very tired with no apparent reason

[frustratedashell]

Hi im 53 in pretty good health except for feeling so tired lot of the time. I have an under active thyroid but that has been checked. Have also had blood tests for anemia and liver and kidney function. All came back normal. I have been eating healthily and I exercise fairly regularly. There is no reason to feel so drained at times. A friend suggested that I may need to eat more carbs that release their energy slowly. Have tried this but have not noticed a change.
I have been on HRT for about 6 or 7 months but feel that has helped, no more hot flushes! I have been through quite a lot emotionally, especially in the last 6 months. I know i should go back to the doctor. But wondered if anyone may be able to help or advise me. Thanks

I really feel for you, it's so frustrating not knowing why you're tired.
Have you ruled out wheat intolerance say? This made a huge huge difference to me as I didn't know I had it but now know a few breadcrumbs are enough to affect me severely. Do you actually need to sleep or just feel sapped of energy?
Can you manage any exercise for example or does this drain you?

I have wondered about wheat intolerance. I do go to the gym but it's one with motorised machines for more mature ladies! Quite a few ladies in their 60s and 70s there. You can work as hard as you like on the machines. I enjoy it. But I'm a self employed domestic cleaner so I have an active job. But I come home after a 3 hrs job pretty tired. The times I notice it most is when I'm walking uphill. I feel like I've been unplugged from the mains, if you see what I mean. I go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week for about 30 minutes. I just think I shouldn't feel like this at my age.
I sometimes have to have a nap in the afternoon.
Thank you for your comments

If your thyroid is not being adequately treated you may be showing as 'normal' but actually at the lower end of the normal scale rather than being somewhere towards the top (its a range, based on people who don't have problems, so some of them are naturally inclined to be at a higher level and perhaps you are too). Otherwise ask for a full blood count etc to rule out any other disorders - if your thyroid is autoimmune there could be other factors at play - B12 anemia etc.

When you go to the GP be sure to cite examples of things you can't do now which you used to do, rather than just "I'm tired" as they are notorious for writing off anything vague as 'women's problems'.

I am on thyroxine but I agree with you doing, it's hard to convince the doctor though. I have a new doctor now. I will try to get an appointment asap.I can't go on like this. Just been out for a short walk and I'm drained.

Never accept that any blood test is 'normal'. All that means is that it is within the normal range - the actual result may be far from optimal.

I was told that my iron stores were 'low normal' and no treatment was required. They were actually two points off the bottom of the range and I was in all sorts of trouble and really needed intravenous iron therapy!

Ask your doctor for a print out of your results - this is your data and he cannot withhold it from you. Then you'll see where you are.

If you are hypothyroid, there is a good chance that your iron levels are low and also B12, folate and vitamin D - it seems to be part of the raw deal. These all need to be checked.

I've done some more research on this today. I had forgotten what symptoms were involved. I definitely think my thyroid is the problem. I went to bed for 3 hours this afternoon, not normal is it? I do feel better for it though.
Will phone doc tomorrow and will write down your suggestions and be assertive when I see her. I've had enough now! Thank you everyone for your help. I will let you know what happens.

Hope you get a good result, I suffer with this too. On levothyroxine for hypothyroid and HRT, also gluten free diet as I have coeliac disease. Despite all this still have times when I feel really tired. I also have joint pain which has flared today after overdoing gardening yesterday. I also had a nap this afternoon! My levothyroxine was increased in February and it has been a bit better since then just feel a bit wired at times as if it is too much but then tiredness comes back at other times.

You sound like me when my thyroid is run down and not being adequately treated. You need a good dose of a good GP!

