[JenS]

The past week I have been tired and weak. Just no energy and feeling "out of sorts". A little dizzy at times. Should I go see my family doctor? I mean, he can't really tell me much from that description. Maybe he can take a blood test, I don't know. I just want to sleep!

 

[Stace]

Yes, I would go to your family doctor. A blood test can reveal many things which could be causing your fatigue like thyroid issues or anemia. Good luck, Jen. Hope you're feeling better soon.Stacey

 

[JenS]

She did complete blood work--Iron, Thyroid, B12 & Folate, sed rate, CBC, etc. I go back on Friday. She said that she has seen many "unknown" things this month--lots of stomach virus and stuff.If all is normal with blood and urine, she is going to write it off as depression. (I already take 100mg of Zoloft)

 

[Kathleen M.]

If the blood work is all normal (although you sound a lot like me when my iron gets too low) you might want to give something that I am trying a go.I got it from a People's Pharmacy episode recently. I think the web site is www.thebodyblues.com.It is a program that has been tested in depression, but can also be for people who are just dragged out and tired a lot without mood problems.LEVity is the acronym for it.L= light (natural sunlight)E= exerciesV= vitamins.They recommend 20 minutes of moderate (brisk walking) exercise out in the light each day and the set of vitamins that you can get pretty cheap at the drug store (it has a few more than they used, but this way you don't have to spend extra for a special formulation) is a B-50 supplement (most of the B's at 50 mgs with Folic Acid at 400 mgs) and the a 200 mg of Selenium supplement and a 400 mg of Vitamin D supplement.Been doing me quite a bit of good in the energy department.Now if I can just get this virus out of my inner ear so I get back to having a firm grasp on horizontal and vertical again things will be great

K.

 

[JenS]

Thanks K! I will order the book from my local library

 

[K9Mom]

K, interesting about the selenium supplement. Selenium can boost thyroid hormone conversion from T4 into T3 and the cells ability to use the hormone. It's unusual to see it recommended, so it caught my eye.Below is from a thyroid newsletter:"Regarding the thyroid, selenium is a component of the enzyme that helps convert T4 to T3 peripherally, so deficiencies of selenium may impair thyroid function and promote hypothyroidism. According to the New England Journal, "selenium deficiency can result in thyroid injury and decreased extrathyroidal triiodothyronine production" (reduced peripheral T3 production.) Some experts believe that low T3 levels may be characteristic in areas with insufficient selenium."

 

[JenS]

Selenium is recommended by Dr. Weil as a daily supplement. He suggests taking it with Vitamin E. I have taken it in the past, but am not at this time.

 

[Kathleen M.]

That is interesting about the selenium.I know a lot of people who are being treated for hypothyroidism sometimes have a range of medication that helps, but at some doses they feel bad.Could be one of those things where for some people, some parts of even the "normal range" may not be good enough. Since the "normal range" is what is usually OK for the majority of people that doesn't mean that my "normal range" is the exact same as the population as a whole's "normal range"Here is the quote from the study they have on the site as to why they selected the vitamins they did

quote:Certain vitamins have proven effective to enhance mood in women. In 1990, a group of female and male volunteers in a double blind cross-over trial were treated with 100 mcg of selenium and showed a significant improvement on the Profile of Mood States (POMS) in 2.5 weeks (Benton and Cook 1990). In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study, women, but not men, who took 50 milligrams of thiamine for 2 months became more clear-headed, composed and energetic (Benton, Griffiths, and Haller 1997). Vitamin D supplements have shown a rapid antidepressant effect during the winter months when sun exposure, and therefore body stores of vitamin D, are most likely to be low (Lansdowne and Provost 1998). Other vitamins with demonstrated potential for mood-enhancing effects in women are folic acid (Alpert and Fava 1997), pyridoxine and riboflavin (Benton, Fordy, and Haller 1995).

Thyroid functions effects so many things that it doesn't seem all that strange that something that might tweak the thyroid hormone function could be helpful with mood and energy levels.And then when you add that a goodly number of woman in the study lost some weight even though it wasn't a weight loss program and they weren't altering their diet in any specific way that also gives some possible thought that thyroid tweaking could be involved in some way.K.