Monday, September 1, 2008

Don't forget your vitamins...

Could it really be this simple? Folks, I think I may have found an answer I've been looking for for quite some time.

For years, I've lived with near-constant fatigue as well as a myriad of other little annoying general symptoms. Every year at my annual physical, I tell the doctor how tired I am all the time. I rarely have the energy to do much of anything but I plug along because that's what one does. Faith, family, work, laundry, dishes, pets, all of these responsibilities can't just stop because I'm tired. I always shoot for 10 hours of sleep but even when I'm actually able to get that much uninterruped sleep (which is rare by the way), it's still not enough. I have blood work done year after year and, aside from my cholesterol being on the high end of the normal range, all comes back fine.

When my kids were real small, I'd be told "of course you're tired; you have babies at home." Then it was "You're the mother of young children; it's natural to be tired." Occassionally there'd be an ever-so-slight insinuation that I was just lazy. When I would complain of how tired I am, certain members of my family would say "What else is new" or "You're always tired."

It doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist to tell that I don't have the healthiest of diets. I eat far too little of the heathly stuff and far too much of the unhealthy stuff. But still; I've just always thought there's something else I'm missing.

Well, I think I may have figured it out. Recently my friend and I got talking about vitamins; I think because I mentioned reluctantly wanting to cut back on caffeine. I say reluctantly because that's one of the primary things that keeps me going everyday but I hate how jittery it makes me feel. She suggested perhaps I needed some B vitamins for energy. I started looking into it and realized that I regularly deal with a number of the symptoms mentioned under B vitamin deficiency. So I went to the store, got me some B complex vitamins and I can honestly say I feel a little better. Even after only one dose, this stupid, ugly, embarrasing little crack in the corner of my mouth (also on the list of symptoms) went away. I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to get rid of that thing for months and it just wouldn't go.

Now, before you get all nervous about my self-diagnosing, rest assured that I plan to talk to my doctor and/or pharmacist about the whole thing, but I'm just feeling so encouraged. And slightly well-rested.

Be blessed.
Melanie

2 comments:

calista said...

I do a round of B12, B6, and a shot of fish oil every morning, that and a little Mt. Dew Code Red and I'm off the chain.

Melanie said...
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