Quick update. I managed to get through to doctors this morning on the first attempt! Miracle! And seeing my doctor at 10.30 Today. Another miracle! Lol. I'm going for the hat trick. Will let you know how it goes

Good luck, hope you get it sorted out x

Well my doctor wasn't overly helpful! Didn't seem to know anything about my medical history! She asked me if I ever suffered from depression. Only for the last 20 years off and on! And have I taken anti depressants? So i replied rather tersely, yes I'm on them now! Anyway I put my views assertively that im convinced its my thyroid. So I'm having more blood tests, for that and vitamin d levels. But I've got to wait a week before I can have blood taken as they are fully booked till then. Then another week till results come back. So basically 2 weeks till anything will be achanged. I'm so frustrated! I asked if taking iodine and selenium would be harmful and she said no. So been and got some. At least I feel like I'm doing something positive. Feel quite angry.

Not a doc but I would say DON'T take any supplements esp. iodine until you have had your bloods taken as you might mask symptoms..

I did wonder that but she didn't say that. Mind you she wasn't very good!

I could have written your post frustrated! exact same age and symptoms, have not met anyone else as tired as me! I have been tested for everything too could only come up with low iron stores and vit D3 levels low so have been taking supplements with a small success but not anywhere near my normal energy levels I feel I need thyroxine but keep getting told its normal range so frustrating like your name implies, my mum and her sister both take thyroxine, so I am convinced my normal thyroxine level is probably high and it has dropped to low normal and I have tiredness as result, its all I can come up with, but Gp will not prescribe so I am struggiling along feeling exhausted, wiped out some days, I swim like an o a p now when a few months back would be a great swimmer GP keeps suggesting M.E but I dont think it is as some days I have some energy. Also on HRT which helped a bit but then wore off. wish I knew what it was do you think we will get our old selves back after menopause over ? this doesnt help you but I am so glad I read your post to see I am not the only one!

Away (love your name ), glad you don't feel so alone now. If I were you I would change doctors. If mine isn't better next time I'm going to see another doc in the practise. Annoying when they don't believe you isn't it? Take care and good luck

Away, its crazy that you have both family history and hormonal upheaval and yet your GP still isn't considering it as an option. Can you ask for the details of your bloods to see exactly where you are in the 'normal' range. If its low then try to convince them to trial a small amount of thyroxine if you promise to have regular tests to make sure it stays within the range.

Frustrated, glad to hear they are testing you, even if not especially quick or helpful. Your depression could well be another symptom of under treated thyroid

Hi
Has your GP actually done blood tests to check your estrogen level to determine that your HRT is the correct dosage?

I found my GP was useless with information about HRT so I pushed for a referral to a menopause clinic where I had blood tests done which determined my levels of both estrogen and testosterone were too low and were causing my acute fatigue.

it's worth a try. Hope you get it sorted soon.

Thanks for replies ladies will try suggestions even if its just to stop people telling me at work that I look very tired! and I would just love to get back to my zumba! but just not able even to walk dog some nights very frustrating will go back to GP's and read riot act till I see someone,thanks again and good luck to us both frustrated, x

I forgot to ask for a copy of my previous results. Trouble is they won't make sense to me anyway. Decided not to take the supplements I bought in case it messes up the results.
What on earth did the doctor mean by your cells are a funny shape? Not a medical term? Lol. Good luck everyone

Been for another blood test. Been for results today. Apparently I'm at the lower end of the normal range but I was firm with my doctor and said I wasn't happy with the way things were being dealt with. She's printed out my results for me. I've yet to look into them. Anyway she's upped my thyroxine from 100 to 125 a day. Got to go back for another test in 8 weeks. Will be at least 2 weeks till I feel any improvement. plprogress of sorts!

That's a result, 25 can make a big difference for me. Hope you start to feel an improvement soon.

Thanks

I'm trying to improve intestinal flora at the moment with some stuff I bought at the allergy show called Symprove or something. Can bad gut flora affect energy I wondered?

I constantly wonder / get frustrated dont have more answers here. I've also read about some people really not tolerating electro-magnetic stuff but hard to know.
I've bought a very comprehensive vitamin& mineral supplement.

Hope your blood tests help