Man, I tell you what, it has been a rough week.
Normally I don’t ask for medical advice from anyone but my doctor but this is getting ridiculous. I don’t know if I’m necessarily asking for advice or what I’m getting at but I feel the need to share.
I’ve had an amazing 6 months. I’ve felt the best I’ve ever felt. I had the most energy, I was the happiest, I rarely needed naps (unless I took one before working overnights), I had the energy to exercise, I was very regular (in terms of bowels, probably TMI), and I was great. Obviously I felt great because I lost over 25 lbs since September. That was all the result of feeling the best I’ve felt in my life.
The past month, ever since Wisconsin Dells and when I was treated for a sinus infection in early March, it has been ROUGH to say the least. I’m waking up with headaches every day, I’m so fatigued I can hardly get out of bed in the morning, I’m so irritable, I’m so constipated, I’ve got such brain fog, my acne is out of control, my hair is falling out in handfuls.
I’m back to the life I was living last Summer when I went to the doctor for these same exact symptoms. Honestly, these are all symptoms I’ve dealt with for years, sometimes worse than others. But when I felt SO GOOD the past 6 months, I realize that waking up with a headache every day is NOT normal.
In fact, back in nursing school, my symptoms were so bad I was falling asleep every day in class no matter how much coffee I had. My instructor pulled me aside, she thought I was working night shift when I had what I now call “sleep attacks” where you literally just cannot stay awake or keep your eyes open no matter how hard you try. I have maybe had 2 sleep attacks in the past 6 months but now almost DAILY for the past month.
I messaged my doctor and I’m headed in to get some repeat thyroid testing this week but I’m just really frustrated and totally drained. I’m sick of taking Tylenol and Ibuprofen around the clock anticipating a headache coming on.
So I’ve been a little absent from the blog lately, partly because I’ve felt like crap, partly because I don’t have the energy and partly because that inspiration, my spark is just gone again.
I’d love to hear if you’ve experienced this at all in your life. I’ve tried to be really reflective on my diet and my food choices and see if there is or was a change in my supplements or in my diet but because I never fully cut anything out of my diet in those six months, I don’t think it is related.
Anyway, that’s where I’m at friends. Feeling dull and foggy over here, as dreary as this March misty weather. Thanks for reading.
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It’s good you’re getting your thyroid checked. I wonder, could you be having some of the symptoms of Covid long haulers? Brain fog, headaches, crushing fatigue… Just a thought. Hope you get some answers and start to feel better soon.
My daughter had COVID about thanksgiving time. She still struggles with her lungs. She’s a marathoner so she wants to run: she is frustrated! She has hashimoto so her autoimmune system is part of it. I’ve heard it takes a long time to get on top after COVID. I sure hope you figure it out!
It’s from Covid same thing has happened to people I know that caught it a few months after they recovered.
I agree with these two ladies. don’t know how you check it out, but it sure sounds suspicious.
I had most of those symptoms prior to my diagnosis with Celiac. I never had the “typical” gastric issues, but I was eating tylenol like candy. I got really worried when I could no longer make it up the stairs without stopping to catch my breath. Basically my intestines were toast and I was unable to get any nutritional value from food. Anyway, short story long, it is a condition that has a million symptoms and I thought I would just throw it out there.
Didn’t you have Covid? Sounds like long hauler symptoms. Looking back at the other comments and it seems we all agree! I do hope you get some relief.
I can only speak to how Tylenol and Ibuprofen cause me to become Super Constipated…and that feels awful. Hope you feel better soon!
I hope you’re not having long haul symptoms! Sure sounds Ike it might be. Hope you can get some help, especially with the long drives you have back and forth to work! That really worries me when you talk about falling asleep.
Any chance of long-hauler covid?
I’m sorry you are feeling so lousy, I do hope your doctor can help you out. Having headaches every day is not normal and since you are doing so much to stay healthy it sounds like you need to be checked out. Wishing you good luck in solving it.
If you took antibiotics for your sinus infection you might benefit from some probiotics to reset your gut with healthy bacteria. Antibiotics kill off both bad & good bacteria so you system isn’t able to access the nutrients in the food you eat, hence fatigue & hair loss. Good luck in finding your way back to feeling healthy.
My First though was THYROID, as that is how I was before I was diagnosed. Actually a bout a yr or two before I was Diagnosed. I have Hashimoto’s Multi goiter thyroiditis…. Yes it could be residual Covid. but my bet would be THYROID…. or OMG pregnancy….. It happens……..
COVID takes it toll and perhaps you are having symptoms again. We used to go to Wilderness every February, but after acquiring a horrid fungal sinus infection (not diagnosed as fungal at first) and pneumonia folllowed by 2 very close to the brain sinus surgeries. My surgeon and immunologist have both ordered (yes, ordered me) to stay away from all swimming and waterparks for the rest of my life. I developed fatigue and chronic esoinophilic pneumonia, since the infection and have never been well again. I get an infusion every month for my lungs. I do what I can each day and breath as well as I can. We control my diseases, but they are not curable.
I agree with those who think it might possibly be related to you having COVID. My second thought is that your blood sugar may be dropping too low between meals or snacks (I think you had previously mentioned intermittent fasting). A friend found that to be the cause of her headaches and fatigue. She was fasting from 7-7 but often pushed that to 7 PM to 10 AM. Too long for her body. She now eats a few nuts or a piece of fruit before bed, or she eats something immediately when waking instead of pushing it later. Good luck in finding your answer and feeling like “you” again.
I had dealt with headaches, chest discomfort, ( not heart related) and fatigue for several years. My GP sent me to many special MD. Finally he decided the problem was Endogenous Depression. Not regular Depression. Now I am on a low dose of Zoloft. For the most part I am doing good. It was rough getting used to the Zoloft. All this to say, maybe it is something like this along with low blood sugars. I know people don’t really talk about Hypoglycemia much any more but that could be part of the problem. Good Luck with everything.
Could it be depression? Seasonal Affective Disorder is something I suffered with for many, many years. Using a light box regularly (30 minutes every morning) worked amazingly well. I use a SunBox Jr. I tried one with LED lights and it did not work and I went back to my sunbox.
My rheumatologist found out I was horribly low on VitB6 and VitD3. With Rx strength vitamins and regular Magnesium supplements (as well as Epsom salts soaks) made a huge difference in my energy levels. I slept more soundly and that has a HUGE effect on our bodies!
My thoughts were long COVID (not sure how you test for that) or Celiac Disease (simple blood test to start and then possibly an endoscopy to confirm). It’s not unusual for Celiac Disease to kick in after a big shock to the system, like a car accident, pregnancy, or an illness (like the flu or COVID).
I hope you get it figured out. My daughter has had fatigue, among other things, since early 2019 and we still haven’t figured it out. She was diagnosed with Celiac Disease about 10 years ago and is on a strict gluten-free diet, so it’s not that. It’s hard to figure out these weird things in the time of COVID and virtual doctor visits.
Good luck!!