Extreme fatigue

[Sjxo92]

Hey! First post for me.. but hoping to get some advice from others or if people have been in the same situation. For the last year I have been EXHAUSTED. Some nights I'm asleep by half 6. My concentration is terrible where I'm so tired. I had a blood test which said I was severely low on vitamin D. Doctors have me a three months supply of tablets.. I'm 6 weeks into them and nothing seems to have changed. I'm still exhausted constantly. My bones ache. I wake up in the night because my legs are throbbing and aching. My shoulders also hurt when I wake up. I haven't felt myself for a long time. It's getting me down so much where I don't feel like me. I'm snappy.. I'm eating so much more where I have no energy. It's affecting my work and my home life. Has anyone gone through this ?? Could this all be down to a vitamin d deficiency or could there be more to it ??. I'm getting hold of the doctors this week as I can't carry on feeling like this anymore. Abit worried they'll just say continue for another six weeks and will do another blood test...

It took my 3 months to stop feeling absolutely dreadful. The side effects you are having are in the range of normal.

I reported them on the yellow card system because I realised many others hadn't. I then found out on a friend's box that they started to list them so your tablets if they have the leaflet should list them.

I would advise you to take vitamin K2-MK7 and magnesium to help with absorption. You can take the magnesium at night as it is suppose to help with sleep. Make sure you don't take too much magnesium as it can have a laxative effect.

I can't remember when my bones stopped hurting but one day on public transport about 7 months later and I noticed I wasn't in pain just standing up.

Oh and I had to have private blood tests as in my area I had to reach a level of 70 to be optimal but the NHS only give you 2 tests 6 months apart if you are severely be deficient.

What was your ferritin level? Nhs class normal as over 20 but could still cause severe fatigue at this level in my experience

I second checking your ferritin levels. It can make you feel terrible, exhausted and achy in the way you describe.

Did you do a urine test?

You could try paying privately for vitamin d injections. And B12. Often docs will say your levels are within their recommended guidelines but actually you could do with that extra boost. The injections are often better than pills if your body struggles with absorption. I normally feel really boosted 1-2 days after a B12 injection.

Thank you all for your replies and advice!!. I'm at my wits end. I had a doctor do a video call earlier ( they've changed all the systems around my area now so that we don't necessarily have to go into the doctors ). And he said he doesn't think the symptoms are even do to with my vitamin d!. He asked about my sleep and I said I sleep talk most nights, sleep walk afew times a month. He was concerned about sleep apnea but ruled that out. He came to the conclusion that my painful legs are causing me to have restless nights and that's why I'm constantly exhausted... He's prescribing me a painkiller to take before bed to see of it eases during the night. I didn't do urine test just a full blood count. I just feel there's something more to it but I've no clue!! . Walking around work today I could feel my eyes shutting for longer when I was blinking lol. That's how tired I'm feeling ! Xx

I had the low vitamin d and low ferritin after surgery...did they check ferritin (iron stores)?

How old are? Are you working full time and or children?

Have you tried any sleep monitoring apps?

Menopause? Apologies if you are a youngster, but I had dreadful fatigue and body aches when I was menopausal.

Have they looked into fibromyalgia? Fatigue and joint pain are the key symptoms, and are related to the quality of sleep that you get, not necessarily the quantity. Mine was diagnosed via a rheumatologist yonks ago, and is mostly under control with occasional flares. It's worth just reading up a bit to see if this may be the issue. Hope you feel better soon x

Hello!. If ferritin is iron levels that was included in my full blood count and he was reading through them all whilst I was on the video call yesterday saying they were all fine. They haven't mentioned fibromyalgia either!. I need to look that up shortly..
I'm 31. I have two children but they are older. 6 and 10. So they sleep well. And my periods are regular every three weeks on the dot so don't think the menopause is on its way yet. I do have a sleep recorder that records me sleep talking and occasionally snoring xx

I work part time. 20 hours a week.. but starting a new job 35 hours a week starting from next month so was hoping I could sort this before that lolx

Do you have access to your medical records on the NHS app? You can request it at your GP surgery. Then you can look at all your blood results

If your periods are every 3 weeks you could be a bit low on iron. I'd take higher dose Vitamin D, vitamin B12 and an iron supplement. It will take a couple of months at least to improve.

The nhs “normal” ranges for vit D, vit b12, ferritin and thyroids are a joke so well worth checking your results against the optimum ranges. Ask for a print out or check the app
for your numbers. All common issues for women esp after having children. And not well treated by doctors.

It could also be thyroid or pcos. Both cause fatigue

Serum iron and ferritin are two different blood tests. There's also haemoglobin, red blood cell counts, haematocrit and MCV that can indicate iron deficiency anaemia.

Ferritin is your iron stores. All the other tests can be fine and you still have low iron stores (ferritin). Ferritin levels are often low in menstruating women (especially as you are having periods every 3 weeks!) and levels under 50 can give women symptoms akin to anaemia. Including extreme fatigue, muscle pain and restless legs.

I would definitely push to get your ferritin levels checked with your very close together periods and all the symptoms of low ferritin.

If you are not sure it's been checked (and if you don't have online access) you can ask for a print out of your results from your GP reception (note this is your data do you are entitled to a copy).