Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Endless unexplained symptoms

47 replies

ForevermoreAnxious · 11/12/2023 20:27

I've had loads of vague unexplained symptoms for well over a year now. Breathlessness and air hunger, body aches and pains, numbness and tingling, chest pains, heart palpitations, stomach issues, dizziness and light headedness. I've had loads of tests, all the usual blood tests, FBC, iron, vit D, thyroid, LFT. You neme it I've had it. My doctor's are saying there is nothing seriously wrong with me. My main concerns are there is something wrong with my heart. EcG and heart monitor say otherwise. I'm concerned.i have cancer or a brain tumour. I do have quite bad health anxiety and OCD but I've had it for nearly 15 years and never felt as bad as I do now. I'm constantly exhausted. I have no energy. I'm always in pain. I always feel like I'm gasping for air. I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. I'm just not getting anywhere and everyday is a huge struggle for me. I have a toddler too and I just feel like a shit mum because I've never got any energy to do anything with him. I've either got no energy or Im in too much pain. The constant worrying that something is wrong and one day I might just drop dead is eating me up inside. What can I do now?

OP posts:

Tiredsotired23 · 12/12/2023 10:03

I have fibro and it was a rheumatologist that diagnosed it. He excluded a lot of autoimmune conditions etc first and did the pressure point test and listened to my symptons

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 12/12/2023 10:06

Sorry everyone. I wasn't looking at my most recent blood test fory ferratin which was September. It was actually 20.

OP posts:

CormorantStrikesBack · 12/12/2023 10:22

20 is still low. Looking at the picture another poster posted you’d still have a lot of symptoms

Goldcrestonabranch · 12/12/2023 11:45

20 is still way to low. I felt like death on 20.

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 12/12/2023 11:50

I do feel like death all the time. I'm so fed up of being fobbed off. I'm in tears today because I just feel so weak and tired. Its debilitating. I'm walking around with mybey a closed quite literally! Iv just phoned my GP and told there are no appointments until after Christmas. I genuinely feel like I might keel over before then.

OP posts:

Goldcrestonabranch · 12/12/2023 12:00

what iron are you taking? if nothing strong, take the max OTC dose for ferrous sulphate. you get it on the pharmacy. it's otc. you need s strong supplement to bring that up and it will take a while. but it's way to low. no wonder you feel so bad. I couldn't even work my part time 5h in the office when mine was low and had to go home early to lie down. going to bed at 5/6 pm. it was horrendous.

Goldcrestonabranch · 12/12/2023 12:01

also, take it with a glass of orange juice. Vit c helps to absorb iron

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 12/12/2023 12:01

Goldcrestonabranch · 12/12/2023 12:00

I quite my part time job as a HCA about a month ago because I just could not do it physically and mentally and it was only 25 hours per week!

OP posts:

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 12/12/2023 16:23

Bumping just to see if anyone else had any opinions or advice

OP posts:

Nets888 · 12/12/2023 22:19

You are definitely iron deficient. Under 30 is iron deficient. Optimal level is over 100. Check out FB iron protocol group, you will find many have similar symptoms as yours due to low ferritin.

Goatymum · 13/12/2023 07:52

ForevermoreAnxious · 11/12/2023 23:01

This time last year my ferratin was 8 and they gave me iron supplements. Its now 11 and they are saying this is classed as within the normal range but not optimal but never the less this would t cause me to have these symptoms as my body isn't actually lacking in iron circulating in my blood.

Show quote history

11 isn’t normal even for pre-menopausal women. That’s what mine is and I’m on supplements as recommended by GP (am peri so inbetween the scales). I noted my last one (when still having regular periods) was 23 so in range, but not high.

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 13/12/2023 10:46

Just an update. I have a GP appointment this afternoon about these ongoing issues. I did an online triage and they've called me in. I feel horrendous today, so weak and just in constant pain. I hope I can make them listen and help me. This is how I feel all of the time. Today just seems to be worse.

OP posts:

IcedBananas · 13/12/2023 12:21

Do you have any celtic origins? I know of something that might be worth checking but there's a genetic link. It's most common in people of celtic origins. Most common in people of Irish heritage but also Scottish, English and Welsh are at risk

IcedBananas · 13/12/2023 12:25

Ask them to check your transferrin and transferrin saturation levels via a blood test if you have the background I mentioned

MrsSlocombesCat · 13/12/2023 12:39

Ferrous sulfate was recently prescribed for me, but I couldn’t go on taking it because of the gastrointestinal issues. I have ordered some high strength gentle iron from Amazon. I have ridiculous fatigue like you OP, pulsatile tinnitus and I also do have joint pain but put it down to my age (60). I hope the iron supplements help you (and me!)

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 13/12/2023 13:37

Honestly. It was th biggest waste of time. He didn't seem that bothered and said m ferratin is fine. I recentljad FBC, transferrin. All the bloods. Hes written in my notes aload of crap! He said go for a B12 and folate blood test. I've had all these within the last three months! I don't know what else to do!! He said I've been referred to Endocrinology for m cortisol which is borderline low so he's not willing to do much else. I KNOW that my cortisol isn't causing these symptoms. Also told me to lose weight. I am class f as obese at nearly 19 stone. I'm struggling so badly to lose the weight. I don't eat well or have a massive appetite but the weight is piling on. I've had my thyroid checked and apparently that is fine as well. I KNOW something is wrong and m getting absolutely no where. I mentioned my ferratin and he said it's not low and wouldn't cause me these symptoms so no need to take iron. I'm at a loss now. I could just cry my eyes out. I've had enough.

OP posts:

IcedBananas · 13/12/2023 16:21

I'd ask for a referral to a specialist for fibromyalgia and/or ME. They'll be used to seeing people with these kinds of symptoms and getting to the bottom of it on a daily basis and more likely to be able to spot anything your GP might be missing. You're right that it's not normal.

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 13/12/2023 16:40

I'm just looking back at my results over the last 12 months. I had an abnormal bone profile which was not followed up and no action taken. My b12 & folate was done in May and was 3.1 but iv just read that that's only just inside the normal ranges. My ferratin is 20. My serum iron is 18. And they are all within "normal" limits. My vit D was 55.3 and classed as sufficient. I just feel like something is missing

OP posts:

Original poster

ForevermoreAnxious · 13/12/2023 16:46

Anyone know what these results mean? This is bone profile and was filed as abnormal but no follow up or action needed. Can someone explain what it means.

OP posts:

Mumma02 · 13/12/2023 17:55

@IcedBananas can I ask what that is? I'm of Celtic origin and my transferrin saturation is always between 6 and 10! Should be between 20 and 50 I believe.

JustSamantha · 05/06/2025 15:10

I know this is an old thread but did you ever find out what’s wrong ? I have exactly same symptoms

Mumma02 · 05/06/2025 19:17

Not the OP but pretty sure I have a histamine intolerance that's causing a lot of my symptoms.

Flip

1 2