Debilitating aching & fatigue - really part of anxiety/depression? or malnurished? in a pickle...
#293587 - 12/14/06 01:43 AM
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Memmles
Reged: 04/07/06
Posts: 101
Loc: Silicon Valley, CA, USA
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Hi guys,
It's another of my longer emails - sorry in advance. I think I'm also venting here a bit too. 
I'm emailing to see if anyone has experienced this decidedly NON-GI symptom set. I am slowly losing the ability to do anything of substance outside of sleep...even work has gone down the tubes.
Throughout the last 3 months, I have battled fatigue and aching like I've never had before. Starting in September, it was exhaustion after work (I'd come home & pretty much go to bed) & sleeping most of the weekend. I just didn't feel like doing anything. It's now become substantial muscle pain and aching & fatigue that keeps me home from work at times (like today) & prevents me from doing ANYTHING. The weird thing is that I'll have terrible day(s), followed by a day or days where I feel fine & have good energy. It's so odd.
The Dr. I saw for these concerns took a mess of bloodwork & urinalisis & of course everything comes back normal. Which apparently rules out any rheumatalogical diseases too (she must have ordered up those tests too). I also don't have any of the "tender points" that could lead to a CFS/Fibro Dx.
The Dr. as well as my therapist said that all of these pretty severe symptoms (along with my trademark nausea) very well could be caused by the anxiety I experience as well as a little depression that is potentially thrown in there. Have any of you experienced this as part of anxiety/depression? I'm still trying to grasp these physical symptoms as part of that emotional stuff.
Also - Dr. of course never investigated any vitamin/mineral deficiencies, even though I told her that I don't eat well consistently due to the nausea & IBS. ie) I haven't had protein or real veggies in a very long time. My therapist & roommate both think lack of good nutrition is also the cause of the aching & feeling of extreme CRAPPINESS (even though I haven't eaten balanced meals in YEARS & never had these symptoms!).
Does anyone, and especially those that have experienced this or something similar, have any input on where to start? I'm trying to figure out how to get out from under all this, and I'm kinda flummoxed. Dr's aren't much help except to prescribe psychological meds, my roommate believes fully in supplements & cutting sugar out of my diet & that my body is just WAY out of whack, and the therapist has been the most helpful of all (which I'm thankful for). But WHERE DO I START when I can't exercise when I feel like this, it's difficult if not impossible to eat when I'm nauseous, which leaves me possibly malnurished & feeling crappy...and round and round. How can I get my body back in line????
Add to the mix a messy situation with my family on the East Coast (I'm way over in California), namely my grandmother, who I always have been close to all my life, is dying fairly rapidly & I dread going home for Christmas and dealing with that emotional mess. This situation just adds the emotional/stress element that just makes the anxiety (& nausea) worse.
Can anyone help? i trust you guys and I've always gotten good solid tips for getting WELL instead of wallowing in the situation. I need that again, now more than ever.
When you have a second, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks so much in advance.
~ emily
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East Palo Alto, CA (San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley)
IBS-C, pain, nausea
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Yes, I think your diet is catching up with you.
If you consistantly eat poorly, you will feel like that.
I did.
You have to find a way to start eating well. Here's how!
Suggestions:
Your biggest need is B-12. Never mind that the doctors will tell you that you do not have a deficiency. They are flat wrong.
Swallowing B-12 will not help, because it is destrotyed by the stomic acid.
You should try some sub-lingual natural B-12 from a health food store. It will help some.
However, B-12 injections are probably the only way to turn you around. Force any doctor to give you an injection and also to teach you to inject yourself. You can do it in your front thigh. You have to get him to prescribe the sirenges and a vial of B12. You could need 1 or 2 injections a week and then weekly or every 10 days.
If your doctor won't do it, get another doctor.
The B-12 will give you appitite, overcome nausea, and together with eating will give you energy and help the anxiety/depression.
This is what works for me.
I was also low thyroid - ya tired.
These days, I am assuming they checked your TSH (thyroid stimulator hormone). If it was in the range of 0 to 5, that would be normal. Mine was 26. I was low in thyroid.
I take only natural Armour thyroid.
Anxiety/depression - yes, I remember that.
I took the doctors drugs until I felt like crap.
All drugs eventually make you feel like crap with no energy.
I an old army doctor took me off drugs and said I had to start walking and running. He saved me.
He also gave me a B-12 injection.
Then later the state of California tried to take away his license to practice psychiatry. Competance is not well tolerated by fools.
