When is exhaustion not just...exhaustion?

[SmileEachDay]

I’m a teacher
I have small DC
I’m a single parent (50/50)
I had a traumatic bereavement a year ago
I’m - I think - peri menopausal
My sleep is shit

And I am so tired. Given a choice, I’d spend every single minute I’m not working or mummying in bed. I don’t, but it’s so hard to make myself do anything.

Is that just because of my life or is it a doctor thing?

Yes, go to the doctor! I was in the same boat, though a bit younger so not having the same period issues, and I went because I was pregnancy-level tired and so I thought maybe I was anaemic. It turned out I wasn't but I was incredibly low in Vit D AND Vit B. I take separate pills for each now (I was taking a multivitamin and eating lots of leafy greens... but my body's not good at processing and keeping B, particularly) and I do feel much, much better.
I also got a 'sunlight' lamp that I sit under for 20 minutes when I eat breakfast, in the winter, and it REALLY helps.

I’m 43.

I eat reasonably well - although do find myself not bothering to do so when DC with dad.

Ok. GP visit then

And book a double appointment

How's your diet? Are you drinking enough water, eating enough veg, not relying on caffeine and sugar to get you through?

I think you have to have a organ hanging out to do that at my surgery Gina 😂

Slinky

Relying on caffeine and sugar? Me? Noooooo...

Erm.

Yes.

I think you have to have a organ hanging out to do that at my surgery Gina 😂

Drat

I felt totally awful a few winters ago and after a blood test was diagnosed with extremely low vitamin D.

smile I feel the same. Constantly tired, really heavy periods like I have never known with a week build up, teacher. Luckily am PT but don't much on my day off apart from food shop and getting house tidy. I also had a bereavement. Having difficult time at work too. Not sure which part is making me tired. Think I need to go to GP too

“Going to the GP” feels like a massive undertaking, doesn’t it Converse?

I think I might have to write a list, as suggested upthread.

Worth considering HRT imo

I felt like you feel. I radically changed my diet (very low carb, high fat) and I feel transformed one year later.

I never imagined nutrition could make such a difference in a million years but it seems true that "you are what you eat"

www.dietdoctor.com

Sounds full on & you may just well be exhausted! Can you do ‘you’ stuff when the ex has DC (whether that’s wine/crisps & film or hearty walks/a massage - just to give yourself some space/recovery time?).

I’ve felt similar- had horror filmesque, blood tsunami periods and having wussed out of the ablation or hysterectomy offered I now take transemic acid & naproxen - which control the bleeding & pain to a certain extent. Was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism & take thyroxine which was a life changer (weight under control, energy back, fog lifted..). Definitely worth a GP trip with a list. Good luck!

smile I did have blood test November 2017 as my chest infection lasted a month followed by exhaustion. Nothing showed up so feel silly going again just because I'm tired. Seems a bit lame.
snog what would HRT do? Thought that was for after menopause?
Sorry to hijack the thread OP.

I think periods are definitely part of it - what does dr need to do to agree hrt snog - is it a blood test thing or a self reporting thing? What do they need to know?

Diet thing is interesting - is it possible with DC? I’d rather avoid making separate meals....

chips how did dr decide that route for you?

My exhaustion turned out to be aortic stenosis which I had to have open heart surgery to repair, see your GP.

Just go to your GP and they will start with bloods.

I felt a lot better once I was on a Vit D and Vit B injections. I was in the Peri Menopause.

Some antidepressants help with the symptoms, if it is the PM. It will show up on a blood test.

Then you can look at other things, like relaxation techniques, lifestyle etc.

Our hormones, or lack of them can cause a lot of issues and you don't have to suffer.

I'm now into the Menopause and in HRT.

Holy fuck mismo!! I hope you’re ok now?

OP, re treatments. The GP can do hormone screening along with other blood levels.

Then they ask you want bothers you and together you weigh up what is needed to improve things and what treatment route to go down.

Come back on here if you do need HRT and the GP is reluctant, GPs are very out of date.

"Diet thing is interesting - is it possible with DC? I’d rather avoid making separate meals...."

When the hot sweats start etc, making two meals will be nothing to stop the symptoms.

It can be like having a bad pregnancy, for years. Except there's nothing a value at the end, you won't get any hair loss back etc.

Birds why do you think GPS are reluctant?

Can you get melatonin over the counter in the UK?

Since I hit menopause my sleep has deteriorated, I've been getting 6 hours and it doesn't feel like I have been getting good quality sleep. Just started taking melatonin and it's been really helpful. I've been taking 2mg but took 3mg last night and slept for 9 hours. Amazing.

What time do you go to bed?

I’m around your age and exhausted a lot of the time, but I go to bed stupidly late - out of habit, out of a desire for some time with my own thoughts once DC are finally asleep. I keep trying to change this but it’s difficult.

Misti - I’m definitely not getting quality sleep, and have periods of wakefulness during the night sometimes. I think melatonin is prescription only here.

Atrocious - early. But often to not be able to sleep. I don’t think my sleep hygiene is great though.

It could be very likely that you're anaemic if your periods are 2 weekly & heavy. You could have low levels of Vitamin D or you may have a thyroid disfunction. B12 may be low-lots of things; don't put it all down to peri-menopause or stressful life.