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Jennskains Sep 7, 2006

Any one have ideas on how to deal with fatique that will not go away?  Iron pills don't work.  Jenn

Jodi Falk Sep 7, 2006

Boy if you figure it out let me know !!!  Exercise.... thats sounds crazy but we must build ourselves up again. Eating good, sleeping 8 hours a night. Maybe let your doctor know. He could run a blood test to make sure your not lacking something. But if your like me, 52 , Im just getting old and worn out !!!

Jennskains Sep 7, 2006

Sweet girl Jodi,  My Mom is 52 and says that she is old!  I say hogwash!    We work with 14 kids and we are both worn out.  I just need to deal with it because I can't afford to collapse!  I hope you feel better soon Sweetie.   :hug:   :pray:

Pipa Sep 7, 2006

i know when i cut out all the sweets  and junk food, and start eating healthy. fruit and veg..breakfast every morning.fresh orange.. i feel less sluggish and tired and crappy, it takes a few days to kick in when you cut out the crappy food and eat good but i can see a difference..

if you already eat healthy. maybe you have low blood sugar levels ?? a good energy boost come from Vitamin B (i think it's B) which can be found in certain foods!

plenty sleep ?? Emm not sure what else i can think off 

Pumpkin & Pickle Bears Sep 7, 2006

Hmm, maybe you could see your doctor about it. I was constantly tired a few years ago and discovered that a had a severly underactive thyroid....it took them 6 months of blood tests before the final diagnosis as they wanted to be sure thats what it was. I'm now on thyroxine for the rest of my life - not a nice thought at the age of 24!! But hey, at least it sorted me out! I'm on a different medication for something else and the side effect is fatigue - I can't flamin win!!! 

So get a blood test if it carries on - it's better to be safe than sorry!

Jennskains Sep 7, 2006

Gemma,  They ruled that out.  You poor girl!   We can't win can we?  I do have animia but iron pills upset my tummy.   :hug:

Bumpkin Bears Sep 8, 2006

Jenn, I can relate to how you are feeling.  I have had the same problem for a good couple of years now, firstly it was underactive thyroid which I now take medication for.  I was also seen to be anaemic, took iron which upset my stomach (until I took a Bio version which was better).  However that never helped my fatigue.  After seeing many Docs, specialists etc I have finally found a very good doctor that has a more natural approach and looks at the whole body rather than just the symptons.  (you can look up more in this discussion -

http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=9769

After trying all sorts of minerals and vitamins with nothing helping and feeling more and more tired and finding it very hard to concentrate or focus on things (like having a foggy head!) - eventually I had tests for fructose and lactose intolerance and have (through a damaged gut/intestines) got bad bacterias in my blood stream which are attacking my immune system, hence feeling so bad.  I came up as highly fructose intolerant (people often get food intolerances from these bacterias) and am now having to follow a very strict diet and they are trying to find someway of killing off these bacteria.  Usually ones body will realise they are bad and kill them off with good bacteria but my silly body/brain is not responding and letting them grow!  (It actually turns out that the iron they kept giving me in the beginning was very bad for my situation!!)  I'm not saying at all that this is your problem.  I just know how frustrating it is to feel so exhausted and for no one to really take you seriously.  Could you find a more holistic doctor or someone more specialist in for instance chronic fatigue syndrome/food allergies....

If you ever want to chat, just drop me an email.  I hope you feel better soon.
big hugs
Catherine
x

melissa Sep 8, 2006

Jenn -

I totally sympathise - I have extremely low iron/haemoglobin levels and go through bouts of extreme fatigue. 

Are your iron tablets prescribed ones or off the shelf?  There is a prescribed kind that are slow release and have added vitamin c in the tablet as well - the vitamin c makes them way nicer to the stomach. 

You can also do lots with your diet to increase your iron levels without taking iron (though if you are anemic it's very hard to build up to good blood levels with diet alone).  I'm not sure if you eat meat?  If you do, eat lots of  iron rich veges with your meat and drink fresh juice with your meal (or vitamin c enriched juice).  You absorb 50% more iron from haem-iron - that's meat, shell fish etc than you do non-haem iron - vegies, fruit etc BUT if you eat the non-haem iron WITH your haem-iron, you absorb even more iron from the veges and juice.

