I feel like my body is falling apart.

[spingey]

Im constantly tired. I sit down, I fall asleep. I have terrible pain in a lot of my joints, mainly on the right side of my body.
I had the implant fitted in Feb, havent had a period since (which I dont think is helping things)

Im only in my early 20's. Im a single mum with 2 kids. I keep fit, eat well, sleep well, dont smoke or drink. This is destroying my life and my Dr either gives me iron tablets or anti depressants. Neither of which I think is the correct course of action.
I dont have a lot of support, its just me and the kids and I dont want to feel like this any more.

Could just do with someone to talk to I guess.

Don't have an answer for you. But recognise a lot in what you are saying, right down to the joint pain. I became very depleted after the birth of second son. And it took me a long time to dig myself out of the hole I'd created. Little support and not looking for support, not eating properly, no sleep, no adequate exercise etc....Spent a lot of time thinking it was something dire. Lyme's Disease figured highly on my list of possibles. Dark times.

If you or your GP think you need to take iron then you could try Floradix. I took this after both of my boys were born and I've actually started taking it again now as I am a bit under the weather. It's quite expensive (£12 for a big bottle here, about a month's supply) but I saw results in about three days to a week and without the side effects of the iron tablets.

It's a mixture of iron, various plant extracts and orange juice.

I think you would get it in a health food shop but my local pharmacy do stock it.

It's not helpful but you are probably exhausted. It sounds as though you are taking as good care of yourself as you can but you need a break. Is there any way you can get a break?

Also if you don't feel you are getting better, see your GP again. I felt mine were too quick to mark me down as another tired, anxious mother. Although in my case I think they were probably right. However if I'd stuck with there first efforts I would be on some pretty heavy medication now.

Sorry you feel so crap Spingey. It sounds really miserable to be that zonked out. You said you sleep well but are you getting enough overall sleep on a regular basis would you say? If you arent getting much support, it's not surprising you're tired out because looking after small children, particularly on your own, is knackering both physically and mentally, no matter how easy they might be. How old are they btw?

I agree with WantaSherbert about going back to your GP because they can be really quick to latch onto something (tired young mum or overweight or menopausal or smoker/heavy drinker etc) as the sole reason for everything someone happens to come into the surgery with. Have you been tested for underactive thyroid? And iron levels or is the GP just assuming you might be anaemic and giving you low dose iron tabs?

You sound as if you are doing all good things in terms of diet, drinking, smoking etc but how would you describe your mood? Low level depression can make you feel really whacked out and cause all sorts of aches/pains/sensations.

Def think your GP should do a blood test and check everything out.

Do your DCs go to mums & tots/nursery or anything? Are there any other Mums nearby or any groups you go to or could go to?

My exp doesnt see the children anymore and isnt allowed unsupervised access. My mum is my only real source of help but she has gone off the radar a bit. If I didnt contact her then I dont think I would ever hear from her. My sisters wont help so ut just leaves me. Most of the time im fine, even when im.feeling exhausted. They go to bed nicely.most nights so I can crash out once they are asleep.
I had a blood test today so if that comes bk that I have anemia then I will try the pills you recommended. The traditional iron tablets usually leave me constipated which isnt good as I had a third degree tear with ds.

Thankyou for replying. I think sometimes the worst part is just the emotional strain it puts on me.

The kids are 3 and 4. Im pretty lucky, they are good kids and yes they do drive me bonkers at times, on the whole they are good.

I go to bed at 11 most nights and get up at 7.30. Seems to be enough sleep for me.

I have suffered from anemia for as long as I can remember. I get put on iron, things get better then they start to go downhill again and im back to square 1. I dont understand why I keep becoming anemic when I eat properly.

I had bloods done last week but they lost half the result so I had them done again today. Im not sure what they were testing for. I know iron was on the list of things that got lost.

I had really bad depression after dd was born and although I do have days where I feel depressed im pretty sure this is down to the lack of energy rather than the depression being the cause if the tiredness if that makes sense.

I go to the gym most mornings for an hour with my sister, she has just had a baby and gained 5 stone so is dragging me there with her. I do struggle with it a little because of being so tired but I do think it has been beneficial too. I dont really go to baby groups round here. Its very middle class and Im quite clearly not. I do have a few friends with children which is nice.

Spingey. Sorry I had to break for dinner etc... Still got to get the boys to bed!

Gads, it's so annoying after we've dragged ourselves in to the doctors to get the advice and the blood tests and then they lose the results.

I used to find that once I had got everything together, got the kids down the stairs, through the streets, up the hill and into the surgery then spent 40 minutes distracting them with raisins and peeling them off of various unhappy people in the waiting room that I was near euphoric just to see a doctor. It's no wonder they didn't take me seriously.

If you are going to the gym I think you are doing yourself a huge favour. Money in the bank, as it were. (As long as you're not doing too much. That's my mother talking!)

I hated iron pills they gave me constipation too. Floradix is a liquid. I think it works so well because it's combined with orange juice.

Yes. After the second baby I couldn't drum up the enthusiasm to do the baby groups anymore. I do think it's a pity I didn't. I maybe wouldn't have ended up so isolated and ill. But that is the choice I made based on the fact that I was exhausted and didn't have the energy to "put on a good face" or the desire to be a big moaner in company. It was all a bit self-defeating. I should have gone and been the biggest moaner in the place. Whinged everyone's socks off.

I don't really have any advice. It's just really hard sometimes. I would say though that things are better now than they were six months ago. And maybe in another six months they will be a little bit better again.

I'm more of a lurker than a poster but your post struck a chord. I hope things get a little brighter for you soon.