Please help me - desperately concerned about my health

[PinkHazel]

hi everyone,
I wrote this thread back in June after a month of being unwell.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/5363185-anyone-else-experienced-anything-like-this?postsby=PinkHazel
note- the sore throat was after a horrible bout of flu I had early April.

this is still ongoing but now it’s all so much worse. I am experiencing all the symptoms on this thread along with flu like symptoms, feel like I have a permanent hangover. My chest back upper stomach really hurts . I feel sick. My whole body feels like I’ve been poisoned. It’s horrendous. Some days it eases off SLIGHTLY. I am working 3 days but struggling so much I don’t know how much longer I can do this for. I have also a 3 year old. GP is doing further blood tests. Keep crying every day as I don’t know how much longer I can do this for. I have paid also for private blood tests which have a full thyroid panel on. GP has prescribed me duloxetine to help with symptoms whilst they do further tests but I’m too scared to take it as it’s an SSNI. She has said she will refer me to neurology if I don’t get any further with tests but I’m so worried I’m gunna be labelled with some post viral thing and left to rot. I am very very ill.

if anyone has ever experienced anything similar or can think of anything I can test for further?

It’s a weird one. My work know what’s going on, I actually had a catch up with my manager today and I was in tears about it all. I do like coming to work even though I feel so ill it does take my mind off it a little bit and because I’m sat at a desk it’s not physically tiring or anything. I only work 3 days.

I do have people who will help, but then of course there’s the mum guilt as I would feel like I’m palming him off. I actually feel worse on my days off though because my son does need stimulation and he is energetic and wants to play the minute he wakes up and of course I just don’t feel up to it. It makes me feel like a bad mum

im off after today for 4 days and I’m going to try do my best to not do a lot and ask for some help.

That sounds like a good plan. I made a diary of activity and how I felt after to see if I could figure out any triggers.

I also had the weird thing of often feeling fine in the morning then at 1pm on the dot I would feel sick and awful for the afternoon.

‘Micro rests’ are also a good idea. So play with your son for a bit then sit for 5 minutes. Just work out how you can get a bit more rest in the day - see if it helps.

Yes, I agree with this and was about to say the same thing. I’d suggest getting signed off for 4-6 weeks and recovering properly!

you really think all these symptoms are anxiety ? I’m anxious because of my symptoms, anyone would be after being ill for 3 months nearly

Are you taking iron with vitamin c for the ferritin? As low ferritin will also make you tired with palpitations, you need to aim for it to be up around 70 or above

I stopped taking iron tablets because I had awful stomach but I don’t actually know if it’s this mystery illness or the iron. Then recently I bought some different ones but only just taking them now, and yes I’ve read about the vit C to take with it. I’m going to try get my iron up as it won’t hurt but ultimately I know this isn’t down to low iron

Were you prescribed iron tablets? If so, take them. Otherwise I had good results getting my iron levels up with Spatone with vitamin C. It’s gentle on the stomach too.

I know there is more to this than low iron. But having low iron can impair immune function.

And I’m sure you know this but don’t take iron with caffeine.

Mornings are the worst for me. Like yesterday I had to lay in the bath for 30 mins in the morning just to pull myself together for work as I felt so dreadful.

but I’m making no plans this weekend (not like I had many recently anyway) I’m going to try the tablets and just rest as much as possible. DP is going to take DS out for a day on the weekend too - I’ll see if it makes a difference

No wasn’t prescribed as it wasn’t anemia just low ferritin. And yeah I’ve got some gentle ones now and I have cut massively down on caffeine but wait two hours before I’ll have any after having one

Hope the rest and medication help!

I think sometimes we underestimate how exhausting running around after kids is. And then everything on top of that.

Low ferritin is low iron, just not called anaemia.
do you remember the result number?
please take a supplement asap, for a while - it really will help. Basically irom works to transport oxygen around the body; not enough oxygen = not enough energy!

Yes it was 17. Recently had some private bloods back and I’ve got it up to 35 now as I’ve been eating loads of iron rich foods so at least that is something, I will keep going

Yes @PinkHazel you must - one of my consultants said that we should be around 75 & no lower!
Try Ferrous Fumerate as it doesn’t have the same constipation effect as f sulphate 🙀

Well day 4 of taking the tablets and I’ve been bed bound since I started. They seem to have doubled my symptoms, I feel like death warmed up, can’t eat yet being sick. I don’t know what’s causing what as I was ill anyway 😓 can’t look after my child, go to work or anything

You don’t take the advice /treatment from your GP but want input from unqualified strangers on the internet?

Agree, op needs to listen to GP and not seek alternative advice

She has listened to the advice of the GP (who in my experience have no knowledge on how to treat long covid - probably because there isn’t any cure!). She has taken the medication (which can help with pain but won’t get to the route of what is wrong with her) and now feels worse.

GPs are often utterly crap. Not sure why they are held up to such regard on here. You get 10 minutes of their time.

Please keep on going.ADs take 4-6 whole weeks to work, they need time and you need to give the medication a fair trial so use it for 6-12 weeks. In the middle of that so 6+ weeks if it's giving you problems or not working go to the GP they can adjust dosage for side effects and efficacy (how well it works) - do that before you stop taking them. Correlation isn't always causation - you could have been feeling this abd anyways even if you hadn't taken the medication, you don't know, so give it time.

GPs can be crap (I've had my fair share) but some can be incredible and life changing (I've had less of these but still 2 of my many GPs were like this). Also the 10 minutes isn't their fault, I've never met any GP who doesn't want the government to change that to 15 minutes minimum or better yet 20. Whilst it might mean there's less appointments, I think over time it would benefit as you'd catch more earlier and people wouldn't need to book so many in a short space of time. A good GP can make the 10 minutes just about work but still shouldn't have to.

Yes of course the time limit is not their fault. And also the clue is in the name - they are general practitioners so can’t possibly be experts in everything.

Sounds like ME/CFS to me, sadly. Be prepared to convince everyone around you it’s real (it is, they just found proof)