Sick of being sick.

[PavlovtheCat]

I have yet another bug. Probably just a cold, but it has been almost constant virus/cold/sinus infection since Feb, and I am sick of it.

My muscles have been almost constantly aching for over a month now, as has my head. I get a few days of release, think I am on the mend, but then, for example out at the weekend, did some walking, nothing significant at all, and my muscles have been aching since, like I have run a few miles.

And I have a sore throat, throbbing nose and stinking headache. Again.

I can't take the day of work. I have taken a lot of time off due to constant illness over the last few months, and have a busy day tomorrow.

I am just sick of it. I seem to spend my time in bed. DD is going to think I am some sick poorly mother, always ill. I am sure DH is sick of it too now.

There moan over. For now.

Poor you

Have you been to GP ?

Maybe they could do an "MOT" just to check you over?

Since Feb seems like a long time IYKWIM.

could have written your post myself.

my throat has been sore for a couple of months and has got really bad again over the past few days.

I feel like shite but I daren't not go in tomorrow as I have had so many days off over the past few months.

I get hot and sweaty (but not quite feverish) or really cold, sore throat, headache and blocked sinuses. And I am just about sick of it. And I am exhausted.

TheArmadillo sounds exactly the same.

I have been to the Drs wrinklytum too many times to count. There are two Drs there and they both know my name. Last time I went, I saw the female and I had a funny turn in the waiting room, went a bit shakey and pale, and she said, oh you dont look your normal self? OMG that means you have seen me too many times!

A Virus, A viral infection, every bloody time. It seems to often go to my sinus' and I have had about 3 courses of antibiotics this year. I asked her last time, as I had not slept for ages and head was hurting like a mofo, what I could do about it, why it keeps happening. She said it was just my 'weakness', that when I get a bug, it goes into my sinus, someone else might be their tonsils. Except I get that too. She recommended a steam to ease it.

Thats it. The other Dr the same. Oh, yes there is a weird virus going around, no shit!

Thing is the time I went in after the funny turn in Drs surgery, before she diagnosed sinus infection, and before I saw the other Dr too (I went 3 times in 1 week), she checked my pulse, presumably ok as she said nothing, but she also checked my throat which was red and swolen and glands which were up, but throat did not hurt, which surprised her - i went in that time due to tiredness and headache - she said it was a virus.

TheArmadillo I am exhausted too. I sleep like shite, and it has gone on so long I dont know if I am ill because I am not sleeping or I am not sleeping because I am ill

Any more sympathy or is that my lot for the evening before I retire - seeing as Dh has fucked off out gone to visit a friend. Again.

PavlovtheCat and TheArmadillo you have just described some more overt signs of hypothyroidism. get checked out for this by asking for a TSH and T4 blood test as soon as. if this is ruled out, you may have a different hormione imbalance but hypothyroidism is my first ''guess''

I would go to see them again just for peace of mind.

I guess I'm a litle paranoid though.I have nursed so many patient who have had repeat infections and kept going cback to Gp and getting yet more infections then ended up on our ward.I am not saying by any means this would happen or that there is anything serious going on but I think that the fact you keep on getting the sinus probs and it is obbiously affecting your life warrants further investigation.It just seems a blardy long time for it to be going on.Do you get any nasal discharge that they could send off to analyse which bug is causing the sinusitis?Could they at least check your blood count to see if thats OK??Also,if it is viral antibiotics won't do a thing because they treat bacterial,not viral infections.Though I think sinusitis is usually caused by bacyerial infection?Have they done a test to rule out Glandular fever for instance?

misi really?

OMG, wikepedia is not a good thing to look at! I have just looked up hypothyroidism, and do you know how many of the syptoms apply? Most !

I thought I was being a hypocondriac with all these ailments wrong with me .

Lets not get excited about a cause (which means a possible end to it all) but still...

The most significant ones I have read which I have noticed

*water retention - although relatively healthy and slim, have swollen belly and hips (like when you have a period)
*swollen feet
*Joint pain/muscle cramps
*Poor muscle tone
*migraine headaches
*anxiety/panic attack/heart flutters
*hoarse breaking voice
*arthritic like pain
*impaired memory
*brain fog
*irritability/mood instability - quite badly so!

That is a LOT of symptoms!

if this is what I have, its easily treatable right?

Ask your Gp for a TFT (thyroid function test) Conventional treatment would be thyroxine tablets.

I am loathe to ask my GP for anything as they tend to say no not necessary/can't do it, its just a virus that kind of thing.

They annoy me, they get paid 100k a year to tell me something I already know they are going to say!

yep, a simple tab each day of synthetic thyroxine. it is the easiest endocrine problem to treat. no natural remedy for it though, as a herbalist I have researched endlessly, except that is if I want to swallow around 50 bovine thyroid extract pills a day and hope the amount of T4 is correct which it won't be as you cannot standardise this and these pills cost around 50p each, £25 a day is a bit much but synthetic thyroxine has virtually no side effects anyway so not bothered about anything else really!!

I would insist,lay it on thick how crap you are feeling.You can also change Gp you know.I would write down all your symptoms including the stuff about the muscle aches etc etc and insist at least they do some routine bloods.

TFT4 test is not much use on its own as it will only pick up around 21% of cases, a full thyroid panel is best but T4 (tft4) and TSH should be enough to start. I refused to leave my GP's surgery till he gave me a blood test form to test my TSH, I had been having T4 (tft4) tests for a year and all ok, but I knew I had hypothyroidism as I had done several basal temp tests on myself (which is actually more accurate than a blood test if done correctly) and I knew the results meant I was under active. if your doc is not helpful with a bloodtest try the basal temp test

www.wddty.com/03363800369681756656/the-basal-body-temperature-test.html and take the results to your doc

what is a basal temp? how do you do it?

oh just looked at the site you linked...I shall try that, however my temp is usually normal around 98.9 or thereabouts, although not done in the morning!

I dont have an underarm thermometer anymore though, will have to go get one! Guessing an in the ear 2 second one wont do the trick?!?!?

no, an old fashioned mercury( or the newer non mercury filled) thermometer will be best. temps taken later in the day take into account your built up heat through moving, thats why it is done before getting out of bed as this will be when your temp is at its lowest possible

God it sounds awful but I sort of hope it is this - easily treatable with minimum side effects, and the chance that it might actually mean I start feeling well again .

Its not that I want an illness, but clearly something is amiss and I want to get the root of it. I will get a new old thermometer and try it.

I just worry that if I go into Drs with a list of symptoms, and a possible cause it will seem like I am trying to fit my symptoms into something, does that make sense? I dont want them to label me as some hypochondriac finding things wrong, but I have said to DH for ages that it will get to the stage where I will self diagnose for them, save them a job

I just want to be able to get up in the morning and feel ready for the day, I want to get to 8pm and not want to go to bed as I feel so shite, but be able to spend time with DH, do some chores, not moan about being unwell.

the trick is to play it a bit dumb to start with and let the doc think they are coming up with the diagnosis!!
go with your list of symptoms and don't mention T4 or TSH tests unless the doc doesn't take the biscuit. maybe then say something like ''my friend reckons I should ask for a TSH blood test, whats that all about?''

sounds like you have a weak immunity at the moment, my dd and I have these sort of problems it's more of a chronic condition which is why there is nothing a GP can do. There's nothing acutely wrong with you. We use alternatives, manage our diet, take supplements and we have a chinese doctor. My health is completely different now, before I was too tired to make a cup of tea and now I do a day at work and run 4 miles.

definitely get a thyroid test first though!

Assuming it is just viral infections, and you generally run down, rather it being anything specific, you need to work on boosting your weakened immune system. I'm currently doing this after suffering Glandular Fever in February, and then spending the next 3 months feeling utterly crap and picking up every viral thing going. This is what I've done, and it may seem extreme - but it works. I feel SO much better. Vitamin supplements, not just your bog standard multi vit, but a good quality, high strength one. You generally need to take much higher doses than the RDA if your goal is to boost a weakened immune system. Above all though, think about your diet. This, for me, was key. I cut out all refined sugar and carbs. I'm eating as natural a diet as possible, with as much raw fruit and veg/salad as possible. Really, cram in as many nutrients into your diet as you can. I eat bananas for breakfast, lots and lots of salad, nuts, seeds, and every day I make a big fresh juice with half a bag of spinach, 3 sticks of celery, 3 carrots and 2 apples. Glug it down.

It seems extreme, but really, after feeling so crap for so long, it is worth it to feel well again. Every now and then I slip up. Last week, I had pmt, ate a lot of chocolate and crisps, slacked on the fresh food and immediately came down with a horrible cold thing again.

rebelmum1, you sound like me. It's definately a chronic thing for me, which needs to be managed with diet and supplements. That stuff works, honest.

I swear by fish oil or flaxseed oil, EFA's strengthen your immunity, get juicing and definitely cut out sugar. Chinese med can help if your digestion is sluggish and get things moving, I took chinese herbs and now just have accupuncture once every 3-6 months.

yes, all good but watch the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3. omega 6 is evening primrose oil and it helps make prostaglandins that are immflammotory. the ratio should be around 7 omega 3 to 1 omega 6. flaxseed oil does not have omega 3 in it it has the pre cursor of omega 3 which is called ALA ( alpha lineolinic acid). the body will convert ala into omega 3 if it needs to and you have the enzyme to do so (not everyone does, I don't as an example). as we already have far too much omega 6 in our diets (processed foods etc) it is rarely needed as a supplement but is good for ''older women'' with certain problems .
whaet grass and alphalfa are great to juice but I add in other flavours as I am not keen on wheatgrass taste, blue green algae (pref klamath alke stuff) and spurulina is also good to add in for health improvements. if you have no other medical probs, echinacea has a good effect on immunity along with astragulus which is more of a immune levelling herb. goldenseal is a fantastic anti viral and anti bacterial agent and pau d'arco is my first choice for viral and malarial type infections along with candiad infections. but please only self med on the basics. if you think you need more, go see someone qualified like a herablist who will tailor a health plan specifically for you