I take no drugs. Haven't even had an aspirn in 25 years.
I do use homeopathic remedies and some herbs.
I treat my kids with homeopathics. We rarely need a doctor.
I walk and run some and do some yoga and exercise.
People see me walking fast and then do a double-take when the realize that this old guy can move. I guess I'm supposed to be arthritic or something, but I haven't got time for that crap. I can even stand on my head. I still have some IBS problems, but I can control them with diet and homeopathics and herbal remedies.
I do not know enough detail of your symptoms to suggest a homeopathic remedy
A good homeopathic doctor could determine the cause of your problems and remedy your situation.
Chuck Solomon
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fatigue wise i have had really good luck with magnesium potassium aspartates, they do not give you D or relieve constipation the way some magnesium can, but seem to work on unexplained fatigue quite well, many people who have chronic fatigue or fibro take it and say it helps, i take it to help with th AD tiredness side effect and i lik eit a lot, worth a shot.
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I thin you also neeed to have your vitamin levels checked. Have theyruled out crohns? Crohns can cause fatigue and pain as well.
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I can identify with the crushing fatigue although not with the pain. In my case, fatigue has been a result of being low on B12 and of thyroid problems. So...
I agree with the suggestion that you get your B12 levels checked. Mine were way low but I do very well with oral B12 because I had a "not getting enough" problem rather than a "malabsorption" problem. If you decide to go the B12 route be careful of sub-lingual (under the tongue) products - all the ones I checked contained sorbitol. I simply take a 500mcg B12 tablet (mine are by Nature's Bounty) twice a day and my B12 levels have rebounded nicely.
I also agree with getting your thyroid levels checked. Even if the doctor said they were normal get a copy of the bloodwork and look for yourself. (In fact, it's a good idea to look over all your bloodwork and urinalysis results yourself.) If it looks like you're in the normal range but only just you may still benefit from thyroid replacement. It would be worth checking with an endocrinologist. (old post)
If your doctor didn't check for these already, see if you can get tested for mononucleosis and Lyme disease.
As for not getting enough of the right nutrition, you might consult a nutritionist about foods you could eat that hopefully wouldn't stir up your nausea. Unfortunately, she's likely to push whole grains and turn up her nose at "white food" Soluble Fiber but maybe you can find one who's willing to listen to your concerns about that. Also - and I have to think you've tried this already but just in case - there are anti-nausea drugs. Maybe you could try some of those at least until you get used to eating more.
HTH. Good luck with all this.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Wow, you poor thing! I went through a bought of depression as a teen, but I don't remember any physical pain. Although, I do see commercials on tv for it nowadays.
I haven't much to offer but hugs, support, and I'll hope for the best for your grandma too.
Cassandra
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Cassandra
Live like there's no tomorrow. Love like you've never loved before.
IBS A 20+ years, Chronic Migraines, Chiari Malformation (decompressed June 22, 2010), Brachial Neuritis, and ??? the list just keeps growing, but I'm still shiny side up! 
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First off, everyone else has great ideas and I'd take them on paper back to your doctor to go over them. And if your doc won't, get a new doc.
2nd, have you tried hypnotherapy yet? It's works so well for so many people to reduce IBS symptoms. I know it did for me. And it has the added bonus of super deep relaxation to help you catch up on rest.
I know that most of these have been mentioned but I used to feel the same way you did and here's what I found out were out of whack with me:
-Low thyroid
-I wasn't getting proper nutrition (multivitamins help that a lot)
-I had a host of female problems that, thankfully, were all finally gotten under control with hormone therapy (BC)
-I couldn't sleep at night and when I did I had horrible nightmares (hypno fixed that)
Keep us posted on how things go.
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If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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Thank you so much for coming around me and offering advise. I truly appreciate you guys!
I have some B-complex vitamins already from Whole Foods, as well as the "Wellness Formula" supplement (also from Whole Foods...has a light blue label) that my roommate suggested.
After chatting with my therapist again, I'm going to try some anti-anxiety meds before the big-gun SSRI's in hopes that they would also offer some relief if it is anxiety/depression contributing to symptoms.
Between the supplements, anti-anxiety meds, & good nutrition, I'm sure I will feel the difference. Yesterday was rough for me & probably the lowest point yet, but today I have my fight & determination back.;)
Thanks again...
~ E.
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East Palo Alto, CA (San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley)
IBS-C, pain, nausea
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