|
|
I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
  
| Timber Creek - 2016-07-27 8:14 AM
This isn't an answer to your original question but I have terrible fatigue if I don't eat enough protein. I'm not diabetic but I get a "sugar low" type of tired that is just miserable.
I do too. Carbs and sugar are my mortal enemy. But do get your blood checked. My anemia went undetected for a long time and my doctor pulled blood and said no, you don't have anemia. I thought I was turning in to a fat, lazy slug. So if this doctor has pulled blood and said you were fine, I would just find another doctor and try again. When you find a good doctor, they are worth their weight in gold. | |
| | |
 Poor Cracker Girl
Posts: 12150
Location: Feeding mosquitos, FL | Get a second/third/fourth opinion and be annoying. If you don't advocate for yourself with whatever medical professional you are seeing, they won't pay enough attention and try to get you in and out as quickly as possible.
My husband has been struggling with various health issues for years now and we've been through every doctor in town trying to find some kind of answer that isn't, "We don't know whats wrong with you or whats causing it but here take this pill and this pill and this pill for the rest of your life." It took four primary care physicians, six specialists, umpteen images, tests, and blood pulls, a hundred thousand phone calls and three times that many questions to even get to a possible underlying cause that we're working on now. Of course, going through all of that costs money and time.
Luckily he is much more patient than I am because I was thisclose to shipping him off to UF Shands as a test subject. Lock him up in their hospital and run him through the wringer until we get a freakin' answer! I may still do it.
Also, pay attention to what you are putting in your body. It makes a massive difference. Once he cut the Dr. Pepper obsession to a third of his consumption, he felt a bit better and some of his symptoms lessened. Once he stopped living on pizza and "could possibly be chicken" nuggets, he felt a bit better. He's still messed up and there is still a long way to go but it really does matter.
Good luck! Going through the medical system is a pain! | |
| | |
 Expert
Posts: 3782
 
Location: Gainesville, TX | Depression, low magnesium, anemia, hormone imbalance. All create fatigue. I would investigate those options first. | |
| | |
Unable to Live Without Chocolate or Coffee
Posts: 1849
| yes, my equine natural care herb lady tested mine!  | |
| | |
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 878
Location: "...way down south in the Everglades..." | I don't have any answers OP, but I am in the same exact boat. I have had three doctors do bloodwork and they find nothing. I actually eat 100 x's healthier now that I ever did years ago and yet I feel worse. I get plenty of sleep but it's never enough. I'm really sick and tired of it so if you find any magical answers please let me know. I've been tested for everything but the hormone issues which I wondered about however 2 doctors dismissed that thought. Not sure even what they could do if it is hormones? Anyone know?
Not to steal your post at all, but know that you are definitely not alone and I share your frustration. When it effects your whole life every day and no one can give you answers it's depressing.
| |
| | |
Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
Location: sunny california | my doctors ignored me until I flat told them that I am bedridden most of the time. i don't eat bad so they can't blame this on me. i was a healthy happy energenic person until one day I felt like i was dying. oh and being on the very bottom of the normal range is fine for a retired 80 yr old who enjoys being in bed all day, but try and keep your job that way! personally I think a doctor needs to treat the symptoms as well as the test results like they had to do back in the day. Who is to say that the only reason that I manged to stay on the very bottom of the "normal" range wasn't due to my body down regulating itself for survival. I am border line addisons. less than 5 on cortisol and you get the diagnosis but many doctors could look me in the face at 5.1 and say you are $hit out of luck., they almost killed me | |
| | |
 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| Bear - 2016-07-24 10:31 AM
Don't waste your money to have your hair analyzed. It's been proved to be completely useless time and time again.
Doc, I am going to have to disagree with you here. Depends on what you do with the information. If there was not good information in hair analysis why is it used in drug testing and forensics?
I had a hair analysis done years ago, after having issues for years and having little luck with standard Western medicine. Somewhere I have an audio recording of what he told me. He was able to identify my Hypothyrodism (I take 240mgs daily of Armour Thyroid) and also described my low blood sugar issues to a T. Told me that I was missing an enzyme that breaks down protein. My take away was to take the digestive enzymes previously prescribed by my doctor with EVERY meal instead of just with fatty foods as he recommended, AND to do a protein shake in the morning to get my minimum of 25 grams of protein to start my day. He didn't sell me a thing. I was amazed that he grasped my blood sugar issues so accurately. Said most people have rolling peaks and valleys, mine dropped off a cliff....I have been almost incoherent at times...non functional, sick and exhausted, and found that the only thing that would help was a steak cooked medium or medium rare. That would snap me right out of it. Always thought that there was something in the beef that got cooked out of it if it were overdone. Now I think that it is still in a form that I can metabolize without that missing enzyme. Keep your peanut butter and orange juice...doesn't help at all, in fact makes it worse. Same can be said with every other source of protein without the enzymes to break it down.
