Extreme ongoing fatigue - what's wrong with me?!

[insanelycheerful]

For the past couple of weeks I've been feeling extreme levels of fatigue. As in body/limbs feeling heavy and tired, zero energy (as opposed to feeling like I need to sleep, although that would be nice too!)

I'm not sleeping too badly, the usual 7 hours on average and not really struggling to get to sleep at night or waking lots.

I have 4 and 2 year old DCs, eldest just started school and I gave up work (was PT, 3 days a week) just before he started school, so have had a bit of a change in general routine etc, so possibly I am just adjusting to this. But the fatigue is so extreme and really hits me the moment I sit down for more than 2 mins.

I suffered from low iron in first pregnancy and anaemia in 2nd pregnancy, so wonder if my iron levels are low again. I do feel rather like I did when I had anaemia to be honest. As well as the fatigue I feel generally quite unwell, reduced appetite, occasionally feverish (temp has been raised but upper 37 degrees not actual fever) and also quite shaky some of the time.

Would the GP laugh me out of the surgery to go in and ask about blood tests for iron to rule that out?

Is there anything else that could cause this? I am normally in good health, active, energetic, big appetite etc so am finding this quite puzzling and frustrating!

I felt exactly like this when I had glandular fever.

Really pokes??
Do you also get sore throat/tender glands in neck with that though? I had sore throat last week but gone now and would expect bad sore throat and swollen glands for glandular fever, but am no expert!
Are you better now?

I had a very mild sore throat for a few days at the beginning, but that's all.

But then the tiredness went on for months.

Oh and it was in 2008 so yes I'm much better now thanks :)

Your GP can test for glandular fever quite easily with a blood test.

Thank you. Will see how it goes this week and if still feeling crazy tired etc will go to docs. I know it sounds ridiculous but it's actually made me feel a bit teary at times I've felt that exhausted!

I felt a bit like that when I had undiagnosed hypothyroidism which had become quite extreme - basically slows down all of your body's systems, so other effects can be feeling very cold, weight gain, dry skin, constipation. The tiredness was the worst though, could barely walk up the stairs. Oh and brain fog - feeling like everything was going in slow motion, bad memory etc.

Thanks mrsmooms. The exhaustion is like you describe, although I don't have those other symptoms so guess it's not thyroid related. Hope you are doing a lot better now it's been diagnosed.

That's exactly how I felt for many months before finally going to the doctor - in my case, it turned out that I was very anaemic.

I would see your Dr earlier if you can get an appt as you will have to wait for blood test results. If your iron is low then the quicker you start supplements then you will start to feel better.

Also get dr to test your vit d levels.

Could also "just" be a virus. Can knock you right off.

I would def get to GP and ask for full blood count.

Thanks all. Feeling slightly better today after eating loads of spinach and red meat these past few days, and taking spatone in my OJ. So perhaps it is iron related....
Still not right though, so will think about getting a GP appointment tomorrow.

Oh and I had liver and bacon last night! YUM!!

I felt like this when I was pregnant. Just saying ...

Haha me too BIWI!! But it's DEFINITELY not that!

Are you sure?

Sure I'm sure!
Not that I wouldn't quite like to be though..... ;-)