[habibti1994]

Hello everyone, I am a 19 year old british female and it has been for about 6/7 months now that I have been feeling really unwell all the time. I don't know what is wrong with me. I constantly keep getting flu like symptoms, like headache, fever, really bad muscle and bone pain especially in my legs, runny nose and chesty cough and also swollen glands now and then. I am sick of it now because I have it constantly its like I don't even last a week being normal. I have been to the doctors a couple of times too and they took some blood tests and told me that I am anemic and have vitamin D deficiency but to me that's out of the question because they had done these tests in may 2012 and I had been taking the medicine that they prescribed me with and was starting to feel really good and normal in fact stronger. When I started my second year at college in September I was also feeling normal and healthy up until October time when I started to feel really unwell all the time. I am still taking the medicine which my doctor has provided me with although I feel as if it makes me feel worse because it is the strongest dose of iron tablets that he has prescribed me but I continue to take them because I have no other option seen as he said I am really low in iron.

Now that I have that cleared, more about my symptoms. I feel really uneasy and unwell all the time, I constantly keep getting a flu and I will get well for a few days then have it again. I have lost a lot of weight as well which is really starting to depress me because I can't eat anything at all. I feel hungry and want to eat but I can't because if I try to eat something I will take a few bites and feel full up and sick and can't eat anymore no matter how hard I try. I eat literally 1 meal a day and even that I can't complete I take a few bites and feel really full up. I also feel really weak and sleepy all the time which is causing me to have a bad attendance and punctuality in college and I am an a level student which is not good for my record because although my tutors are very understanding it is about the college and its reputation which I fully agree with, and it is not like me to be missing so many days and attending late all the time. I also have extremely bad pains in my body, especially in my legs and it feels like it is in my bones. I have pain in my upper body also, which is just below my rib cage going into my back and it feels like a stitch. These pains are really bad I end up crying when I get them.

All of this is really beginning to depress me. I feel so worried all the time wondering what can be wrong and I just want to be well again. I feel as if no one is willing to listen or help because the doctors keep trying to get rid of me saying there is nothing wrong keep taking your medicine :( I feel really upset all the time and its like I have no happiness or meaning to my life... I would really appreciate it if someone could provide me with some advice or aiding in what I should do or what could be wrong. Thank you.. I look forward to hearing from you.

p.s I am not sexually active so I can't be pregnant and I don't take any sort of contraception or other pills apart from the iron tablets and vitamins my doctor has provided me with.

[JudyKayTee]

The Doctors tell you to take your medicine but they don't give you anything but (presumably over the counter) pills and vitamins?

[CravenMorhead]

Do you have any nervous habits? Chewing your hair or something like that?

Get yourself referred to a gastroenterologist. That is your best bet. Shop around with doctors until you find one that will do that.

[Wondergirl]

We don't diagnose on this site, but the first thoughts that came to my mind after I read your post was allergies, then fibromyalgia, both of which can be vague and hard to diagnose. Have either of those been discussed yet? And it could be a mix of problems -- anemia plus who knows what.

What "medicine" do you take? How strong are the iron tabs? Do you take vitamin D? If so, what form and how much?

[habibti1994]

do you have any nervous habits? Chewing your hair or something like that?

Get yourself refered to a gastroenterologist. That is your best bet. Shop around with doctors until you find one that will do that.

Thank you for your feedback, nope no nervous habits at all and I am not allergic to anything either, I would consider myself to be quite normal apart from this recent change but yes thank you I think I will consider doing so

[dontknownuthin]

Iron tablets can be very hard on your digestion so you could have some discomfort from that. Your doctor should be able to resolve this without risking your ongoing anemia.

Also, anemia normally has a cause such as heavy periods. If you have very heavy periods, you could have a gynecological condition such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome or something. So, you should get a full gynecological exam and talk candidly about the doctor about making sure everything is OK.

Autoimmune issues such as those mentioned already - like fibromyalgia, or other issues like Chrone's disease should be considered, as should be things like irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies (intolerance of dairy or gluten).

In short, you need to start eliminating things until you find the answer. I would suggest you change doctors, and go to some specialists such as a gastroenterologist and gynecologist and document all the symptoms you've been having, what tests you've had so far and the like. Keep asking questions until you get answers.

Best wishes. I know it's very difficult when you can't get a diagnosis and feel unwell and exhausted - just keep working at it until you get an answer.