Is this level of tiredness normal?

[jemjem07]

I have been to see the GP about this who carried out various blood tests all were normal.

My toddler will be 2 in January.

I work 25 hours per week ( over 2 12.5 shifts )

My partner works also full time , we both contribute evenly do house work, he does bath bed every night . Toddler generally sleeps through the night and will wake 6/7 am.

I can't work out why I am so tired . I wake up and it feels like I haven't been asleep. I ache so bad every muscle is sore . Slight touch to my shoulders and neck area is very painful feels deep muscle pain.

I had to decline a full time job recently as I knew I couldn't manage 9-5 every day. I am only 31 and this doesn't seem right to me .

I am that tired in the day that I feel upset if toddler doesn't nap or only has 30 minutes because I just don't know how I will get through the day without resting at some point . sometimes my partner has to leave work earlier because I am just so tired .

Has anyone experienced this level of tiredness with a toddler , can this be normal ? Or do I need to go back to the Gp?

Edit I am not depressed , low in mood or anything like that.

I started takin A-Z vitamins after DD was born and I have to remind myself to drink enough water. Being chronically dehydrated, can cause poor sleep, which becomes cyclical.

Although your results are within the range, they are low in that range. Yoga, the slow and gentle kind, could get you moving slowly and I find, lack of exercise can make you more tired and sluggish.

How well does your toddler sleep? Our DD, around 2 was still getting up at 5. It's cumulative and hard to step off.

It does sound like you are on the CFS spectrum. Defo get your thyroid levels checked again; cold hands and feet is a classic symptom. Good luck, inform yourself as much as you can ; it’s the best way to steer yourself into your best possible health.

Definitely sounds like vit D deficiency
Get it tested, if it is low you'll need high strength dose for a few weeks, the GP can prescribe it, it's something like 40,000 units per week, you'll feel much better really quickly

Coeliac disease
I had all your symptoms and was eventually diagnosed with an under active thyroid so started medication, but the fatigue continued and then got worse. Like you, cold all the time, not enough exercise as exhausted and my go to was carbs. Was so surprised by coeliac disease diagnosis, but turns out fatigue/brain fog etc also a lesser known symptom. Have subsequently been diagnosed with CFS.
What I’ve realised though is (and this isn’t fair) I need more sleep than my friends, I need to eat less than my friends just to maintain a healthy BMI. I really can’t eat many carbs or too much sugar and no matter how exhausted I am, I need to get fresh air outside and go for a run or a walk. Oh and I’m pretty sure I’m intolerant to alcohol as I now suffer from a hangover after a couple of glasses of wine (but I’m still in denial about that!). I’ve had to refuse full time work too. I have friends who have really poor diets, never exercise and bags more energy than me and I was always trying to find out ‘what was wrong’ with me when I realised my diet had to better than theirs, my sleep pattern had to be better, I couldn’t drink as much, just to nit be exhausted, but do you know that’s ok. I think we’re all different and for some of us carbs, sugar, no exercise, little sleep, just doesn’t allow us to function fully. I too drink too much tea, some days I realise I haven’t had a single glass of water and so I’ve realised drinking water helps me too. I follow a gluten free diet now which definitely helped me, but the fatigue returned and that’s when I realised for me carbs were a problem wether they were GF or not. Die me there hasn’t been a magic pill or diagnosis, just a realisation that for me to function ok (ie not nap all day work a couple of days a week and -pre COVID- be able to go on the odd late night out) I needed to take better care of what I was putting in to my body and what I was expecting of it. It was small adjustments here and there, both practically and emotionally which started to help. Don’t get me wrong I sometimes still feel frustrated at my friends who seem to be able to work full time, socialise and drink & eat what they want, but for some reason that’s not me and I’ve learned to accept that. Good luck OP.

I feel exactly the same. I had low vitamin D, and improved a bit with supplements but still feel exhausted every day!!

Do you have issues with your period? Or pains in your lower abdomen? I have endometriosis and I felt like this for years and years

@Buttybach yes I have very heavy Periods, had left side abdo pain for a while after sons birth, had an internal scan to rule out a cyst all was ok, I have had lower back pain for years . Not sure if the scan would have shown endometriosis?

Have you checked ferritin as well as iron?

@fizzandchips thank you for such a kind and understanding post. I had never thought of coeliac disease .

Yes I think that's my main problem I do compare myself to others especially when I have seen others return to work full time , managing full days out on days off , driving to see family friends busy busy lifestyle.

When I returned to work I went part time as didn't feel ready to leave my son for long periods multiple times a week. I opted for the 2 long shifts , but now I feel the reason is of course still my son but mostly the reason for staying part time is knowing I wouldn't be able to cope with additional hours 25 is enough.

I just feel deep down there has to be a diagnosis as it can't be normal to feel this tired and the aching doesn't come from working out . Previously I used to be quite achy as I would work out in the gym an be on my feet at work all day .

I will look into the yoga . Yes I also feel I have to eat a lot less then friends to maintain my weight . I had a few weeks of not being so mindful and my weight went up to 10 stone 10 easily goes on.

Thank you all so much , all compassionate and kind advice

@balloonsintrees

Vitamin d deficiency

I came on here to say this, the difference when I forgot to to take my supplement is amazing.

I felt like this and it turned out I had hypothyroidism and secondary hyperparathyroidism due to Vitamin D deficiency. The hyperparathyroidism cleared up once my vitamin levels were righted, the hypothyroidism is lifelong.

Hi, I was going to come back and mention celiac- noticed it's been mentioned already. Do consider that- the GP who eventually discovered my thyroid problems had already run tests for celiac disease- she felt that would be it because vit d was out and to start off with thyroid was just about (high)-normal.

Unfortunately a regular daily dose of vitamin D won't get levels up if you are deficient. GPs usually prescribe a loading dose. Or you could take something like the BetterYou spray which has K2 included and increase to recommended loading dose level. I'm quite honestly shocked (but not surprised) that your GP didn't include vitamin D in recent blood tests, when you have a history of being deficient in your medical notes.
By the way, for some people, vitamin D absorbtion is blocked by insulin resistance. A low carb/no carb approach may help. It can take months too, so don't give up.
Did you feel this bad in summer while getting plenty of sunshine on your limbs?
Based on poster responses, I would cut all gluten, go low carb, start taking a loading dose of vitamin D from tomorrow (with K2), take a magnesium supplement to help sleep, bathe in Epsom salts occasionally, if you drink sugar in your tea, cut it.