To want to know why I feel so tired/ill all the time!!

[Bamboozle30001]

I'm 41, 5ft 7in 12 stone and I strength train for half an hour 4 days a week. I do under 20k steps due to being a cleaner 5 days a week. I eat very well and log my food on myfitnesspal.

Last week doctors thought my gallbladder was inflamed but, bloods, urine and a further physical exam all came back fine. Then why for the love of God am I am ALWAYS tired?Energy drinks or black coffee do nothing. I sleep for 8 hours.

I'd had a previous blood test a few weeks back as I suspected perimenopause but apart from high reading of b12...which I have no idea where that came from as I don't eat much in the way of the foods mentioned that are fortified, or take vitamin supplements either. I do have fibroids, but still I constantly feel tired and just generally unwell. Like the feeling that you're coming down with a cold, just run down all the bastard time.

Would it be worth getting a private doctor and see if there's any other tests or something because I am fed up of feeling like this.

Well im just a cleaner so I just thought i have no leverage to argue with a qualified doctor 🤣

I’d halve your water intake - 1.5 to 2 litres a day is plenty. It’s also fine to drink when you’re thirsty… we really do not need to be continually pouring water down our necks!

halve the strength training and halve the steps you do (appreciate this is tricky when it’s your job!)

just sounds like you’re overdoing it to me.

Also menopause at 41 would be considered early - no matter what people on mumsnet will try and tell you. Yes, some women experience early perimenopause but it’s not the norm

No, ESR is erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It's raised in rheumatic diseases and those can make you very tired. Your CRP says you've got no unusual inflammation so ESR probably wouldn't help.

The step count when I'm cleaning is very slow pace. I only show as brisk walking when I'm going to my morning job or afternoon job. Both those times are 23 mins or 10 mins for the afternoon walk. Whilst I'm cleaning I'm not over exerting myself and sweaty at all.

Too much water
too much processed junk

So my crp is ok? I am being retested in a few months for the b12 and thyroid. I was told this via text message. I then called and told the receptionist to pass on a note to say i dont take supplements for b12 or have any fortified (that i can think of) foods. I dont eat much dairy but again im not very clever so perhaps i am.

In boots ask for ferrous fumerate or just iron tablets. Pharmacy will know what you need

Is that a typical diet for you? What about lunch and dinner? Snacks?

Because on the face of it, you're having energy drinks and UPF nonsense for breakfast - so it's not really surprising that you feel like shit and that your stomach isn't very happy with you.

I don't know what to eat then 😭 i need to have protein otherwise I wont be full up and then ill get fat again. Ive already been told im overweight its only by about 16lbs but still im trying everything but without glp i just cant lose the weight. Im always hungry. Always tired and im at my wits end. Im so fed up.

For lunch i had sweet potato with scrambled eggs and cheese. I will probably have turkey mince with salad and a chipotle sauce made with greek yoghurt and chipotle paste.

If i have snacks i go over 1800 calories. Even that amount is doing fuck all for weight loss. If i go lower at 1600 im hungry

Get your protein via natural sources, not waffles and powder. The rest of your diet sounds fine so why not do something similar for breakfast? I would do full-fat greek yoghurt with fruit and granola, instead, for example.

And no energy drinks. They are so bad for you - yes, they give you a boost but they will then cause a massive slump which you can only recover from by having more energy drinks.

Start by dropping an energy drink for breakfast everyday!!! That will put you out of whack from the start.

Ok i will try that. Thank you. I know I should stop the one treat i have. Now its getting cooler i will likely go back to having my black coffees

I find it interesting that you keep referring to them as a treat - what is that you like so much about them? There's absolutely nothing beneficial about them (diet wise) and I'm not surprised you feel like shit if you drink one everyday.

I buy mine from Amazon. https://amzn.eu/d/01sqbkA6

Are you eating veg/ fruit/fibre to go with all that protein?

Food, diet and GLp1’s are totally overwhelming. I haven’t used GLPs but i did get ChatGPT to help me build a low upf, high protein and fibre food plan.

You can tell it your budget and where you shop, as well as everything you’ve told us here. Then tell it to act as a qualified and registered dietician and give a list of foods to focus your meals on, snacks and meal ideas.

if you have tried ChatGPT before, you just need to download the app. You can write loads in the prompt box and then keep asking it questions or clarify anything you’re not clear about.

Honestly, I was over complicating it so much and it really helped me work out what to eat, what to have in moderation and how to speak to the GP about perimenopause so I was listened to and helped.

I will look at that later. We're going out now. Thank you.

Yes.

Just some thoughts to consider which may or may not make a difference, I think it’s likely to be a matter of trial and error!
cut the energy drink
eat more whole foods
Iron tablets
try 9 hours sleep
limit screens before bed
limit/cut out caffeine consumption
what do you do to relax?

I don’t know much about these things but as non medic it sounds like your body has gone through a lot with two types of weight loss drugs.

good luck x

I guess the taste really. But I've felt like shit even before they were a thing. Even as a teenager, i would come home, have a nap for an hour (mum wouldn't let me nap for more than that) then have dinner/exercise.

2 things I’d check for extreme fatigue - Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Thyroid function.

Google the Epworth Sleepiness score. Complete it and take the results to your GP if you get a high score or if you snore badly. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is relatively easy to treat with CPAP but is a high health risk if untreated.

Thyroid disease is much more common in women so largely under diagnosed and poorly treated. Thyroid regulates your metabolism and affects everything. Underactive thyroid causes everything in your body to slow down and so extreme fatigue.

Drs now only test one Thyroid hormone typically but this tells you nothing. They test TSH and this tells you how much demand there is for Thyroid hormones. But your demand (TSH) level can be normal even if your body isn’t making the right Thyroid hormones it needs.
You have to test the actual Thyroid hormone levels themselves - both Free T4 (storage) and Free T3 (active). Both of these need to be at a good level for your body to function well. Private test companies and discount codes listed on the Thyroid UK charity website.

i had a normal TSH level but my FT4 and FT3 were far too low and my underactive Thyroid (Hypothyroidism) had progressed into Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s). I had a Thyroid antibody level 13 times above the top of the normal range - my immune system was destroying my Thyroid gland. I’d never have known this without private testing. Turns out I have a DIO2 gene variation and cannot metabolise Levothyroxine. There is a UK pressure group supported by all the UK Thyroid charities to get access to NHS prescription T3 - Liothyronine for those who need it; ITT - Improve Thyroid Treatment.
Ive had to go on to NDT via private Endocrinologist prescription.

I wish i could get 9 hours sleep. I ha e to be up at 4am weekdays to finish cleaning and be back in time incase dh needs to go the office. I go to sleep as soon as our ds is asleep and now he's 5 its about 8pm or 8.30pm some nights.