If you don't eat meat, there are some great sources of iron that are easy to eat - pumpkin seeds are great, sunflower seeds too - sprinkle them on your salad, potatoes  if you bake them with the skin on and eat the skin, oh and soft licorice too

avoid drinkin tea and coffe, or milk with or close to your main meal - they hinder the absorption of iron into your body

Have you been tested for thalassemia?  It's an anemia related blood disease however, the body can't absorb iron.  I am a carrier for it and I also have really severe anemia, but the iron tablets don't really help.    If you have low iron levels your thalassemia test can show as a false negative.

Oh and rebuilding iron levels is always going to be a long slow process - minimum 6 months - more likely 12, there is only so much iron that your body can absorb at once, so it's better to take a long measured approach to it.

Jellybelly Bears Sep 8, 2006

i was going to mention the thyroid too...hmmm...can they do full blood work and rule out everything?
big hugs and hope you can get to the bottom of it and feel better...
xx sarah

Acipenser Sep 8, 2006

Iron alone may not be enough, as your body may not be able to take it up. Try high dosages (100 micrograms a day) of B12. It helped me when I was walking "in a fog" a few years ago.

Jennskains Sep 8, 2006

Thanks guys!  This is not easy.  It is not my thyriod.  I don't drink dark sodas or coffie.  It could be stress related, I should eat more meat but I don't like it  too much.  Jenn

nandesign Sep 8, 2006

Hi Jenn:

I am not sure how old you are, but I am 51 and very anemic. Have been most of my life...prescription iron doesn't do much for me either. This past month I had two things done to help...the first thing was to have an iron drip...it is given in a hospital setting and takes most of a day. I received a litre...this method puts the iron right into the blood stream...you can't have it more than once or twice a year...but it is a great help to the fatique. The second thing I had two weeks ago was surgery...I had an ablation. This procedure is laser surgery where they completely remove the lining of the uterus without having to have a hysterectomy. You should never have another period...I know this is a bit graphic. I think women in particular don't always seek out all of our options...we just keep going and going...until we just can't...and then, the end result is even worse! This is also a great procedure because there is virtually no pain and while I am still having to be careful for another week or so...my iron levels should be more normal now.
This may not be the answer for you...but if you have a good doctor, he/she should give you every option that is out there!

Hope you feel better soon.
Hugs, Nancy

ArtHeart Sep 8, 2006

Hi,
There is an EXCELLENT article called 'Tired All the Time?' in the current issue of Oprah magazine.

It might give you some other ideas.   The shopping articles in the magazine are awesome too!   And can anyone ever be too tired for some serious retail therapy?

hugs,
nancy

Jennskains Sep 8, 2006

I'm 32.

Chowlea Bears Sep 8, 2006

Have the same problem - haven't solved it yet...............................

starlite Sep 8, 2006

Jenn - I have no diet suggestions as food wise I have stacks of allergies and have to avoid so many things - but I do agree with the others and hope that a good doctor will help
I do know that when I get very tired I drink lots and lots of orange juice it helps me but then I am probably a little odd   :redface:
I do so hope that you find something/someone to assist
Take Care  :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

Dilu Sep 9, 2006

all I can say Jenn,

is you can't let it get you down, AND you can't buy into the first depressing idea the doctor comes up with.  You have to fight back and be proactive.....

and experiement.....and read all the posts that were in the reccomendation by Catherine...and know that we are rooting for you to win!

gollyhugs

dilu

nandesign Sep 9, 2006

I agree with Ann. I was told by a prominent doctor that orange juice is excellent....it is also important to have if you are taking iron pills...the orange juice helps to get the iron into the system faster.

Hugs, Nancy

kbonsall Sep 9, 2006

I would seriously suggest seeing a doctor and wouldn't take anything without checking first.. after being sick for the past couple months, I really realized that STRESS is a BIG factor in a lot of illnesses... I have recently tried to let things "roll off my back" and not get worried/angry/upset at things that I cannot help or change and just deal with them in the best way...

