Why do I feel so tired & how can I get some energy!!!!

[chocolateshoes]

I really do feel run down and as if I could sleep forever. I work part time and then am at home with DS (2.7) the restog the time. I thought I was pretty fit (swim 3x a week, and gym once or twice a week). I eat well & properly IYKWIM. But I can't stop feeling tired.

What can I do???

Get to the GP and ask them for a blood test may well be anaemic

def not pregnant. In fact have only just started periods again since DS1 so was wondering if it might be that. Maybe anaemic - I don't know. Would the blood test be just a small prick or will it be like when I was pg & they seemed to take loads & I fainted??!!

this sounds like me but i have 2 dc s and dont work, i am falling asleep at night by 9. its driving dh mad, sorry cant help other than to tell you you arent alone

Fairly small amount
Have a check on your diet, are you eating cereals, red meat, green veg - or have you been trying to lose weight. Thyroid is another one they might check with these symptoms.

Good to know I'm not alone!

I don't eat meat but do eat plenty of fish & pulses. Loads of green veg, cereals. What would be the symptoms of a thyroid prob apart from fatigue?

low thyroid - weight gain, dry skin, brittle nails, tiredness,
Too much - is the other way, weight loss, poppy eyes.

hypo - ( low) - muscle stiffness, intolerance of cold, constipation, hoarse voice

very important to get your thyroid levels checked - simple blood test. they can do your iron levels at the same time.

many women have underactive thyroids at this time of life/after giving birth etc

treatment is a little pill of thyroxine every day and it can make the difference between feeling like a zombie and feeling normal again. IIRC Suzywong is eloquent on the subject - she felt dreadful for about 2 years until her hypo thyroid was discovered - and look at her now!

I'd see your gp asap if I were you

do you know I do think I have some of those symptoms of low thyroid apart from the constipation and weight gain.

I think whatever it is I do need to see my GP. Have been brought up with the 'don't want to bother the DR' mentality but I think I should get myself checked out.

Thanks

it is really really common choc
lots of people don't have the weight gain, just the extreme tiredness (and quite a lot of people think their hair feels coarser, drier, more frizzy)

anyway it might NOT be that but it is v simple to find out if it is and v simple to deal with if it is. good luck!

Have just been talking about it with DP and will def make an app with GP tom & get my blood test done. I almost feel relieved that this extreme fatigue isn't normal iykwim. The thought of feeling this tired and lacklustre forever is quite depressing!

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that's a good ppoint Orinoco, I don't think I do drink enough water during the day. I tend to have alot in the evening. Will try hard tomorrow....Thanks

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I feel the same as you. The last time I was this tired I WAS pregnant! I'm not, but I do have an under-active thyroid for which I take thyroxine. I do have a hoarse voice and bad skin at the moment - really lumpy - so both could be thyroid related?

Have bought 2litre bottles of water so can ensure I'm drinking enough.

chocolateshoes you are describing me. I have felt this way in varying degrees for about 7 years.

In that time I have had my thyroid tested THREE times and nothing is wrong with it. I am starting to feel like I am stalking my GP!

I hope you have more success than me in finding a treatable cause.

Have you had a virus recently such as flu? I had a post viral syndrome with symptoms as you describe (with the addition of very weak, aching limbs) and I had all the tests under the sun. PVS is what the doctors came up with when they'd ruled out everything else.

I have had a bad cold which although is alot better I still can't shake it off. It doesn't help that I had it all over half-term so didn't really recover before going back to work. I have a hoarse voice & bad skin too Heated. And yes I do feel weak & achy although am still managing to do sport.

Jasper - sorry you haven't been able to get to the bottom of why you feel like this.

I think if you're still doing sport it's unlikely to be what I was describing. I could barely climb the stairs some days. However, if you feel weak and achy you must listen to your body and rest for a while. Continuing to do so much sport just now might well be slowing your recovery.

Jasper, might be worth doing some homework on thyroid hormones. For one, many doctors work with an outdated range of 'normal' hormone levels, which are much wider than more modern theories (ie the levels you've come out at before may NOT be normal at all). The more complicated issue is that there is apparently more to diagnosing thyroid problems than the crude TSH levels that many doctors rely on - I don't know anything detailed about this as my TSH was so high there was no question I had a problem, but if your TSH is coming back as normal it may be worth taking a look at the online literature.

Which reminds me, must get off my bum and go and find my repeat prescription form for my thyroxine ...