Return Of Health Anxiety ☹️

[Mark1974]

And I thought I was doing so well - four or five months of not worrying about health matters and all of a sudden wallop it’s back with a vengeance.

For about a month now been feeling a bit ‘meh’, not ill as such just lacking any real energy and having a bit of chest discomfort (I do have a hiatus hernia so often put this sort of thing down to that, but I’ve never had it accompanied by tiredness before).

Gave it three weeks but succumbed to the doctors last Wednesday and had a check over, didn’t seem too worried but booked me in for blood test on Monday - had a text on Tuesday saying blood results were “satisfactory” but vitamin D levels were below normal and to start on 25mg tablet once a day.

Despite this I’m still worried something else is going on, as I’ve now got burning in the chest area with the tiredness, I’m sure it’s vitamin D related and I require no further follow up but anxiety still persists ☹️ I thought I’d gotten over this stuff.

[Carys]

Its fairly easy to deal with HA when you are actually feeling really well, its once you get some physical 'glitch' then its of course much harder and tends to make all those familiar HA feelings return. It is now that you are going to need to employ all the tools you've learnt and been using to stay in control of your concerns. I am wondering though if you asked the Doctor why you might have a vitamin D deficiency ? It is unusual to have it in the summer with the good light, and I am wondering how your diet is ?

[Mark1974]

I am fair skinned so tend to cover up / apply factor 50 even in the summer months and stay in the shade where possible (and my mum had skin cancer a few years back, also fair skinned so that is always in the back of my mind). I had low vitamin D about four years ago, but didn't feel as tired as now, only had aching bones then. I like to think I have a balanced diet, but I do have a bit of junk occasionally but avoid certain foods that don't agree with my hernia

[Carys]

AH ok, so maybe you need a vitamin supplement on a continual basis then ? I think you will start to feel much better as the vitamin does its thing.

[Mark1974]

The receptionist said the level was 49 I don't know what that means (I refuse to look on Google, my CBT counsellor said stay away from it!!). I've been more worried today about the burning in my chest than the tiredness to be honest (which I know will make it even worse!)

[Carys]

Maybe you have some indigestion/reflux from the supplement ?

[Mark1974]

I suffer from the odd flare up of that anyway with my hernia (I take 2 x Omeprazole daily for that) - and I've only been taking the tablets since yesterday (I haven't looked at the leaflet for side effects though to be fair, I will take a look)

[Sparky16]

A level of 49 isn't too bad at all. I'm surprised your doctor even advised supplementation, but maybe he thought it would help with your tiredness. For contrast, I take 5000iu each day, because my pretreatment level was 9. My level is now considered acceptable, in the 50s. Like you, I am fair and coat myself in sunblock and hats.