For the last 6 months I have been feeling exhausted. I have previously been diagnosed with a thalassemia trait which leaves me always anaemic so I know what tiredness is like. But this is exhausted - I sleep about 10 to 11 hours a day but I am still tired. Last week I got up in the morning and realised I'd got into bed the night before with half my clothes on - like someone drunk, but it's tiredness not alcohol. I am too tired to do any housework and even having a shower and getting dressed leaves me needing to sit and rest for a few minutes. I started to do some gentle exercise - just walking at moderate pace for 20 minutes. Even that wipes me out and I have to sleep afterwards. I feel light headed, shivery and my joints ache, a bit like a very mild flu virus, and I am permanently cold and hungry.
I don't want my GP to fob me off with the thalassemia thing - this feels different and a lot more debilitating than anything I have had in the past. What tests should I be asking him to do?