To ask you what is wrong with me?

[WhimsicalPig]

I feel awful all the time. Physically, mentally. I’ve had a huge range of bloods done twice and GPS say they can’t find anything so that’s the end of it all. But I feel exhausted all the time, I get headrushes a lot. My brain is constantly foggy. And when I say exhausted, I don’t mean really tired, I mean I get dizzy with exhaustion. I could lay down in the cold and rain in The road and sleep. It’s dangerous for me to drive a car. Doctors have put me on sertraline but this has neither changed the situation nor has it made it worse. I am mum to a two year old but have two days a week away from them whilst I work in a job I do enjoy, or would if my brain wasn’t so fogged up I could think properly

Its affecting my physically and mental health. I can’t run more than a few metres without being knackered and out of breath. My skin has become really full, grey and wrinkly. My hair has gone dry. I want to eat junk food all the time, but I actually have a good diet with lots of veg and whole grains. Don’t eat much meat but some chicken, have other protein though. I take a multivitamin, omega fats and a probiotic. I also have powdered things like collagen and turmeric which I have in smoothies a few times a week. I eat lots and lots of nuts and seeds. But my face is so hideous, I had my hair cut today and I couldn’t even look in the mirror I hate it so much. I look about ten years older than I am. My teeth are hurting and going yellow, but my dentist said they were healthy last time I saw him but they look terrible.

I have been feeling awful for months on end. It’s just constant and the GPS no longer care. They’ve got me some mental health meds and on the waiting list for counselling and see you later, but that doesn’t change the physical issues I’m having and the medication hasn’t changed the physical issues. I can’t sleep even though I’m beyond shattered, like this is a tiredness like nothing else. I’m not overweight, I’m 8.5 stones at 5’5”. I can’t afford to go private, nor can I afford to get my teeth whitened or have Botox before anyone says anything. And I have got a good skincare routine going with spf and retinol etc. I feel like something is really wrong but because it isn’t showing up in blood tests doctors don’t care. I worry with the breath loss, headrushes etc it’s my heart but no other symptoms. I just don’t know where to turn, I feel alone. My body is clearly screaming at me something is up but I don’t know what it is. I’m scared.

When they first brought them out. I got Covid after the first vaccine. Haven’t had any issues until about a year ago and it’s gotten steadily worse. Even six months ago I was coping better than I am now.

Sounds very much like Hashimoto’s Disease but it should show up in blood tests. I had all the symptoms you describe with it.
Sorry you’re feeling so rubbish x

Carbon Monoxide?
Do you live with anyone else?

Yes partner and son. They’re not feeling like me. We have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted too and I work from home so it’s not a workplace thing.

I did wonder if it was black mould at one point but I checked my whole house and nothing. Plus, surely my husband and son would be the same?

Have you got access to your blood test results on the NHS app? If so, I suggest having a look at them. I was shocked to look at mine and find that my ‘satisfactory’ blood test results were absolutely dire and several of them were at the very bottom of the ranges given. Feeling a lot better after supplementing ferritin, B12, folate and vitamin D.

Could you have been bitten by a tick? Some of what you're describing matches Lyme Disease. Otherwise I'd be thinking perimenopause.

Do you have breast implants?

Have you had your B12 checked?

No to implants, yes to B12.

indont have any red patches that would indicate Lyme disease?

I’ll see if I can see my results.

Sounds like menopause, not peri if you haven't had a period for 3 years. Maybe review the oestrogen again; HRT could really help.

I agree with a PP you might want to consider gluten intolerance.
It's definitely worth cutting gluten out for a month to see if it helps. You'd feel a difference after two weeks probably. Also don't be fooled by thinking you can't have an intolerance because of your lack of bowel symptoms etc... plenty of people don't have the 'standard' symptoms.

It causes vitamin deficiency due to the villi in your intestines being damaged znd not absorbing nutrients. Also causes brain fog and extreme fatigue.

Also, make sure you're not drinking tea within an hour of taking your vitamins (or eating). The polyphenols in tea decrease iron absorption by up to 90% so it's really important.

It actually sounds like chronic anxiety to me which is getting worse as you feel that no one will listen to you and your brain is telling you you must be ill.

i have had anxiety on and off for years and I was absolutely wiped out with it for a period. Felt absolutely shattered every day, my sleep was broken, I had no energy, was breathless and and I was convinced something was wrong with me. Eventually a drug sorted me out and keeps me on a relatively even keel now but I am still prone to bouts of the above From time to time.

CFS is chronic fatigue syndrome

Have you got print outs of your bloods or the actual results?
Mine were "fine" but actually weren't

You sound exactly like I felt. I’m 42 and now on HRT, because my GP is great. It’s made a difference.

Side note, if you are anaemic a multi vitamnin won’t cut it. You need iron supplements and b12, and about 4-6 weeks to feel the difference.

Can you rule out exhaustion?

It could very well be lots of different things. But it could all stem from the not sleeping - it can cause all your other symptoms.

Have you tried sleeping pills? Can you ask your GP for melatonin? Or even just try some antihistamines? Ask GP what you can get to help you sleep. I realise this may be difficult if you have a 2 year old, but is there someone else that can deal with any night waking?

I would second and third people asking if you have your actual blood results to look at.
Iron, Vit D, B12 and Folate (which I doubt GP would have checked for) are the obvious culprits and the GP will say "they're fine" or "they're a bit low" but look at the Iron protocol on Facebook for help with ranges and actual dosage needed to increase these - there's not enough in a multi vitamin to address any of these and actually taking different things together can block absorption so that can be an issue too.

And I had to fight to get thyroid meds because it wasn't quite out of range but at the very upper level of what's"normal" with all the symptoms.... so get that number too.

Thyroid problems?

Have you had sights of said “normal” blood test results?
Can you have a look at the main ones and see if any are borderline high/low?
Many of our “lab ranges” aren’t actually the functional ranges as when they were established, people with too low/too high values were included making the ranges far from what they should actually be for our bodies to function properly. (This is a bit long to explain, especially since I’m relaying 2nd hand info and I’ve probably done a poor job of it).

For many people these ranges may be ok, but for others even just “borderline” values, which GPs
often ignore, can be causing problems.

I also agree with perimenopause. How old are you op?

I am 44 and have recently started HRT due to similar (but mess severe) symptoms to you. Still early days no no huge differences yet but I’m hoping it helps.

I feel anxious. Low and permanently tired. I am also a single parent to two teenagers and work full time though so I guess a degree of tiredness is to be expected!

Also, sleep apnea should be looked into if you feel like falling asleep anywhere.

Iron, vit D and vit B12 very important.
Should all be in the middle or upper part of their ranges.

Ask your GP to recheck your thyroid and your ferritin levels.

I have underactive thyroid, it's caused by autoimmune disease and runs in my family. Docs have know for years my levels were dropping but "within range" yes within 0.5 of the bottom! Argued and pushed to be given theraputic dose of thyroxine, I feel like a new woman! Hair and nails regrowing, anxiety almost gone, sleeping at night and sex drive back. I would ask for your actual numbers from bloods not just that they're "normal" or "in range". Good luck.

Another vote for perimenopause. I know lots of women early 40s and already getting HRT

I’m going to request to look at my test results tomorrow, that’s a good idea. I’ve checked the app but they aren’t on there

Mine too.
Reaction to vaccination/booster?