Battling fatigue for over a year

[DANOFDANGER]

In march 2010 i decided to start bodybuilding to build up my size and get myself healthy so i began with home dumbbells doing workouts everyday following a set plan and diet and tried different things experimenting and just overall finding a rythm for starters. After a while i had something going and felt great and it lasted about a year until about the beginning of july 2011 i started getting fatigue and it came on suddenly and strong.

I was just beginning to get into some real advanced workouts when it seemd like my body started to shutdown and i could no longer cope with simple tasks, i started getting fatigue (not tired) and could concentrate or do things i usually did on day to day basis like research on my computer or any sort of physical activities because it would just drain me to the edge that i felt like i wanted to collapse.

I have had this ongoing on and off since then and have not found anything to really help me at all, seen specialist's and had some type of diagnoses and treatment but did nothing, have tried all sorts of supplements because i always seem to be on a borderline from good to bad being that some days i feel pretty good and some days bad and such on that line that it can change on the same day that i feel good in the morning then after some time or work it will drain down to fatigue. If i am really bad i will just be fatigued day after day.

Im stuck on what to do or how to figure this out but my instincts is telling me for some reason that im missing something and that my workouts from the last year have been a cause of it.

I have been on.

Iron

b12

b Multi

Vitamin K

Centrum

Pro biotics

daily protein shakes with healthy meals

vitamin c

mens multi

fish oil (emega 3)

Calcim and more...

I don't really know why i am posting or what i am intending to find but i am trying to find something to help me and thats all that counts.

[tomsammce]

Fatigue?

Have longer rests between sets, a protein shake and have a sleep. Lol

[vracula]

Sleep

Cut down volume of workouts

Make sure

Your eating enough

Take a break.

[Ninja]

Been tested for chronic fatigue syndrome?

[2fast]

I would cut out ALL the supps, look's like you could be over dosing,

Iron

b12

b Multi

Vitamin K

Centrum

Pro biotics

daily protein shakes with healthy meals

vitamin c

mens multi

fish oil (emega 3)

Calcim and more...

Check the lables and add up the totals for each one.

find out the RDD.

Rest with light walking around the block if you must.

[Dinahlady]

Number one question: What is your diet like?

[Mcmass]

Do some research on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Could be a number of things but sounds more serious than cutting back on workouts or changing your sups or diet.

Maybe visit a doctor or someone that can offer some options to try and start getting your energy back.

Good luck mate.

[vracula]

I would cut out ALL the supps, look's like you could be over dosing,

Iron

b12

b Multi

Vitamin K

Centrum

Pro biotics

daily protein shakes with healthy meals

vitamin c

mens multi

fish oil (emega 3)

Calcim and more...

Check the lables and add up the totals for each one.

find out the RDD.

Rest with light walking around the block if you must.

That is incredibly stupid stack in my opinion, its like the op beleivea he gets nothing out of his food , a mutlti with food and maybe zinc before bed Is more than enough.His piss must be rainbow coloured.

[Pseudonym]

I think Dan means he's tried all of those supplements - not that he's taking them all at the same time! (Is that right, Dan?)

What specialists have you seen already, and what have they ruled out?

[AgentOrange]

depression?

[Deez]

You went and saw a specialist? which and who (if you don't mind me askin). Honestly bro, I would go see a doctor and have some blood work done or something. Could be alot more serious than you think. Be safe (srs).

[icecream]

Get a blood test, full blood count.

I fatigue easily if I don't watch my iron levels..and getting iron supps from the health shop doesn't actually help my levels, I have to go on those prescription ones.. It's worth knowing where you are with iron.

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

Could be a lot of issues but Anemia comes to mind.

As icecream notes, get your doc to sort you out with a full test done. Even though we may eat enough Iron (meeting RDI for example), some of us may have difficulty actually absorbing those minerals leading to deficiencies. In these cases you'll be put on prescription grade meds which will help you top up the levels in your blood & the stores of those minerals too.

If your specialist hasn't been able to work it out over the period of a year, I would hastily switch to another and start over. They should go over the symptoms, do some blood tests, get you on prescription meds and then call you back after a certain time to test again. You should NEVER have to go through the long winded process of buying expensive supplements yourself then trial & error at home.

[BIGKIWI]

Need more info how are you training ? your diet carbs, iron, protein ... ? how you would use the supplements constantly or sporadically for multi, vit B etc also quality of the supplements

[DANOFDANGER]

I think Dan means he's tried all of those supplements - not that he's taking them all at the same time! (Is that right, Dan?)

What specialists have you seen already, and what have they ruled out?

That's correct i have been on and off each one giving each a good chance to take effect but never all at once, i have seen a specialist (sorry dont know his name) and he did not think i had CFS due to the symptoms i presented.

He was under the impression of some kind of serotonin difficiency and put me on a type of ssri inhibiter with the first ones giving me side effects (cant remember the name) and the second called fluoxetine which i was on for a month and didn't any real serious side effects like the first one's did but they didn't seem to help with my fatigue at all.

Note as well that i didn't believe i was depressed just stressed and tired and after taking the anti depressent drugs i felt no increase or decrease in my emotional attitude and feel just as optimistic about life as i did before.

Here is some blood i have been getting done for the past year each level is about a month inbetween.

b12 360 - 681 - 766 - 561 292 (300-800) (note the increase is because i was taking b12 tablets then decreased after i stopped)

38.7 30.7 folate b9

serum ferritin (stored) 27 30 32 51 48 37 33 ( 20-250 )

serum iron (total iron) 15 19 11 ( 10-30 )

hemo 145 148 142 142 144 144 ( 130-175 )

iron saturation 23 29 17( 20-40% )

I dont train anymore since probably the beginning of this year due to physically not being able to as it worsens my fatigue that i get and so everytime i do any physical work i get drained even more. The only thing i do now is sit in bed watching tv mostly just keeping myself at rest as much as possible.