I agree that exercise is a great way to have loads of energy (going to start exercising again - I actually miss it!) I started when I had first gotten sick but stopped and now am going to start again   I had tons of energy, could deal with stress better, etc. when I was working out...

Hope you feel better, girl!  :hug:  :hug:

Jennskains Sep 9, 2006

Kim, it is good to have you back!  What was wrong? :hug:

Bumpkin Bears Sep 9, 2006

Jenn, I am also 32.  I really would look for some other doctors opinions.  I thought that drinking lots of orange juice was good for me so was drinking a couple of glasses each day.  However in my situation this was actually making me iller  and more and more tired.  This is because being fructose intolerant my body couldn't take it and orange juice is one of the worst things you can take if you have my probs, with it being very acidic it can aggrevate problems in your gut.  I have been under a lot of stress for many years now, losing my Mum to cancer when I was just 27.   It is very likely that it is this large load of stress that contributed to the damage in my body which has now caused all my other probs - stress really is very damaging, far more than I ever realised.  I really hope you are able to find a doctor that will REALLY listen to you and take you seriously. 

Look after yourself,
Catherine
:hug:  :hug:

Jennskains Sep 9, 2006

Catherine, I get headaches when I drink too much OJ  The doctor said it had too much acid and to drink pineapple instead.

kbonsall Sep 9, 2006

Jenn, they arent sure... they think IBS but are not sure yet... there a lot of things it isnt LOL... I did the last of my tests (which they should have the results back from shortly) so maybe we will figure it out... I think that stress really is the problem...

Regarding the OJ, if you have tum problems, OJ probably isnt a good idea (too acidic)... OJ made me feel sick to my tum when I DID feel ok LOL... but I would say that lots of water is a good idea (it has also helped me out - I was never much of a drinker but it has helped)....

chrissibrinkley Sep 9, 2006

... but I would say that lots of water is a good idea (it has also helped me out - I was never much of a drinker but it has helped)....

Hey Kim , this just popped into my head when I saw this.  I was never much of a water drinker either, when I started I did it minimally and then increased to what "they" recommend each day.  I couldn't figure out whey I was getting sick to my stomach all the time, seemed like pepcid and all the others didn't help.  The one doctor I was seeing asked about my water consumption....she said to cut back, that the daily volume is good but not for everyone.  It may be that your tum isn't made to take in the 8 a day.

Jenn,
About being tired all the time I would suggest having your thyroid tested every few months.  They use a scale, #s to see if your "in range".  You normal level may be right at an edge of the range...if it shifts even slightly it could be enough to make you very very tired.  Again, this scale is the black and white of medicine...some of us are in the gray and not exactly what the norm is.  If you have it tested a few times your doctor may see a shift that deems a small amount of medication. 
I was showing all the classic signs of hypo thyroid...I was adamant with my (old) doctor about my family history, but they kept insisting my "levels" were in range.  Well, 6 months later I was so sick and wound up in the ER hooked up to a heart monitor with a fever and debilitating fatigue. The ER doctor told me my level was so bad and he mentioned people lapsing into thyroid induced comas!!! HEELLLLOOOOO where were my doctors when I was telling them my history and symptoms??!!
The number one mistake doctors make with this disease is looking at the numbers alone and not all of your symptoms.  If you don't like what your doctor is saying: find a new doctor, it's your health on the line not theirs!!

:hug:
~Chrissi

kbonsall Sep 9, 2006

OH, I dont drink that much, I'd be going all day!   :crackup: I drink more than I did (I hardly use to drink) but not enough as "they say" LOL...  :crackup:   I know when my body needs more fluids (I start to get a bit of a headach) and when I do drink water, it goes away... dunno why but it does

I agree with Chrissi, if you don't feel comfortable with what your dr is telling you, GET A SECOND OPINION!  You know your body better than anyone and if something isn't right, it isn't right  :hug:  :hug: