General weakness

[Gerry Seymour]

I've worked shifts for over 40 years, 12 hour shifts including a lot of night shifts. I quite like sleeping through the day but you don't sleep through all the daylight hours. You don't need hours of sun every day to get your vitamin D. Our federation had looked extensively into shift patterns and health, shifts do cause medical problems but I would suspect the deficiency is indicating underlying problems.
this didn't apply to us but it did the civilian staff. https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/AHardDaysNight.pdf

I expect it's the shift, paired with a lower absorption level. Like nearly everything about humans, vitamin-D absorption is not the same for everyone, even within "normal" tolerances. Someone with low-normal absorption would be fine with a normal schedule. Put them on nights, and that might be just enough to put them at a deficit.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Did they also test for diabetes? Uncontrolled blood sugar will make you constantly tired and weak, as well as feeling like/needing to urinate more often.

My wife was diagnosed with vitamin deficiency but she was told that she not only needed to take a high dose of vitamin D, but also something else to help absorb the D. I don't know if any of that applies to you.

They took four syringes worth of blood so I guess they did the whole range of tests. I did have a diabetes test about two years ago and was told I was fine.

I expect it's the shift, paired with a lower absorption level. Like nearly everything about humans, vitamin-D absorption is not the same for everyone, even within "normal" tolerances. Someone with low-normal absorption would be fine with a normal schedule. Put them on nights, and that might be just enough to put them at a deficit.

This is pretty much what my doctor told me. To be honest before this year I always took at least one trip, usually two to somewhere sunny. Also I stopped going to watch cricket. You literally sit in the sun for days doing this, a game lasts four full days.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

This is pretty much what my doctor told me. To be honest before this year I always took at least one trip, usually two to somewhere sunny. Also I stopped going to watch cricket. You literally sit in the sun for days doing this, a game lasts four full days.

Cripes, and I thought baseball games lasted forever...

 

[oftheherd1]

...

Also I stopped going to watch cricket. You literally sit in the sun for days doing this, a game lasts four full days.

Who knew.

 

[Tez3]

It may be the shifts but people also work day shifts indoors and don't see much daylight. However eating properly, something you must do if on shifts, is the vital difference where you will get enough vitamins whatever shifts and however little daylight you get.

 

[drop bear]

Cripes, and I thought baseball games lasted forever...

Cricket is like boring baseball.

It is boring to play as well.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Cricket is like boring baseball.

It is boring to play as well.

Baseball is boring baseball, man. (And I actually like the damned sport - what does that say about me?)

 

[JR 137]

Baseball is boring baseball, man. (And I actually like the damned sport - what does that say about me?)

I'm pretty odd in my baseball love/hate affair. I love watching the Yankees. On tv and at yankee stadium. It doesn't matter if they're having a great season or a horrible one, I'll watch them just as much. I love the history of the game and the hall of fame. I hate watching anyone else play. Except the Cubs vs Indians World Series. That was such a great series for baseball.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Cricket is like boring baseball.

It is boring to play as well.

Only people who don't understand the game say this.

Baseball is boring baseball, man. (And I actually like the damned sport - what does that say about me?)

Baseball isn't that bad. It's a bit like toy cricket.

Or Twenty 20 cricket to give it it's official name.

(For those who don't know Twenty 20 cricket is a relatively new form of cricket that lasts three hours, popular with people who don't like real cricket. Which basically makes it the most popular form in the world now.)

I watch baseball on tv here sometimes. When I'm not sleeping. xD

 

[drop bear]

Only people who don't understand the game say this.



Baseball isn't that bad. It's a bit like toy cricket.

Or Twenty 20 cricket to give it it's official name.

(For those who don't know Twenty 20 cricket is a relatively new form of cricket that lasts three hours, popular with people who don't like real cricket. Which basically makes it the most popular form in the world now.)

I watch baseball on tv here sometimes. When I'm not sleeping. xD

Nothing to understand. One person throws a ball the other hits it and 10 other people stand around like idiots.

 

[hoshin1600]

i had a problem with low energy and sleepyness. i could "sleep" forever. i remember one day i slept 14 hours. i figured out i have a type sleep apnea. i couldnt breath through my nose so i wasnt sleeping well. now i wear one of those "Breath Right" strips and it helps a lot. i should go see the doctor but i dont think i could wear one of those face mask things.
if the Vit -D doesnt seem to be fixing the problem i would start looking at other possibilities.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

i had a problem with low energy and sleepyness. i could "sleep" forever. i remember one day i slept 14 hours. i figured out i have a type sleep apnea. i couldnt breath through my nose so i wasnt sleeping well. now i wear one of those "Breath Right" strips and it helps a lot. i should go see the doctor but i dont think i could wear one of those face mask things.
if the Vit -D doesnt seem to be fixing the problem i would start looking at other possibilities.

Back to the doctors in two hours. Slept for twelve hours yesterday and was struggling to stay awake at work this week. Really hoped to go to taekwondo yesterday but the class had already finished when I woke up.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Have now been put on happy pills. :/

My doctor said he thought I was depressed at the start but I didn't think I was.

Maybe he was right. Lets see how I feel in a few weeks.

 

[JR 137]

Have now been put on happy pills. :/

My doctor said he thought I was depressed at the start but I didn't think I was.

Maybe he was right. Lets see how I feel in a few weeks.

Early November last year, I started getting very tired. My body felt run down and physically exhausted. I figured I wasn't getting enough sleep. Then I got a solid 12 hours sleep each night for 3 or 4 nights in a row and it made no difference at all; actually I was more tired. I started to feel like I was sick without actually being sick; no symptoms other than general fatigue and body aches. I thought I had mono.

