Any ideas...?

[grumblegrumble]

I am shattered all the time. Today, I put the hoover round and now have to sit down, craving sugar, got quite clumsy and felt faint afterwards.

Could be allergic to housework, I suppose, but normally I have lots of energy, play sport, work p/t and am fine. Ive always got tired at the end of the day, but I'm on my own all week so that's just an inevitable consequence of having 2 under 5's. But I feel wiped out.

I take Spatone (iron) and am taking double doses at the moment as I feel so rubbish. And I'm not pregnant, did a test last night. Been getting gradually more shattered for the last month/6 weeks.

Seems a bit trivial to be going to the GP, but grateful for any suggestions.

I would go to the GP asap given your symptoms; this is not a problem that you should try and self treat.

Blood tests should be done as a matter of course to see if there are any problems with the thyroid gland.

Thanks. It has come on quickly, would that indicate a thyroid problem?

I feel as though I'm anaemic or pregnant. But probably neither.

Off on holiday next week, so blood tests wouldn't be back by then, With the children, I feel like I spend half my life in the GP surgery!

Have you recently had a virus?
Are you having trouble regulating your own body temperature?
Are you thirsty a lot of the time?

You must go to the GP to be on the safe side - what you are experiencing is obviously not normal and needs to be checked out.

No, no virus recently.

I had a long-haul business trip a few weeks ago that was quite busy and stressful, and that seems to have started, or worsened things, so I wondered whether I was just a bit run down. But it's gone on a long time now - definitely over the jet-lag!

When I get home from work I can barely get off the sofa.

Temperature OK, drinking more because of the heat, but I'm doing that deliberately (as I wondered whether the fatigue was due to dehydration). No night sweats or anything.

Although I have woken up unable to get my breath, like my nose was really congested (not runny) and couldn't get enough air in to my lungs, which made me feel quiet panicky. Never had that before. Wondered about hayfever causing the nasal congestion.

Where did you go on your business trip?

Singapore, so quite civilised.

Thanks for your answers, too.

No worries!
Did you get bitten by anything while in Singapore, or eat anything outside of the hotel? Even fruit or a drink with ice in?

Just because you said it came on quickly and you had no obvious virus - the next thing might be a parasite of some kind.

You really must go to the GP though - even if you don't get the results until after your holiday, the sooner you go the better (especially if there is any risk of it being something like a virus/parasite).

I don't know how quickly thyroid problems can come on - I would imagine it would vary depending on the cause.

I have looked into the SPatone thing - and although it says it's unlikely you would be able to overdose on it, I'd stick to just taking one sachet, not two. Are you having more/different bowel movements than before?

Sorry - lots of qus!

I get that from hayfever (suffocating feeling though not runny nose), so it might not be related, it is just when the nasal tubes are inflamed.

I think if the thyroid is the source of the problem it comes on gradually but there are sudden onset conditions that include thyroid problems as part of their symptoms (autoimmune or haemochromatosis/ iron overload for example - which you should ask to be ruled out when you get bloods done, just in case).

Whatever it is you should go to the GP, it is not normal and whatever it turns out to be it is better to get treatment sooner rather than later.

Thanks, had to pop out then get DCs to bed.

Am relieved about the hayfever/suffocating feeling as I was wondering if I was having panic attacks.

I did get bitten in Singapore, and we were eating out.

I'm not sure I'm actually ill, I can do things, it's just when I get home, I suddenly run out of energy completely. So I get to work (though I did drop off at my desk for a few moments), get the kids to school, and for example, I felt awful this afternoon when I was posting, dozed on the sofa then did the school pick-up, took them to a friend's this evening, and then got home (all fine) and then it suddenly hit me.

Perhaps it is just psychological, we've had a few stressful things going on recently, all quite low level but it may have just built up.

I will try to get an appt with the GP before my hols, though goodness knows when, and then getting to the clinic for blood tests too...!

Doesn't sound remotely psychological but there is a possibility you might have picked up some kind of blood parasite - less likely that it's a gut one unless you're noticing gut manifestations too (possibly some pain although not necessarily, likely some diarrhoea or looser stools than normal).

Does your GP surgery not have a nurse on site who can take the bloods?

Hope you get it sorted - do let us know how you get on!