My diet is simple while not working out but im all whole foods and healthy living. If you need more info let me know.

thanks for any and all help.

[BIGKIWI]

I have had girlfriends who have used those same meds and they made them lethargic and hardly able to get out of bed. Dr's give them away must give some good kickbacks. I would say get some more tests now. Tell us your diet still and how you were training as that would make a difference

[PeterDolan]

I have had girlfriends who have used those same meds and they made them lethargic and hardly able to get out of bed

Harder to chase when they aren't all drugged up aye Justin :pfft:

[DANOFDANGER]

I have had girlfriends who have used those same meds and they made them lethargic and hardly able to get out of bed. Dr's give them away must give some good kickbacks. I would say get some more tests now. Tell us your diet still and how you were training as that would make a difference

I was still experimenting at the time but for the whole year i followed a fairly linear path.

first day

_______

Back:

dumbell rows - back-lats

pullup - lat-back

chinups - lat-back

pullovers - pecs - lats

bent over rows - lat-back

deadlift - lower back - upper back

Second day

_________

Chest:

fly - pecs

bench press - pecs

finger pushups - chest-triceps-hands

Arms:

close grip bench press - triceps

triangle pushups - triceps

bench dips - triceps-pecs

dumbell curl - biceps

concentration curls - biceps

Third day

________

Shoulders:

shoulder press - deltoid

lateral raise - deltoid

dumbell shrugs - traps

Upright Rows - delts - traps

squats - legs

Day off

______

My diet was fairly the same eating every 3 hours if i could being breakfast was bacon eggs tomoto and whatever else i could find, following after 3 hours would be a snack of some kind like milk or protein shake with type of bread or small substance food like fruit. Then lunch which would probably be a pasta meal of some kind and then dinner which was usually the same every night (parents cooked) which was always vegies and a type of meat dish either roast chicken, lamb, etc but always vegies with side of meat.

I was only on those ssris for the past two-three months for trial, i am now off any and all supps and drugs and just taking vitc and eating healthy food. I don't know what else to do so just keeping it simple again.

[icecream]

Hmm so your ferritin levels have always remained quite low.. Your diet looks pretty good though! What I am currently doing is taking the iron supp at 5am, and giving it time to absorb before I eat food (I currently train fasted at 5:15). I'm avoiding eating anything that might inhibit it being stored for 2 hours after taking it, and limiting my caffeine and .. Chocolate (hey hey don't judge haha). Even things like eggs can inhibit absorption by 28%. And almonds by up to 65%.

My energy has gone up pretty fast, it has been 2 weeks of sticking to the 5am schedule. Which I have never tried before, just always assumed I am of weak shitty genes.

Might be worth getting onto the ferritin pillllzzz.

[DANOFDANGER]

Hmm so your ferritin levels have always remained quite low.. Your diet looks pretty good though! What I am currently doing is taking the iron supp at 5am, and giving it time to absorb before I eat food (I currently train fasted at 5:15). I'm avoiding eating anything that might inhibit it being stored for 2 hours after taking it, and limiting my caffeine and .. Chocolate (hey hey don't judge haha). Even things like eggs can inhibit absorption by 28%. And almonds by up to 65%.

My energy has gone up pretty fast, it has been 2 weeks of sticking to the 5am schedule. Which I have never tried before, just always assumed I am of weak shitty genes.

Might be worth getting onto the ferritin pillllzzz.

I presume its always been that low, the 51 spike is from when i was taking iron pills (the prescription ones) and did not seem to change my energy levels at all.

[vracula]

I think Dan means he's tried all of those supplements - not that he's taking them all at the same time! (Is that right, Dan?)

What specialists have you seen already, and what have they ruled out?

That's correct i have been on and off each one giving each a good chance to take effect but never all at once, i have seen a specialist (sorry dont know his name) and he did not think i had CFS due to the symptoms i presented.

He was under the impression of some kind of serotonin difficiency and put me on a type of ssri inhibiter with the first ones giving me side effects (cant remember the name) and the second called fluoxetine which i was on for a month and didn't any real serious side effects like the first one's did but they didn't seem to help with my fatigue at all.

Note as well that i didn't believe i was depressed just stressed and tired and after taking the anti depressent drugs i felt no increase or decrease in my emotional attitude and feel just as optimistic about life as i did before.

Here is some blood i have been getting done for the past year each level is about a month inbetween.

b12 360 - 681 - 766 - 561 292 (300-800) (note the increase is because i was taking b12 tablets then decreased after i stopped)

38.7 30.7 folate b9

serum ferritin (stored) 27 30 32 51 48 37 33 ( 20-250 )

serum iron (total iron) 15 19 11 ( 10-30 )

hemo 145 148 142 142 144 144 ( 130-175 )

iron saturation 23 29 17( 20-40% )

I dont train anymore since probably the beginning of this year due to physically not being able to as it worsens my fatigue that i get and so everytime i do any physical work i get drained even more. The only thing i do now is sit in bed watching tv mostly just keeping myself at rest as much as possible.

My diet is simple while not working out but im all whole foods and healthy living. If you need more info let me know.

thanks for any and all help.

Damn!I hope you get sorted bro. All the best.

[2fast]

Glad your not taking all those supps at once!

Hope things get better bro.