Constantly feel unwell

[froglet99]

I don’t know what it is. I feel like I’m never quite 100%. Always lacking in energy. Aches and pains. Stomach issues. I suffer badly with mouth ulcers and when I get one of those it can make me feel really unwell for a week. As soon as I get over that something else crops up. I think mostly I’m run down. I have a toddler who still wakes up in the night plus older dc who constantly need ferrying about to other clubs. I work and sometimes (usually around 3pm) I sit at my desk and just feel bone tired, like I could fall asleep right there.

Admittedly I don’t have the best lifestyle - my diet isn’t great and I don’t get chance to exercise beyond a quick walk everyday. I’m beginning to think it’s more though. Could anyone recommend any vitamins or lifestyle tips that might perk me up?

Some of my brother's first Crohn's symptoms were ongoing multiple mouth ulcers at once and stomach cramps. So if other symptoms fit I'd consider that as well as lifestyle improvements x

I’ve always suffered from mouth ulcers and generally at the same time of the month so I’m assuming it’s linked to my cycle/hormones. Just lately I feel so much more tired though. Dh helpfully tells me ‘that’s ageing for you’ but I don’t know. I feel like I have too much to do to feel so shit all the time. I’ve cut down on drinking because I don’t have the time to be hungover. I am trying to drink more water and get at least one walk in per day but I just feel rubbish.

Can you get to a GP and ask for blood tests to see if you are deficient in something? It could be low vitamin d, c, b, or iron, or autoimmune problem, gut flora imbalance, a blood test will rule some things out. Mumsnetters could be guessing all night.
If you can't do that you could start with a general multivitamin tonic like floradix and see if it helps.
Or make sure you are getting probiotics into your system. If you're diet is generally rubbish, start by making one good change, like always eating a healthy breakfast or lunch . Natural yogurt with fruit and muesli or granola. Or porridge with berries.

I think that’s abnormal and you should seek some tests. Maybe blood tests?

I would absolutely also increase exercise (hit 20 mins a day) to see if that helps.

could be any number of things but doesn’t sound right.

I felt like this when I was low in iron and B12. It's shit, hope you feel better soon OP.

I used to get the bone tired feeling at that time of day, when I had a toddler. Never really knew what caused it, but started to suspect it was down to diet. Too much wheat and/or dairy. Could it be that?

Go to a GP. It's not just normal ageing.

You might be suffering from stress/burnout though, especially if you feel you can't be ill because you have too much to do.

I feel like I could have written this myself. I am exactly the same. I’m anxious about going out to meet friends for dinner these days as I know I’ll be knackered for days after due to a later night (not super late) and a glass of wine or two. Surely this isn’t normal.

Definitely not normal. At the very least, I’d guess you are anaemic, but you need to speak to your GP to rule out gastro issues, like Springadorable mentioned crohns, but coeliac and ulcerative colitis can have similar issues. Don’t make drastic changes until you’ve seen your GP but increasing your fruit and veg intake and taking a multivitamin should help.

I used to feel like this a lot - tired and really run down with mouth sores. I recommend looking up Glucose Goddess tips on stabilising your blood sugar levels. Also, try cutting down on ultra processed foods bit by bit.

Go and see the doctor, don’t guess what you have!!

I'll reiterate, get full bloods done. My thyroid issue was identified by chance when I did bloods for something else but I had extreme exhaustion and lethargy for a while which I put down to ageing or stress or having a toddler at home. I really wish I had caught it earlier as it would have saved me a very tough year.

My GP phoned me today and told me I should have all these symptoms as my recent blood test has come back with really low (off the scale low) folate and B12 levels. I don't have any symptoms and my low levels are likely due to my diabetes meds but I'm now on folic acid for 3 months to try and get them back up.
See if you can get some bloods done.

I used to be run down and suffer really horrific mouth ulcers.. up to 20 at a time.. until l started b12 injections along with folic acid for absorption.
I SI weekly.. not had one scince n energy levels so improved.
Buy them from Germany .. works out £1 per ampule.. beauty parlours charge £30 each

What is your typical diet?
Do you take any vitamins at the moment?

Please see your GP. You sound really run down and might need more than vitamins.

you might need some tests done.

See GP for a 'tired all the time screen' with blood tests including a coeliac screen. May need a FIT test (bowel cancer screen). Ask for h pylori testing (stomach bug that can cause stomach ulcers) depending on your gastro symptoms.

If all is normal and no other testing is felt to be required based on your symptoms, consider whether symptoms are of perimenopause.

With regard to vitamins, general multivitamin containing vitamin d is usually fine. Supplement with vit d should be taken every day of the year as it reduces all cause mortality and prevents 1 premature death for every 150 people that take it. Also probably reduces risk of autoimmune disease e.g. MS hugely.

This! But make sure your first B12 injection is under medical supervision as there is the risk of an anaphylactic reaction.

Don’t take anything containing B12 before getting levels tested. It stays in your system for 4-6 months affecting blood test results BUT if you can’t absorb from food, you can’t absorb from a tablet, so the high level is wrong and you aren’t getting it at a cellular level.

if you eat a diet that contains even occasional B12, if you are deficient it’s an absorption issue. Only injections can help this. You need cofactors to support (absolute bare minimum is folic acid) - if you’re on Facebook there are some great B12 support groups. Look for the one run by the B12 Society (B12 Wake Up or something like that).

Everything you have described are classic B12 deficiency symptoms. The best thing is it’s a cheap and easy fix, and it’s water soluble so you can’t have too much!

Good luck.

Second this! I put it down to having a mew baby, wish I'd got it checked sooner. Go to the drs and explain everything you've said here, they should do full blood tests. Good luck!

This is exactly what I was going to say. Stomach upset, mouth ulcer, extreme tiredness were my crohn's symptoms

I would ask for a blood test to check for any deficiencies, just to be sure.

But you say yourself your lifestyle isn’t great - you don’t have a good diet, you have a toddler who wakes in the night and you don’t get much exercise. All those things combined are going to make you feel pretty shit, unfortunately.

I recently just stopped eating bread. Eat oakcakes instead (boring) but my digestion immediately improved. Also drink some keffir in the morning for my microbiome - take something to help that.