Have lost my oomph

[PerverseConverse]

Moan alert but fed up of myself. Any suggestions as to how I can help myself would be great.

I'm a single mum of 3 children aged 12,10 and 4. I have chronic pain and take strong analgesia daily. Without it I couldn't do the school run (well walk, I don't drive). School run is a 5 mile walk each day in total.

I am permanently tired and not wanting to do much. I ache. I have a constant low grade virus affecting my sinuses so have daily headaches and face/tooth pain. Teeth are fine, I've had them checked, it's my sinuses). I have a steroid nose spray and salt nose spray to help but the headaches persist.

I started on Prozac in the new year and it helped initially but now I feel irritable again and lacking any enthusiasm for much.

I'm on the pill to control my horrendous periods but this makes me hungry so I'm gaining weight which makes me miserable. I take 3 months at a time then have a break. Currently in the break and considering not going back on it.

My vitamin d level has previously been very low but my NHS Trust no longer do blood tests for this. I've asked, they've checked with the lab, and no was the answer. I take a multivitamin.

I'm really stressed by brexit, and my eldest is being particularly challenging at the moment. I swear she's on the spectrum with ADD but she was seen by CAHMS and the gatekeeper said she was not in need of their services as didn't meet any criteria to even have a proper test.

The older ones see their dad but LO never sees his so I never get a break except when LO is at nursery but that's only 2.5 days a week. I try to get out on my bike one day a week and love that me time but generally those 2 days are spent on housework and shopping. The half day only gives me an hour at home so no time to do much.

No friends or family to help out at all.

I am so fed up with feeling like this. I feel pathetic and moany and it's not like me at all. What can I do to kick myself up the arse?!

My legs are aching today and I'm really tired but it was good to get out. Walked the usual 5 miles on the school run. Yes I'm tired but the sunshine has made such a difference to my mood. Maybe I need to move somewhere with better weather!

At least the summer is coming! You don't think you might have sad, the winter blues thing? I used to walk about 3 - 4 miles a day. Didn't find it too hard, but it was enough. You must be quite fit.

I do notice a marked dip in mood around October. Have done for around 7 years and figured it was my vitD levels dropping. It was later last year but the weather was still good until late on. I still had petunias and bacopa flowers in December! I'll look into SAD and see how I can help myself if it is that.

Hi PervConv ,

  There has been quite a lot of mention of  vitamin d , on your thread,    and  it is very likely that might constitute a large part of your problem.  You have also mentioned that you are  veggie.     Veggie food contains  No  vitatmin D ,   unless specifically  fortified ,  ( unless you eat eggs.... which only contain  40  IU  per egg.  )  Which is an insignificant amount.    
    I wonder  at what latitude you live ,   the further North you are ,   the less UVB  you receive in sunlight. and so the less  Vit  D    you can  make.   Similarly ,   if  you are in the  UK ,    and live on the western side of the country ,  i.e  Manchester etc ,   the cloud cover is greater, reducing your UVB exposure.       The very worst places to live from the Vit D point of view , would be  Northern Scotland,  on the Western side ,     and  up in the Shetlands etc, very far North. 

               Your description of worsening symptoms  after October , again fits,     because you cannot make Vit D  , in the skin ,  after  about  mid - Oct  here in the UK,    at our latitude  of 50 degrees  plus.      This is just a matter of the  physics of sunlight.   From  mid-Oct   to  mid- April ,    UVB  is absent.       IF  you rely solely on sunlight to get your vitamin D ,   then there is a 6 month period when you can get none.     Wild  oily fish ,   and  some meat ,   will have some ,    although not a great deal. 

                  You have mentioned that you are buying some  Vit D  supplement ,   which is a great idea in your situation.    You should bear in mind that you will need to raise your blood level of vit D3 ,   to over 75 nmol/l   permanently.  Many vitamin D researchers think even this level is too low,    and  they recommend   100   to  150  nmol/l   .    As you are trying to improve your symptoms ,   and not just maintain a status quo,   you will probably need  about  5000  IU  per day  for  about  3 months.   This should  raise your level to be within the  100   to 150  band.  it would be a good idea to check your blood level then. 
  Sometimes   doctors refuse to do a repeat vit d test ,   because of the expense ,    also ,    the majority of people come back  "low" .    However ,  it makes a great deal of sense  for you to get your level measured,  and monitor it.    It will be lowest   around   March /April time. 
   Here is an  NHS   testing lab  which will do that for you.   IF   it is not doctor ordered they charge  £29.   It is a blood spot on blotting paper ,   sent to the lab,   they reply  with your result  within a week. by  email.     <a class="break-all" href="http://www.vitamindtest.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.vitamindtest.org.uk/</a>            There are other labs  , of course. 

                IF   your level settles around  140  ish ,   then that would be great ,    if it is markedly higher ,   you may need to drop a thousand or  two   IU .    If   it is  lower , say   80 - 100 ,   then you may still need to increase your daily amount,    maybe by up to a couple of thousand. IU.         Don't just stop supplementation ,    you need vitamin D  on an almost daily basis ,   IF  you just stop,  then your regular uptake  will be inadequate , and your level will plummet. Symptoms will come back.  

I hope some of this info is helpful.      Of course ,  your problems may not be due to vit d ,   however it does seem to be very likely.  By maintaining a healthy level you will aid you body in fighting off any other problems.   Magnesium is a co-factor of  vit D,   and you should try to ensure your intake is sufficent,  .   Dark green  leafy veg etc is very good for Mg ,  they also includes folate ,  another essential nutrient.  

I have posted a lot about Vit D , here on Mumsnet, here is quite a long thread about it , many people with similar problems to yourself. You will get a good idea of what they did , how vit d affected them etc. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2421492-Vitimin-D-can-it-have-this-effect

If you need any more info , then do get back to me .

best of luck

BTBH.
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