41 sudden episodes of fatigue and weak feeling

[Mistymorningsoh]

Hello all

At my wits end with this. Since about 6 months ago I have been having really crushing episodes of fatigue. Really scary sort of fatigue where I feel like the world is between a pane of frosted glass! Occasional brain got where I can’t follow conversations. I had blood tests and all that flagged was mild low ferritin. I’ve had tests to rule out cardiogenic origins. All fine.

Please can anyone tell me their experiences of perimenopause fatigue and whether it sounds familiar?

How low was your ferritin? Mine was around 30 something and honestly I was constantly having brain fog, couldn't bring myself to do anything, I could have slept all day if able to. 3 weeks of tablets and I was back to myself again.

I'm not yet perimenopausal but wanted to offer some advice.

Yes. Nanna naps almost daily. Hrt has mostly sorted it out. I take liquid iron as well which perks me up.

@HappyNewYear2027 Thanks for your reply. It was 14,gp didn’t seem too fussed.

Thanks @gamerchick

54, had my last period 10 months ago so menopause gal here says “hi” 😀 I’ve been faced with some serious fatigue this last year, I believe it’s the drop in oestrogen levels. My iron/ferritin is very good, my blood tests are fine and health is very good, but oh the fatigue… 😩

Hi 😊 @samanthablues Oh yeah I did read about low oestrogen and fatigue, oh sounds awful. What can you do for it, is it mainly HRT to combat it?

I’ve spoke with my GP and she’s recommended HRT to fight fatigue but truth is I’d rather not take it unless it’s absolutely necessary. A bit of fatigue can be fought with exercise, vitamin D and activating your dopamine etc…I’m more into holistic remedies than synthetic hormones (but that’s just me). menopause has been turned into a huge business for profit. Personally I don’t think a bit of fatigue justifies HRT.

Thanks I’m glad you have a plan, same here definitely I’d be reluctant too I’m the same as you prefer holistic approaches @samanthablues unfortunately it’s not just a bit. It’s ruining my life. But I think there’s a few layers of things at play.

I’m the same but it’s fibromyalgia as a result of an infection.
Go to the doctor- but be open to the fact not every symptom in middle aged women is perimenopause and solved by HRT.

Iron sounds very likely - can you access your results on the NHS app?

i’ve had the same thing, and was told iron was fine and normal.

Results actually show that “normal” is 20-275, and mine was 24 after taking a single 200mg iron tablet every day for a year. i’m now taking 3 tablets a day (max allowed on box) and feel a LOT more normal.

my description of the fatigue was like the old description of flue - if someone put a £50 note in the doorway, you wouldn’t be able to get up and collect it.

Have you looked into any supplements? I'm not keen to go down the HRT route unless I have to. I'm currently taking ashwagandha which helped massively with perimenopausal anxiety and insomnia. I now haven't had a period for 4 months and was beginning to get hot flushes a couple of times a day. I started taking red clover extract a week ago and the hot flushes seem to have stopped. I think they are supposed to be good for the lack of oestrogen, so they might help with fatigue too.

I also have low ferritin and a tendency to anaemia. I take a Well Woman 50+ multivitamin/mineral, which made me feel tons better. I think it's probably mostly the iron in it which helps me.

Thanks everyone, it all kicked off after a Covid infection but as time as gone on I’ve noticed cyclical fatigue at play which I never suffered before. Also just strange depression and I’ve never suffered depression. Although I’m sure situational depression at play as I’m not doing what I used to do and have got very down. I’ve always been the type to push people though tiredness but this is just awful fatigue where you forget what you were saying and could lie on the pavement. It’s frightened me at times. I’m very far from who I used to be.

Im trying iron, vit D, magnesium and light exercise. Will have to just push it as gp just says bloods fine.

I am the same age as you and am starting to get the same. I wake up feeling fine and get on with things, but sometimes my energy levels suddenly drop through the floor and I could sleep there and then. It's really weird because it happens so suddenly! I wondered if I was developing diabetes and it was a sugar crash, but I have no other symptoms. I think it may be peri because my periods have suddenly gone mad too, bleeding three weeks out of every four...

What was you b12 levels on the blood test? That's I how felt when mine was v low...

Push through tiredness I meant sorry! Can’t serm
to edit it.