Keep going lightheaded and drained at work

[9amtrain]

These past few weeks I've kept feeling exhausted, weak and lightheaded within an hour or so of starting work and having to come to sit down multiple times (I'm a cleaner). I didn't exactly find it easy before now but I didn't feel ill after an hour of moving about.

I've been taking iron, folate, Vitamin D and (injecting) B12 to keep them at optimal levels as I've been on the lower side of all of them at one point or another and have since come back as having good levels, so the obvious ones to me have been ruled out, as well as diabetes and thyroid.

Fatigue/lethargy isn't new to me and I've been trying to get to the bottom of it for years, but this feeling lightheaded every shift is recent. I am eating well and drinking lots.

My GPs have been useless (I've been paying for private blood tests because they won't) otherwise I'd go there first.

I've also become extremely clicky and have developed back pain, achy joints and what I suppose is plantar fascitis as my heels have become really sore every morning until I get going. I wear very supportive trainers, I practically bounce while wearing them. I clean for a few hours every evening and can barely do anything else the rest of the day or on weekends.

Sorry to ramble I'm feeling all over the place.

I'm only early 20s and have had plenty of time off, so it's not like I'm working long shifts 7 days a week. I just had a week off, another week not long before that etc.

Any ideas before I bring it up with my doctor, wouldn't surprise me if someone told me something more useful than they will? Thanks.

It sounds like you are very concerned about your health. I'd say try and relax, it could be a symptom of stress.

@Jamhandprints I'm not "very concerned about my health", I am feeling ill for no apparent reason and want to know why...

I'm really not stressed :(

I could use a bit more stress if anything as everything is so mundane!

How is your Iron & Ferritin levels?

They should be fine, had them tested recently (and I know there's lab normal and optimal). I take liquid feroglobin with iron and other vitamins and minerals daily to keep them up. But I actually do feel similar to when I was anaemic years ago. Maybe they'll retest them despite taking supplements, will see. :)

Could you be reacting badly to some cleaning product you use?
Could there be a gas leak in a place where you work?
Or something on those lines?

Could you be pregnant?

@Toofle Hmm I don't think I am as nothing's changed from before, but will pay more attention tomorrow and see if there's any connection, thanks

@ItscalledaVulva Nah I'm male

Ask the dr to check cortisol levels. It could be adrenal. I have Addisons and this sounds a lot like me before diagnosis. It is very rare, but may be worth checking.

@Amiable Thanks. Funny you mention that. One of my private blood tests included cortisol and it came back low so I read about Addison's/Adrenal Insufficiency and asked for a referral to an endocrinologist. They retested it when I saw them 6 months later, it was low again, so they did a short synacthen test and because that came back normal they discharged me. :S

It wasn't dangerously low but on the lower side the first two tests until the third one when it was ok.

9amtrain have you check your blood pressure and heart rate? I suffered from symptoms of lightheadness, dizziness, fatigue, pins and needles, and blurry vision at times. I had loads of tests and put it down to deficiency of B12 until I noticed with my fit it that my rest heart rate was very low especially at night and all my symptoms were related. I've been referred to cardiologist and thankfully no heart dysfunction but my low blood pressure and heart rate is what is making me feel like this especially first thing in the morning.

Advice was to give up all tea and cofee, alcohol (not that I drank anyway) and to drink 2 to 3 L of water everyday. Keeping hydrated does seem to help. Just an idea to explore.

@swingofthings yeah I've had heart rate and blood pressure checked a few times over the years, always normal. Does that rule it out or would I need to be monitoring it at certain times or for longer periods like you get with blood pressure monitors etc?

Thanks

I think you should have your potassium levels checked.

What time of day do you start work at? How long after your last meal do you start work. Could it be a low blood sugar because you do a sudden burst of work and haven't eat for a couple of hours?
If you work very early mornings, do you eat a decent breakfast?
You can buy Lucozade/glucose tablets at the chemist.
Try bringing a banana and eating that right before you start work. As soon as you feel drained and lightheaded eat one or two glucose tablets and see if that helps.

@9amtrain my spider senses are tingling!

What time of did they do the short synacthen test? It has to be done first thing in the morning and the blood put on ice immediately to get the right results. It is very common for results to be wrong because they are not done properly. Bearing in mind you had 2 low cortisol results I would pursue this. Do you have dark patches on your face, hands or gums? How has your blood pressure been?

If it is adrenal insufficiency it can be managed with replacement steroids - it had made a dramatic difference to me. If it is adrenal and you are not on steroids the consequences can be very serious. Please do push for further testing, and let me know how you are doing.

Sorry for not responding before. Indeed I never realised I had low blood pressure as I had only had it taken in the day at the gp practice when I'm usually feeling a bit nervous anyway as always late and then rushing. I got a machine and started testing it at night and morning and that's when I realised.

Am under the care of cardiologist heart working normally thank god but 24h ECG confirmed very low heart rate at night. Am now waiting for 24h blood pressure monitoring and heart rate over a week.

I wonder if you have hypermobility syndrome?

You can get associated blood pressure issues with it, also POTS.

You'd need to be dx by a rheumatologist and then it's very much lifestyle self management, Pilates is extremely useful and any sort of strength training.

I can go light headed when dehydrated and sometimes need something salty to help sort me out. I also find I'm better when I've put in some weight and are very active but also have days and weeks where I carefully pace myself.

What was thyroid results?

Thanks for all the replies.

@Aquamarine1029 I didn't think I had those tested before but checked and I did - they were normal

@Seaweed42 4pm and it varies day to say, but I never under eat (in fact the complete opposite and need to eat less) and there is unlimited free coffee etc whenever I want during the shift. I actually did try glucose tablets and often bring a bottle of Lucozade with me.

@Amiable - They were done about 10.15am, and I don't think I've ever had dark patches. I am considering a saliva cortisol test, to test it at multiple times throughout the day to see if it shows anything and will go from there. Thank you

@swingofthings - I will look into getting a monitor so it's not just checked randomly at the GP :)

@Ekphrasis Hmm I don't think I have that. I do have dyspraxia which I would say is the cause of my poor co-ordination and balance, but not really any of the other symptoms

My thyroid results seem to be fine, I got a panel done via Medichecks:

TSH 0.912 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.20)
FREE THYROXINE 16.2 pmol/L (12.00 - 22.00)
FREE T3 6.79 pmol/L (3.10 - 6.80)
THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY