Fed up of feeling ill

Posted , 7 users are following.

I'm just so fed up of not feeling 100% most of the time . Does anyone know where I am coming from ? I am on anti depressants now . I am still having regular periods although sometimes like last month there were only 3 weeks apart and it was heavy . It's just this unsettled stomach feeling , nausea and full feeling every now and again that gets me down . Also I tend to get a nagging headache that just won't go away . I do suffer from migraines as well . General aches and pains . I am 48 and hate feeling like this . I should be in the prime of my life ! Previously I have always been so fit and healthy . Is this normal ? Are a lot of the symptoms brought on by anxiety ? I thought the medication would be helping this . I am on citalopram 10 mg . I have also been dealing with grief . Thank you for reading this and please share your thoughts

3 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    Yes, know exactly where you are coming from.  I have felt like that for a long time.  I first started to feel like that in my late 30's  and am now in my early 50's.  You can't actually describe how you feel but that you feel below par and not firing on all cylinders.  Added to that you get all the period problems, heavy periods, light periods, no periods then bleed for a month etc.

    When I was at work and had one of these below par days I just used to push bits of paper round my desk because I couldn't concentrate properly.  If I tried to do anything complex I would get it all wrong and then have to correct what I had done and do it all over again. 

    On top of that, I had mood swings, tears and the feeling of utter wretchedness and doom, but pleased to say these symptoms have long passed.  Still get the hot flashes and this not feeling 100% most of the time.

    I reached the menopause at the age of 47 and reckon that I was perimenopausal from my late 30's until then.  I retired the year before I reached menopause and then decided to  go and talk to my GP about this not feeling 100% most of the time.  I was offered HRT but declined due to history of blood clots in my family.  My mother died at the age of 47 from one and I didn't want to put myself at risk.  So battled on with all the symptoms.

    I did have some others symptoms which were put down to the menopause and these were muscle pain and weakness and joint pain.  I was referred to a neurologist and after some tests was found to have a high ferritin (iron) level.  To cut a long story short, after a couple of years of backward and forwards to the doctors and hospital, I was finally diagnosed with haemochromatosis type 4, which is an iron overload disorder.  This makes you feel tired and lethargic, gives joint pain and muscle pain and a whole host of other problems.

    I know now why I feel below par most of the time, even though my condition is under control.

    There is a simple blood test that can be done to check your ferritin level and maybe your doctor can do more blood tests to rule out any other problems.

    I hope you manage to find a solution.

    Best wishes

    Marie

    • Posted

      I got a smile on my face reading your post, the part about you having pain in muscles and weakness. Not to be creepy, but this is me! But, I have had my ferritin level checked, and it was normal. That's good, but I need a diagnosis. I am losing weight and muscle mass from this, and have no idea what is going on. Seeing rheumatologist next month, hope I get some answers. 
    • Posted

      Good that you have got a referal to see a rheumatologist next month.  Hopefully, he or she will do the full range of tests to find out what is causing your problem.

      I know how dibilitating it can be to do the most simple things.  For instance, when I am drying my hair in the mornings, just holding the brush and hairdryer makes my muscles tired and they begin to hurt.  I have to let my arms rest in my lap before continuing sometimes.  Writing is also a problem, after a couple of sentences my forearm goes all tight and I can't hold the pen properly.  Although I try to push through the tightness and pain, my writing becomes an absolute mess and I just can't continue without lots of breaks.  I do most of my correspondence these days by computer, but owing to my haemochromatosis, the joints in my hand become painful, so I can only do this for so long as well.

      On the positive side, I have managed to get through the menopause without any hormone treatment, purely driven by fear that I would get a blood clot if I tried HRT.  I have regular amounts of blood taken from me to get de ironed (and I absolutely hate needles) for my haemochromatosis which is a life long treatment.  The hospital has become my second home.

      Let us know how you get on with the rheumatologist.

  • Posted

    I am 40 and realized I was in Peri about 5 months ago when my period lasted almost two months. I have been dealing with and being medicated for bipolar and anxieties. Every bone in my body aches and I just got my test results from my blood work back 30 minutes ago and everything came back fine except my vitamin D is low. My Dr says that could explain my aching body and to take 1200 mg of over the counter vitamin D. As far as my migraines my psychiatrist put me on hydroxyzine 50 mg . for anxiety attacks and it has also taken away my migraines as they were caused by anxiety.
  • Posted

    Yes, bad stomach, nausea daily, and no appetite. Feel better at night, for some reason. I also have muscle pain and fatigue and weakness. No one can tell me why yet. Have been to numerous doctors and loads of tests ran. Still searching. I just started HRT a week ago, hoping it kicks in and helps. 
  • Posted

    I had premature menopause at 14. I'm almost 36 and am in a pretty bad way.

    I have Antiphospholipid Syndrome & Chronic fatigue which I personally feel is very much related to either early menopause itself or 20 yrs of hrt or both.

    I'm no better off treatment wise than when it all started.

    Progesterone Toxicity was one of my problems & intolerance to synthetic progesterone.

    Plus any hrt preparation seems effective for a few months then back to Sq 1.

    Tablet form caused migraine with me & patches were better.

    Been begging for a hysterectomy to no avail.

  • Posted

    In my opinion, your symptoms don't sound like they are caused BY the anxiety, but that the anxiety is another symptom of hormonal imbalance or deficiency.

    Being deficient for me & on the other end of the scale, having too much progesterone caused all of the effects you are experiencing, including the anxiety.

    I am on 20mg citalopram and hefty pain medication helps to dull the intense darkness and exasperation & irrational sadness caused by not receiving the correct hormone treatment. (I am on these for chronic pain but wld not recommend for any other reason!)

    Considering you are dealing with grief and are only on 10mg, you deserve a medal! (If you increase tho its VERY hard to go back & you can end up unable to feel anything if you're not careful & that can be just as unpleasant!)

    Sadly though, I strongly believe antidepressants in this case are a sticking plaster at best and will not rectify anything if the hormone issues are not addressed correctly. To get the balance right is not easy. I've been trying for 20 yrs. Had 7 great years until my hrt patches were discontinued & taken off the market In 2007.

    You will know when it's right because it's like someone turning on the light and the world is no longer such a dark place. Much better than any mood altering drug! It's impossible to imagine until it happens but just never forget that the horrible thoughts & feelings you get alot of the time ARE completely irrational & unfounded.

    The power of hormones is frightening!

  • Posted

    I know exactly where you're coming from.  I just want to be myself again.

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