an effort. Walking up the stairs my legs can go to jelly and my muscles feel weak. My heart rate goes up drastically and it is quite literally taking over my life. It isn’t every day (although it’s been most days over the past 2 weeks).

Might be important to point out I do suffer with a fast and higher heart rate than usual (always have done) and palpitations. I also admit to having anxiety but I manage that quite well.

I get sleep, probably around 8 hours broken sleep per night. So it’s not like I don’t sleep… and I do not work, I am a stay at home mum. I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t do a lot to be honest! But yet I can come over so incredibly exhausted and weak.

I have had full blood counts, checked thyroids, heart tests, hormone levels have been checked and nothing has flagged up.

Could it be the 2 years of broken sleep? Maybe mixed with anxiety? Would anxiety really cause all of this though? I just need to feel normal again. I feel useless as a mother and things need to change.

All opinions and advice very much welcome…

OP posts:
Quitelikeit · 19/10/2022 18:22

although you have had your bloods done and all is fine I would recommend calling the surgery and asking for your B12 results

you may be find that you are very close to the acceptable range which is ridiculous as in other countries you would be classed as having a deficiency

if I was you I’d buy some high quality pregnancy vitamins

Original poster
Rachell1 · 19/10/2022 18:24

Thank you. I will definitely call tomorrow and ask. I have been meaning to do this actually as I know B12 supplements helps many people.

OP posts:
Quitelikeit · 19/10/2022 18:37

And also if you find your B12 is the on the low side of normal you can actually get private b12 jabs nowadays. They usually cost about £25-£35 so not too bad.

Interested in this thread?

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Families
Original poster
Rachell1 · 19/10/2022 18:52

Ah ok so interestingly (just realised I have the GP app and can see the test results!) my B12 levels were at 603 ng/L (whatever that means!) in 2021 but last month it has dropped to 386 ng/L. Previous years have also been 600+.

I had a google and even though it has dropped significantly, the level is still considered ‘normal’, although surely it must have some sort of effect on the way you feel if it drops that much?

OP posts:
Reverie83 · 19/10/2022 21:03

Hi OP, my partner is a doctor and says your B12 levels are fine.

Please dont take this the wrong way but sometimes you have to push through your tiredness. I have had twins- no family help. Your mother sounds amazing btw. Some days I felt like I was wading through treacle, everything felt like such an effort.
If you mum couldnt help out, what would you do. Aim to do do a little bit each day and you will get stronger. If your mum is taking your child to the park, go with with her. Lying down will make you feel more lethargic.

This is just my opinion. I hope I havent offended you.

Original poster
Rachell1 · 19/10/2022 21:37

You haven’t offended me at all, I don’t have mum on hand every single day and if I have one of these episodes on days where I am alone, then I do have to push on through. But… it’s not nice. I shake, my heart rate goes through the roof, I get so unbelievably weak and I suppose I just wish I could be 100% sure that there is nothing medically wrong.

But this is why I am having to start to be open to the fact that it MIGHT just be extreme tiredness.. in which case I have to push on. But it still doesn’t seem right, because I’ve yet to come across a sleep deprived mum who suffers these same extreme symptoms due to lack of sleep…

OP posts:
BattenburgDonkey · 19/10/2022 21:39

Has the doctor done further investigations? What have they said about it?

aniamana · 19/10/2022 21:45

Hi OP, as a LP who had 2.5 years of broken sleep this sounds pretty familiar to me. Although my symptoms weren't exactly the same, I struggled with extreme exhaustion and a whole host of weird symptoms. I had every test under the sun that came back normal. In the end I realised that it was the combination of post-childbirth hormones, broken sleep, extreme stress as a LP, a slight vitamin D deficiency. But mostly the difficulty of having and managing a young child alone who didn't sleep and also managing everything single handed as well as some MH issues (PND that seemed to never end) induced by all the stress. I do wonder if it was some kind of stress induced chronic fatigue. In the end it gradually eased when my kid went to school and when I took a holiday it seemed to kick start it a bit for me. I was baffled because although other mothers seemed tired, there didn't seem to be a logical explanation for feeling ill all the time and the drs were no help.

Could you get a few days holiday / break away from stress maybe to see if it helps? A week somewhere quiet away from housework as far as you can? I'm not necessarily suggesting yours is for the same reasons as mine but don't discount the impact of broken sleep and stress from being a mother on your health if you think it might be a cause.

Another thing you might want to try is early morning sunlight. It seems to kickstart my metabolism a bit if I drink my coffee outside on the doorstep every morning as soon as I get up as early as I can to get some sun on my face whatever the weather even in winter. I think having broken sleep from kids is really like having jet lag but the morning light helps reset circadian rhythm and is really good for mood and energy. Hope this all helps a bit. Good luck!

aniamana · 19/10/2022 21:46

*kick start the recovery a bit I meant to say!

Suzi888 · 19/10/2022 21:50

Do you think you may be stuck in a rut?
Are you overweight?
Low blood pressure?
Are you underweight? Eating enough? If your heart is racing, have a glass of water (I was told this by the hospital).
Panic attack?

The past few weeks I’ve found myself moving less, had a bit of a cold/illness that resulted in me feeling SO tired. No amount of sleeping was enough, at the same time the dog was sick, so I was up early with him. It felt like I never got my energy back. I do need to lose weight though! I’ve put on about two stone in a short period.

Agree with a pp, do a little exercise every day. Nothing major, a ten minute walk, lift some cans of beans. Just build up until you feel stronger.

whatisheupto · 19/10/2022 21:55

What are your iron levels? Are they borderline?
Sounds like classic iron deficiency

Cantthinkofanewnameatm · 19/10/2022 21:55

Quitelikeit · 19/10/2022 18:22

although you have had your bloods done and all is fine I would recommend calling the surgery and asking for your B12 results

you may be find that you are very close to the acceptable range which is ridiculous as in other countries you would be classed as having a deficiency

if I was you I’d buy some high quality pregnancy vitamins

This.
Do not take a drs word that ‘ it’s all normal’ Yoyr levels need to be in the top quadrant. I was told my B12 was fine. It was one point over the lowest level in the range. A course of B12 injections meant I could walk more than 50 feet again.

Friarclose · 19/10/2022 22:03

Google POTS. Your symptoms made me think of this.

MarshmallowMadness · 19/10/2022 22:13

whatisheupto · 19/10/2022 21:55

What are your iron levels? Are they borderline?
Sounds like classic iron deficiency

This ^

Again check with the GP what your levels are because the range for ‘normal’ is ridiculously large and if you’re at the lower end they’ll say you’re fine, even though for you you may need to be near the higher end iyswim.

I had low iron/ferritin before/during pregnancy and still get it occasionally now. Tiredness/needing to breath deeply/palpitations are all symptoms. High strength iron tablets sorts it out so def ask your GP.

Shitfather · 19/10/2022 22:29

I was going to say B12 or anemia. Have you had a full iron profile done (not just the standard full blood count one)? I felt like this after I had heavy bleeding for 2 years, which resulted in anemia. Iron infusion was life changing.

friedgreentomatopop · 19/10/2022 23:27

Rachell1 · 19/10/2022 18:10

This is probably my third or fourth post in a month (unrelated to previous threads), apologies for the spam on the chat but never knew how helpful you lovely people are!!

I wondered if anyone could shed ANY light on what might be happening to me.

This isn’t a new thing but has gotten debilitatingly worse over the past 6 months (currently 5 months pregnant, pregnancy have have heightened it but felt bad before pregnancy). Although I have to admit, although I felt this way occasionally prior to having my first child (who is now almost 2), since becoming a mum things have gotten a lot worse.

So, onto the actual problem… I am exhausted. Utterly exhausted, as in thrown to the sofa/bed for hours whilst my poor mum is forced into caring for my son because I am weak and even breathing is an effort. Walking up the stairs my legs can go to jelly and my muscles feel weak. My heart rate goes up drastically and it is quite literally taking over my life. It isn’t every day (although it’s been most days over the past 2 weeks).

Might be important to point out I do suffer with a fast and higher heart rate than usual (always have done) and palpitations. I also admit to having anxiety but I manage that quite well.

I get sleep, probably around 8 hours broken sleep per night. So it’s not like I don’t sleep… and I do not work, I am a stay at home mum. I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t do a lot to be honest! But yet I can come over so incredibly exhausted and weak.

I have had full blood counts, checked thyroids, heart tests, hormone levels have been checked and nothing has flagged up.

Could it be the 2 years of broken sleep? Maybe mixed with anxiety? Would anxiety really cause all of this though? I just need to feel normal again. I feel useless as a mother and things need to change.

All opinions and advice very much welcome…

It must be hard being pregnant and taking care of a toddler at the same time, very full on!
Try to get very early nights and rest where you can. Definitely get a GP apt as well to check things like iron levels.

Softplayhooray · 19/10/2022 23:37

Sorry to hear you're not feeling good OP! I'm not sure why but just wanted to say that was exactly me in pregnancy, total exhaustion. I once went for a swim and ended up falling asleep for 5 hrs straight after-I was so tired on the train home I almost couldn't stand up (it wasn't much of a swim either!). My health tests came back fine, too. Maybe pregnancy is just really hard on our body sometimes? After I'd gotten over the first month's of terrible sleeping with a newborn I was back to normal energy again.

Softplayhooray · 19/10/2022 23:40

Reverie83 · 19/10/2022 21:03

Hi OP, my partner is a doctor and says your B12 levels are fine.

Please dont take this the wrong way but sometimes you have to push through your tiredness. I have had twins- no family help. Your mother sounds amazing btw. Some days I felt like I was wading through treacle, everything felt like such an effort.
If you mum couldnt help out, what would you do. Aim to do do a little bit each day and you will get stronger. If your mum is taking your child to the park, go with with her. Lying down will make you feel more lethargic.

This is just my opinion. I hope I havent offended you.

OP is clearly pushing through, she's got no choice! The issue is why she has to and how it might be damaging her health.

DeedIDo · 19/10/2022 23:43

B12 needs to be over 500 to avoid the risk of neurological damage. A doctor should know this.

Thistlelass · 20/10/2022 03:38

I just want to say do not disregard the possibility your anxiety is contributing to your exhaustion. I am working with a CPN at the moment and he has flagged up how the focus on one's anxiety and the associated tension is extremely fatiguing. So I think I would suggest relaxation techniques and anxiety management.

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