I didn't have a primary doctor at the time, so I went to an urgent care facility (not an emergency room). They begrudgingly tested me for mono, saying they didn't think it was that. Turned up negative. They tried telling me I was depressed, which after I heard them say it for the 4th time I got really aggravated. I told them pretty sternly "I'm not depressed, now I'm pissed (angry in UK English ). I'm not taking depression meds until you rule out everything else it could be and there's no diagnosis left."

They didn't like that, so they did a bunch of blood work to shut me up and prove I was wrong - HIV, thyroid, Lyme disease, blood sugar, flu, etc. They took about 8 vials of blood.

It came back 3 days later that I tested positive for Lyme Disease. Fortunately for them, the doctor and nurse that initially saw me weren't there when they called to inform me. I had a lot of not so nice things to say to them. Then again, they'd have probably said my anger is a part of depression and I need meds for that too.

If you think depression can be a cause, then by all means treat it. If you're confident it's not, demand to be tested for other things. Had I listened to them and walked away, I'd be far worse off.

I'm not sure how common Lyme Disease is where you are, but it's getting too common here. And it's misdiagnosed very often. There's no definitive test for it, and doctors miss it often. They go by a combination of blood markers and according to the textbooks, I didn't have enough markers to officially be considered positive. My primary doctor explained it all to me as he's had several people with it lately so he's become better versed in it.

I needed 3 rounds of 3 weeks of antibiotics to get rid of it. I had it from early November until early March. The most physically miserable 4 months of my life. I know people who've had it longer, and didn't have it as long. I also know too many people who were misdiagnosed and now have permanent problems because of it - nervous system, joint damage, etc.

And if they tell you you don't have it because you didn't get a bullseye rash from a tic bite, tell them bollocks; less than 40% of people with it develop the rash. I'm pretty sure that number will drop as more research is done.

Just an FYI.

Lyme Disease | Lyme Disease | CDC

I can tell you more about my experience with it if you'd like. The thing is, everyone has different symptoms and experiences. More so than most other conditions.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Update. Happy pills started working and Im back in training, I had a PT session down the gym yesterday in the morning and an aikido class in the evening. I feel great! All good news.

Early November last year, I started getting very tired. My body felt run down and physically exhausted. I figured I wasn't getting enough sleep. Then I got a solid 12 hours sleep each night for 3 or 4 nights in a row and it made no difference at all; actually I was more tired. I started to feel like I was sick without actually being sick; no symptoms other than general fatigue and body aches. I thought I had mono.

I didn't have a primary doctor at the time, so I went to an urgent care facility (not an emergency room). They begrudgingly tested me for mono, saying they didn't think it was that. Turned up negative. They tried telling me I was depressed, which after I heard them say it for the 4th time I got really aggravated. I told them pretty sternly "I'm not depressed, now I'm pissed (angry in UK English ). I'm not taking depression meds until you rule out everything else it could be and there's no diagnosis left."

They didn't like that, so they did a bunch of blood work to shut me up and prove I was wrong - HIV, thyroid, Lyme disease, blood sugar, flu, etc. They took about 8 vials of blood.

It came back 3 days later that I tested positive for Lyme Disease. Fortunately for them, the doctor and nurse that initially saw me weren't there when they called to inform me. I had a lot of not so nice things to say to them. Then again, they'd have probably said my anger is a part of depression and I need meds for that too.

If you think depression can be a cause, then by all means treat it. If you're confident it's not, demand to be tested for other things. Had I listened to them and walked away, I'd be far worse off.

I'm not sure how common Lyme Disease is where you are, but it's getting too common here. And it's misdiagnosed very often. There's no definitive test for it, and doctors miss it often. They go by a combination of blood markers and according to the textbooks, I didn't have enough markers to officially be considered positive. My primary doctor explained it all to me as he's had several people with it lately so he's become better versed in it.

I needed 3 rounds of 3 weeks of antibiotics to get rid of it. I had it from early November until early March. The most physically miserable 4 months of my life. I know people who've had it longer, and didn't have it as long. I also know too many people who were misdiagnosed and now have permanent problems because of it - nervous system, joint damage, etc.

And if they tell you you don't have it because you didn't get a bullseye rash from a tic bite, tell them bollocks; less than 40% of people with it develop the rash. I'm pretty sure that number will drop as more research is done.

Just an FYI.

Lyme Disease | Lyme Disease | CDC

I can tell you more about my experience with it if you'd like. The thing is, everyone has different symptoms and experiences. More so than most other conditions.

I had to look up what Mono was, we call it glandular fever over here. I had it in my early 20's so am immune now. Talking about Lymes disease I just read an article about a form England international rugby player who caught it.

Matt Dawson: I had to have heart surgery after a tick bite - BBC News

I didn't feel ill at all. Just exhausted. But I seem to be ok now. Woop.

 

[Tez3]

I had it in my early 20's so am immune now.

Don't want to upset you but I've had it twice. Once when I was young, during the polio epidemic in the UK, scared my parents to death then later on in my twenties.

 

[Rabbitthekitten]

Don't want to upset you but I've had it twice. Once when I was young, during the polio epidemic in the UK, scared my parents to death then later on in my twenties.

There was a polio epidemic?

 

[Tez3]

There was a polio epidemic?

Oh yes. It was a worldwide one in the 40s and 50s, quite horrendous. Mary Berry of Bake Off fame ( if you watch her carefully you can see she has weakness in her left side) and Lord Snowden both caught it. Polio: The deadly summer of 1956

There was also a typhoid one which luckily was confined to Aberdeen. Guess where I went to school? Yes Aberdeen, my father who is from there thought we should move up as it would be healthier for my mother. We got about twelve weeks summer holidays from school that year but we had to cancel our holiday as there were roadblocks to stop people leaving the city. BBC NEWS | Scotland | Typhoid left city 'under siege'