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.

And these iron supplements will.help this? Because i get so ratty when im tired, it could be mistaken for perimenopausal rage.

But then again my inner ears are so feckin itchy. But im told by doctors no thats not a symptom of peri.

It can be hyperactivity of the brain - so if your brain is constantly thinking eighteen things at once, and you are trying to filter out the nonsense and focus on what is currently necessary, then that is exhausting - the equivalent of having to concentrate in an exam. All day every day. Shutting out the ADHD noise can be a really horrible, difficult thing. Imagine trying to have a serious conversation while workmen are drilling outside your house, two children are tugging on your clothes screaming 'Mummy! Muuuuuummmm!' a TV is blaring, your phone is ringing, there's a knock on the door, someone is playing a loud game on their computer, heavy metal music is being played at top volume by your next door neighbour, and your partner or boss is shouting angrily at you from two floors away, all while you try to make an important decision or have a a proper conversation with someone. That's what ADHD brain noise is like at its worst - and it can be like that for hours every day.

Honestly your doctors sound useless as it very much is a symptom.

Do you think you could afford a private appointment with a menopause specialist? I think I paid £300 for a one off appointment or they do around £100 a month and it includes all HRT at menopause care and they do online appointments. They can also recommend what is needed and then send it to your GP which is what I did.

I think its genuinely sounds like a huge combo of things. So you have the Neurodivergence will have an effect, then you are having heavy periods and low ferritin all affecting iron, you are potentially perimenopausal and you do huge amount. Most people would be exhausted with all this going on.

With everything that’s happening are you feeling depressed? I was like you exhausted and I didn’t know I was depressed. I wish you all the best and hope you find the cause. 🙏

No but having caffeine close to taking iron will stop absorption. So for future just avoid caffeine, its best to take it first thing with vitamin c and then avoid caffeine for as long as possible but at least an hour.

No wonder you are tired. You’ve a very busy schedule, physical work on top of 20 k steps.
I found probiotics great and if you can get in ten min cat nap. I close my eyes for ten mins most days it gives me a boost.
Obviously take a health check too.

Not RTFT but posting before I forget - Greek yoghurt contains tryptophan which can make you feel sleepy, it makes me feel like I need to go to bed. I know this might seem random but I noticed you say you might have it for breakfast and dinner…

I may have missed this but do you know your ferritin level? Your symptoms do sound like you need more iron, and much more than a supplement. Like people have said, get ferrous fumarate from the chemist, you don't need a prescription. But do find out your ferritin levels first. Your heavy bleeding has surely left you with an iron deficiency. I was also experiencing flooding, but not as regularly as you describe, and I became anaemic as a result.

Yes, I took ferrous sulfate myself which were quite strong. After dinner with a vit C tablet and no coffee an hour before or after. You’ll feel much better but it’ll take a little while. My ferritin was 34 and I felt exhausted! Although my vit D and Folate was also low. Good luck

You can have inattentive ADHD - there are a few different types but even with hyperactive it can still lead to tiredness and fatigue due to various reasons.

Women are more likely to have the hyperactivity in their heads. So their mind is never quiet. That in itself is also exhausting.

Feeling ok today. Woke up before my alarm and had my iton tablets then walked down to first job. 2 hours done there walked home,had breakfast. Now i know mumsnet is against food waste so I am using up the protein waffles. I had 2 with greek yoghurt, berries and a sprinkle of granola.

Did a workout and I've just had my snack of an apple, peanut butter and some almonds. Lunch will be the same as yesterday and I'll probably have scrambled eggs and cheese for dinner.

If i have this right, I dont take iron tablets tomorrow? But i can take the vitamin c?

Yep my mind goes a mile a minute. Oddly i was much calmer and relaxed on weed back in the day but that's not going to happen now.

Honestly I would be taking them every day as you arent taking really high doses. I would only go to every other day if they cause gut issues.

Ha ha, yes unfortunately substances like weed and alcohol calm our brains. I guess why they can be addictive to us.

I actually really like the Trip CBD drinks to calm my mind in the evening. Obviously not as potent!

I came on here to say this exact thing! Turns out what I thought was peri menopause was hypermobility! Adjusting the training I do and how I sit/stand/walk has helped.

Ultimately if you are hyper mobile it’s not fixable and you will be tired as your connective tissues have to work harder. There is also a link between this and gut issues and neurodiversity, Have a look into it and see if you are before driving yourself bonkers finding a cure.

I mean since having a child my hips are fucked. Sadly i don't have funds to go and find out privately if my husbands policy doesn't include me.

https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/assessing-joint-hypermobility/

Put yourself through this test, see what you get.

There isn’t a cure so you don’t actually achieve anything by going private, but itcould just help you with an understanding of some of the issues you are having. Apparently 10% - 20% of people are hyper mobile! Who knew?

Every other day dosing is because of the hepcidin inhibition effect, not gut issues. It's needed for any intake over 60mg of elemental iron.

OP, you can take the vit C every day if you want but there's no particular reason to do so. Save money by only taking it with the iron.

If you've bought Ferrous Fumarate then you need to follow the instructions on the leaflet it comes with. It's usually one or two per day depending on your iron/ferritin levels.

Have you discussed this with your doctor?

A week without bowel movements is abnormal and very concerning especially given the volume of water you were drinking and an unexplained change in bowel function is usually something to investigate.

You can be hypermobile without it causing any issues, you can also have hypermobility where it causes joint pain etc but doesnt reach the criteria of EDS. So I assume that figure includes benign hypermobility, people that are a bit bendy and have zero pain or issues from it.

I dont believe OP has bought a high dose at all though. Just checked and they have a 28mg elemental iron bisglycinate tablet, I do not believe this requires every other day use.