To ask if you've had these symptoms, and what it turned out to be?

[riotlady]

For about 2 months now I've been feeling really, seriously fatigued; I used to go for a half an hour jog a few times a week, walk all round the woods with my daughter, etc. Now I spend most of the day lying on the sofa and I get exhausted to the point of tears if I try and do too much. I'm nauseous, I've thrown up a few times but it's mostly just retching, I've lost my appetite a bit and only fancy plain carby food, I get aches all over, headaches, and in the past few weeks I've also started losing weight quite quickly, I've lost 8lbs in the past 3 weeks.

2.5 weeks ago I had blood tests. My thyroid, vitamin levels and iron are fine, and I'm not diabetic or pregnant. However, I had low platelets, markers for inflammation, decreased liver function, and too much water in my blood.

I just called the doctors to get the results for the second batch of blood tests that they did on Thursday and apparently everything is fine? The receptionist had down "no further action required". I don't understand how all of those things have resolved themselves in the space of 2 weeks and I don't feel better at all. Something feels wrong.

I've made another appointment with the doctors but I'm worried that now my bloods are normal they're not going to investigate much further. Has anyone had this sort of thing before, and if so, did you ever find out what was causing it? I'm not normally a hypochondriac (that's my partner!) but I'm starting to get really worried and I can't keep on living like this.

It’s the ACTH rest or Synacthen test @JamesAnderson

I have a close family member who has Addisons and it ended in a crisis before they were diagnosed. scary.

@JamesAnderson I've got an implant that's due to run out in 6 months, is that a problem?

I don't think it's long covid, the only thing I've had that could have been covid was back at the beginning of the year but I got over it and have been fine until a couple of months ago. No respiratory symptoms either.

Doctors will normally just do a morning cortisol test and if that comes back as low then they'll refer to an endocrinologist who will do the SST.

Also oestrogen gives a false high and needs to be stopped for 6 weeks before the test

I believe the implant is progestogen so doesn't affect the cortisol reading

Agree to check cortisol. Maybe check B12 too if they haven’t already.

Coeliacs? You can crave what infact is posioning you

When I had similar symptoms for a good few months it turned out to be Glandular Fever. In the end I had acupuncture to help restore my immune system, and it worked. I'd felt terrible, had to crawl up the stairs to bed, everything was a massive mountain to climb.
Ask to be tested.
I wish you luck.

I had similar with a stomach ulcer- I lost weight quickly and I was quite badly anaemic. My bloods were also low in this, low in that etc.

Hope you feel better very soon.

Post viral fatigue? ME?

When I’ve been like this previously, I had low folate levels and also vertigo

Not folate , I meant ferritin

Good luck op. Just to say, I have MS and your symptoms don't sound right for that

Menopause?

I spoke to the doctor this morning. She thinks I had a virus and that’s why my liver function was impaired but now fine, and that I’m now experiencing post viral fatigue. She’s given me omeprazole for my stomach and I’ve got another appointment in 2 weeks to see how I get on with that.

I asked about cortisol and she said that the blood tests I’ve had don’t specifically test cortisol levels, but they test other things that would indicate if there’s a problem with cortisol and they’re all fine.

I had viral pneumonia in March and I’m still very fatigued with nausea. Also lost weight. I do have chest pain though unlike you. I’ve been diagnosed with post viral fatigue.

Have you got a carbon monoxide detector?

@YummyBelicious

Have you got a carbon monoxide detector?

I think just a regular smoke alarm, but everyone else in my house is fine.

Sorry to hear you’re still unwell @IpanemaFlowers, does sound similar aside from chest pain

Any chance you've had covid? I had it in April and am experiencing similar.

Mine was most likely covid as I have lung damage to my r-h lung but I was not tested so I’ll never know. Hope you feel better soon.

Not Covid for me, doctor says as the virus is gone now we won’t be able to figure out what it was. It was presumably either very mild or caused exactly the same symptoms as I have now, because I haven’t noticed being ill except for the current issues

I asked about cortisol and she said that the blood tests I’ve had don’t specifically test cortisol levels, but they test other things that would indicate if there’s a problem with cortisol and they’re all fine

She's right, but she's also wrong.

She's right as far as primary adrenal insufficiency is concerned. Although I believe one of your blood tests show low sodium?
This along with high potassium shows your body isn't producing aldosterone. Cortisol and aldosterone are produced by the adrenal glands.

If the cause of low cortisol isn't due to failure of the adrenal glands your sodium and potassium will be normal.

You say you don't have any dark patches which means your ACTH is unlikely to be high which in turn suggests there's nothing actually wrong with your adrenals.

That doesn't mean you're producing enough cortisol it just means the problem is possibly with your pituitary gland. (Secondary adrenal insufficiency)

It may be worth asking for a blood test to directly test for cortisol rather than testing sodium and potassium. Which is all she's done so far.

I have a prolactinoma, one of the symptoms was lethargy/ fatigue. The main presenting feature is lack of periods, but if you have an implant this may not be apparent if the implant stops your periods. A prolactinoma is a pituitary tumour which in turn can majorly mess up multiple endocrine feedbacks such as secondary PCOs or thyroid disfunction.
I have had a lot of endocrine problems over the years, during pregnancy I spent a lot of time being investigated for all the various complications by a number of consultants but they all put it down to my underlying pituitary function.
I have had liver function abnormalities, thyroid problems, suspected adrenal problems and parathyroid problems.
Because pituitary malfunction often causes secondary endocrine symptoms it is often missed as the primary cause.
I know when my levels are rising because the main symptom is fatigue.

@JamesAnderson

I asked about cortisol and she said that the blood tests I’ve had don’t specifically test cortisol levels, but they test other things that would indicate if there’s a problem with cortisol and they’re all fine

She's right, but she's also wrong.

She's right as far as primary adrenal insufficiency is concerned. Although I believe one of your blood tests show low sodium?
This along with high potassium shows your body isn't producing aldosterone. Cortisol and aldosterone are produced by the adrenal glands.

If the cause of low cortisol isn't due to failure of the adrenal glands your sodium and potassium will be normal.

You say you don't have any dark patches which means your ACTH is unlikely to be high which in turn suggests there's nothing actually wrong with your adrenals.

That doesn't mean you're producing enough cortisol it just means the problem is possibly with your pituitary gland. (Secondary adrenal insufficiency)

It may be worth asking for a blood test to directly test for cortisol rather than testing sodium and potassium. Which is all she's done so far.

Thank you for the info, I'll bear that in mind.

@Angrymum22 that sounds really rough, are you doing ok now? I've still been having periods, some really long ones actually.

Do ask about you cortisol level and ask if they will do a Synacthen test . This checks the cortisol in your body . I have Addison’s disease and tiredness sickness muscle aches are my life !!!) I produce no cortisol at all )