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.

Vitamin D? Not enough protein? Peri?

I was about to ask the same thing. Do not cut out any gluten or cereals from your diet! Eat normally then ask GP for blood tests for Coeliac Disease. If you have it, you are malnourished as your body can't absorb essential nutrients due to autoimmune damage to your intestines.

OP I made an account just to respond to this post because it's so similar to what happened to me. Three things in your post stand out to me:

• My skin has become really full, grey and wrinkly.
• My hair has gone dry.
• Don’t eat much meat but some chicken

I'm almost certain your problem is iron deficiency. I ended up with similar symptoms and I had no idea how low my iron intake was because my diet was very healthy overall. I ate red meat probably once a month, otherwise chicken or vegetarian. I thought I was doing a good thing for myself by avoiding red meat, but apparently vitamins are much less bio-available from plant sources and it's difficult to eat enough iron when you don't eat red meat or take iron supplements (multivitamin doesn't count). My ferritin level was 20 which is at the low end of the normal range but the normal range is from 13-300. I unfortunately lost about half my hair before I discovered that this was the cause. I started taking iron supplements a few months ago and it's made a massive difference. I also eat red meat several times a week now and I make an effort to eat organ meats as well.

Have you had your iron levels tested at all?

Oh and I did not actually have anemia, I had "Iron Deficiency Without Anemia" which can also cause problems because your body has basically no iron stores so it pulls iron out of other body tissues such as hair and skin to use for more essential purposes, like making hemoglobin so you don't become anemic.

I went on HRT at 45.

Has the GP done blood tests?

I didn't have any, but periods were slightly irregular. The GP based their decision on all my other symptoms (brain fog, mood swings etc).

The UK for some weird reason accepts a very low reading of Vit D as normal. In France we take a massive monthly dose in winter. And a lack of VitD makes you feel awful.

These are the three monthly doses possible 50 000 UI, 80 000 UI & 200 000 UI.

Our over the counter daily drops are 20 000 UI. If you happen to know anyone going to the France ask them to be the daily drops. They cost about 2€. Id advise you all to do so.

Check your ferritin levels. I felt like this when mine were 4. Dr told me bloods were normal. Haematologist had a different view...

Your GPs name is on there you may want to get the post removed and redact it then repost. But to answer your question yes ask to speak to a Dr and up your iron intake

Oh no I have misunderstood, my basophil count is fine. My red blood count seems really low and platelet too.

It looks like you have an iron absorption issue.

It can be supply (not eating enough meat) or absorption (damaged gut by too many grains in the diet).

An iron infusion will help when absorption is impaired. Then work on removing grains from your diet to improve absorption and eat plenty of foods that contain heme iron - meat, eggs and fish.

I’m guessing with low iron and low red blood cell count (and platelet) that suggest heading towards anemia?

Have you been tested for coeliac?

How old are you op ?
If you’ve not had a period in three years, then that would make you post menopausal, unless the doctor has offered an alternative explanation for it.

Mid 30s, so yes a concern for me. But the blood test results make me think this is iron related?

That terrible op. Did the doctor suggest any reason for no periods at your age, surely that alone is worthy of investigating further or trialing hrt.
I would try a different doctor.

I spoke to another doctor this afternoon and he basically said it’s all in my head and I should ‘keep a diary’ of how I feel. I give up, I guess this is just how I’m going to feel from now on.

Their advice is so stupid, I already exercise and have a good diet and relax and everything else. He didn’t care that I haven’t had a period in 3 years. I guess this is just my life now.

Do NOT accept that.

Call back and ask for a female doctor. Read the website I posted earlier about peri-menopause and also others have made great suggestions about iron etc.

So, so annoying.

He said it’s not peri, he said the blood tests would show it and they don’t. I guess because I’m mid-30s they don’t think it’s likely. I repeated multiple times I’ve had no period for three years, but he wasn’t interested. I felt so patronised.

5 years ago while I was going through end of my marriage I did what you did and accepted that this was how it was going to be, I'm making efforts to fix myself now. Don't accept it, you need a quality of life too

My blood tests were absolutely normal too. Blood tests are ONE symptom of peri but the biggest indication that SOMETHING is wrong is no periods for three years!!

For me, I had to complain to the surgery and speak to two other GPs. My results were normal too. Lo and behold once on HRT - feel much better.

Can you afford to go private?

I don’t think we can no. They have referred me to gynae but apparently the waitlist is three years.

I’m going to increase my iron intake and see what happens with that and I will try again with another doctor soon. I just feel so frustrated and unheard.

For what it's worth they tried to tell me my sudden need to nap for an hour every afternoon was stress, despite me having one of the best, least stressful years of my life.

So ridiculous - until you're 35 every bloody problem is 'hormonal', then once it actually fucking well is hormones they don't want to say it might be.

Honestly OP, I'm so sorry. I absolutely understand.

Ask if there is a menopause clinic in your area. The wait won't be as long but demand a referral. Don't accept this result - you can push them. I was made to feel like a total hypochondriac, and then they offered me anti-depressants before HRT. Bonkers system.

Complain. Today.

I'm not going to attempt a diagnosis cos I'm not a doctor. But 3 years without a period in your mid 30s is worrying (unless of course you've had a hysterectomy or something. That or youre going throughthe longest pregnancy known to womankind!) I think there's something hormonal going on.