So, IMHO, a hair analysis may give you some good information, it's all in what you DO with that information. | |
| | |
 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | rodeoveteran - 2016-07-29 12:34 PM
Bear - 2016-07-24 10:31 AM
Don't waste your money to have your hair analyzed. It's been proved to be completely useless time and time again.
Doc, I am going to have to disagree with you here. Depends on what you do with the information. If there was not good information in hair analysis why is it used in drug testing and forensics?
I had a hair analysis done years ago, after having issues for years and having little luck with standard Western medicine. Somewhere I have an audio recording of what he told me. He was able to identify my Hypothyrodism (I take 240mgs daily of Armour Thyroid ) and also described my low blood sugar issues to a T. Told me that I was missing an enzyme that breaks down protein. My take away was to take the digestive enzymes previously prescribed by my doctor with EVERY meal instead of just with fatty foods as he recommended, AND to do a protein shake in the morning to get my minimum of 25 grams of protein to start my day. He didn't sell me a thing. I was amazed that he grasped my blood sugar issues so accurately. Said most people have rolling peaks and valleys, mine dropped off a cliff....I have been almost incoherent at times...non functional, sick and exhausted, and found that the only thing that would help was a steak cooked medium or medium rare. That would snap me right out of it. Always thought that there was something in the beef that got cooked out of it if it were overdone. Now I think that it is still in a form that I can metabolize without that missing enzyme. Keep your peanut butter and orange juice...doesn't help at all, in fact makes it worse. Same can be said with every other source of protein without the enzymes to break it down.
So, IMHO, a hair analysis may give you some good information, it's all in what you DO with that information.
Hair analysis has been used to detect a history of past illicit drug use, as well as forensic analysis.
That is a far cry from taking it to the level you describe. Entirely different applications....one scientifically valid, and the other scientifically debunked.
Your anecdote provides zero proof that it is useful. All it tells me is you were foolish and lucky.
Again, for those considering HHA, look carefully at good data. If you don't know how to distinguish good science versus quackery, take my word for it and save your money. If you still want to use it, by all means give it a try. Fools are essential to a thriving economy. | |
| | |
  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Dr. J - 2016-07-27 8:31 AM Has your doc done basic lab testing, even? If not, then yes you need to find a new doctor. If they have done lab testing (and other testing if warranted) that is all normal the next thing to evaluate is your lifestyle. Do you eat lots of sugar, grains and processed foods? How many times per day do you eat? Do you sleep good? Do you exercise? Do you have relaxation time and do emotionally/spiritually restful things? Are there significant stressors going on in your life right now?
I don't mean to minimize your concerns because I don't know you, nor do I need to know all these details. But so many patients come in with complaints of fatigue, various aches and pains yet they smoke, eat like crap, never exercise, work all the time, etc. After doing the initial lab testing, I try to counsel my patients on these things. You HAVE to take care of yourself. But people don't want to hear that, they just get mad that I haven't ordered some magic test that tells them what is wrong with them.
Just some food for thought from a primary care doc's perspective. :-)
But its easier to blame the drs for not caring 
not directed at op.. in general..lol..
great answer by the way..
| |
| | |
I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Bibliafarm - 2016-08-01 8:57 PM
Dr. J - 2016-07-27 8:31 AM Has your doc done basic lab testing, even? If not, then yes you need to find a new doctor. If they have done lab testing (and other testing if warranted) that is all normal the next thing to evaluate is your lifestyle. Do you eat lots of sugar, grains and processed foods? How many times per day do you eat? Do you sleep good? Do you exercise? Do you have relaxation time and do emotionally/spiritually restful things? Are there significant stressors going on in your life right now?
I don't mean to minimize your concerns because I don't know you, nor do I need to know all these details. But so many patients come in with complaints of fatigue, various aches and pains yet they smoke, eat like crap, never exercise, work all the time, etc. After doing the initial lab testing, I try to counsel my patients on these things. You HAVE to take care of yourself. But people don't want to hear that, they just get mad that I haven't ordered some magic test that tells them what is wrong with them.
Just some food for thought from a primary care doc's perspective. :-)
But its easier to blame the drs for not caring not directed at op.. in general..lol..
great answer by the way..
When you go to the Gyno and she tells you she can't believe you were able to walk into her office by yourself because you are so anemic and you have been telling your family doctor for over a year something is wrong because you can't handle the heat any more and you are so tired all the time you feel like you are walking in knee deep mud snd your hair is falling out and he pulls blood and then looks you straight in the eye and tells you it's all in your head, then yeah, I blame the doctor.
When you have a fungus infection in your sinuses and had 2 surgeries where they drill into your head and you ask what you can do to get rid of the infection besides allergy shots because they obviuosly aren't working and he tells you there isn't anything you can do about and then you start researching and find out that diet can really help and you try it, by gosh it does help, then yes I blame the doctor.
I am sorry if I am sounding b@&%y , it's just really personal for me. These are men I trusted to help me figure out my health problems. I don't expect them to know everything but I do expect them to listen to me snd try to help me. Not make me feel like a lazy, stupid slug or an idiot thinking diet could possibly help me more than Cipro. | |
| | |
Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | GLP - 2016-08-01 10:25 PM Bibliafarm - 2016-08-01 8:57 PM Dr. J - 2016-07-27 8:31 AM Has your doc done basic lab testing, even? If not, then yes you need to find a new doctor. If they have done lab testing (and other testing if warranted) that is all normal the next thing to evaluate is your lifestyle. Do you eat lots of sugar, grains and processed foods? How many times per day do you eat? Do you sleep good? Do you exercise? Do you have relaxation time and do emotionally/spiritually restful things? Are there significant stressors going on in your life right now?
I don't mean to minimize your concerns because I don't know you, nor do I need to know all these details. But so many patients come in with complaints of fatigue, various aches and pains yet they smoke, eat like crap, never exercise, work all the time, etc. After doing the initial lab testing, I try to counsel my patients on these things. You HAVE to take care of yourself. But people don't want to hear that, they just get mad that I haven't ordered some magic test that tells them what is wrong with them.
Just some food for thought from a primary care doc's perspective. :-) But its easier to blame the drs for not caring
not directed at op.. in general..lol..
great answer by the way..
When you go to the Gyno and she tells you she can't believe you were able to walk into her office by yourself because you are so anemic and you have been telling your family doctor for over a year something is wrong because you can't handle the heat any more and you are so tired all the time you feel like you are walking in knee deep mud snd your hair is falling out and he pulls blood and then looks you straight in the eye and tells you it's all in your head, then yeah, I blame the doctor. When you have a fungus infection in your sinuses and had 2 surgeries where they drill into your head and you ask what you can do to get rid of the infection besides allergy shots because they obviuosly aren't working and he tells you there isn't anything you can do about and then you start researching and find out that diet can really help and you try it, by gosh it does help, then yes I blame the doctor. I am sorry if I am sounding b@&%y , it's just really personal for me. These are men I trusted to help me figure out my health problems. I don't expect them to know everything but I do expect them to listen to me snd try to help me. Not make me feel like a lazy, stupid slug or an idiot thinking diet could possibly help me more than Cipro.
Justifibly so..... but i think the above post also was saying in general as well as I agrreeing with the post..... that people also need to take care of theirself, their diet, lifestyle etc.. its not always something that a test or procedure or medicine can help with.. it varies so much that to lump it to a dr only issue can be stretching it.. I am not directing this at you.. i mean In general and we have to listen to our bodies to.. | |
| | |
Doggy Diaper Designer
Posts: 2322
Location: WI | Thanks for all the great insight. It's doubly as hard since I work in healthcare. I worked with residents for many years. I sat right by them and I see their training and learning process. I can say, it has a lot to be desired.
I've talked to several docs. Had blood done at various times. Some are low end of "normal".
Who decides what's normal? Where do those values come from? The average of all sick people tested? I don't know.
I'm really just disgusted by sheer laziness on the part of docs. I feel like I get blown off and none of them ever put all the pieces together and look at full picture. Each specialist only looks at that little area, no one pieces everything together. | |
| | |
Doggy Diaper Designer
Posts: 2322
Location: WI | Thanks for all the great insight. It's doubly as hard since I work in healthcare. I worked with residents for many years. I sat right by them and I see their training and learning process. I can say, it has a lot to be desired.
I've talked to several docs. Had blood done at various times. Some are low end of "normal".
Who decides what's normal? Where do those values come from? The average of all sick people tested? I don't know.
I'm really just disgusted by sheer laziness on the part of docs. I feel like I get blown off and none of them ever put all the pieces together and look at full picture. Each specialist only looks at that little area, no one pieces everything together. | |
| |
| |
Folks on-line