Exhausted All Of The Time!

[Skittles]

I am always exhausted! It doesn't matter if I get a good nights sleep or if I am busy or not, I am always tired. I don't take B12 vitimens but I am going to start. Does anyone find that these actually make a difference? Also, any other ideas?

[Bubba's Mom]

  On 8/19/2012 at 6:24 PM, Skittles said:

I am always exhausted! It doesn't matter if I get a good nights sleep or if I am busy or not, I am always tired. I don't take B12 vitimens but I am going to start. Does anyone find that these actually make a difference? Also, any other ideas?

There are all sort of chemical processes that go on in the body to create energy. You need the basics of B vitamins, iron, D, amino acids and Omega 3s.

It's really important to eat a bit of protein with every meal. A B12 supplement is very helpful to a lot of people. If you have a lot of damage to your system, the B12 that you put under your tongue and let disolve is best.

Have you had your iron levels and D checked? If you're low on those they can sap your energy too. It's generlly fine to supplement D, but you should only take an iron supplement if your blood tests show you need it.

Other than that, I'm sorry to say it takes time.

[eatmeat4good]

Vitamin D, Vitamin C, B complex and extra B12 make a huge difference for me. I was exhausted all the time when I started this journey two years ago. Now I definitely notice it if I get out of the habit of taking these vitamins. I take others too, but these make a noticeable difference in the exhaustion. I also greatly increased protein intake the second year and that made a huge difference too. Now I am only tired occasionally like normal people. Healing takes time, but you gotta give your body what it needs. Finding out what it needs is the hard part. My D was very low and other vitamins just inside normal range so supplementing was key. Try to get your vitamin levels checked as it could make a huge difference to you. Hope you feel better.

[mamaw]

Please get a complete blood work-up done as well as an A1C, full thyroid panel, Lipid panel...B-12 , Vit D VitA & so on.. There could be an under lining problem... I take a boat load full of supplements but taking them & not needing a certain vit or min can play havoc with you..so before just guessing please check out what you need...

I took B-12 by mouth both ways but it never did a thing for me but I got a B-12 none & I was very low but again never helped so I went to injections, monthly at first now weekly & it has made a BIG difference plus Vit D.........

[RonSchon]

Once my body started healing and actually allowed me start absorbing B12, my energy levels skyrocketed.

I get these 2-pack bottles of sublingual tablets from Sam's club - Simply Right or something - they are cherry flavored and melt under your tongue and are amazing for me. Even better, they are labeled "Gluten Free".

A year ago, when I was completely debilitated and undiagnosed, I must have spent $100 on those little 5 hour things, none of them ever did anything for me so I thought they were just a placebo. I haven't tried one since my body is now starting to work again, but no need to with these little B12 tabs. The tabs cost .04 cents each - not sure why anybody would spend $2-$3 for the little 5 hour things.

Of course, before I took the B12 tabs very often (once they started working for me) I researched toxicity issues. In general, not a concern as it is a water-soluble vitamin. Your body expels what it doesn't need.

I can't recommend them enough. They have helped me reduce my coffee from 1-2 a day to 3-4 a week. Coffee is a treat again, instead of an implement of staying awake.

[FruitEnthusiast]

Also get tested for Hashimoto's Disease (autoimmune hypothyroid) when you go for all the other blood work. It often occurs along with Celiac. I know fatigue is a common symptom. I'm having the test myself this week. I think there is medication for it that helps. Someone who has been diagnosed and has tried the medication could tell you more.

Be sure your doctor requests all the tests at the same time, so you only have to go have blood drawn once. I know how hard it is to accomplish even the smallest tasks when you're so tired. Check the lab slip to make sure all the right boxes are checked before you go to the lab. Save your energy.

[ciamarie]

You've gotten some great suggestions already, but I thought I'd throw in my few pennies worth too. It's possible there's another intolerance at work, I'm not sure if you keep a food diary or not. I noticed pretty quickly after I started a gluten-free diet that anything with maltodextrin, and sometimes corn syrup would make me really tired. I had to throw out most of a loaf of Udi's bread and various supplements after I figured that out.

[justlisa]

  On 8/19/2012 at 6:24 PM, Skittles said:

I am always exhausted! It doesn't matter if I get a good nights sleep or if I am busy or not, I am always tired. I don't take B12 vitimens but I am going to start. Does anyone find that these actually make a difference? Also, any other ideas?

Magnesium deficiency is something to consider very seriously.

Keep in mind that blood tests alone are, often, ineffectual at diagnosing magnesium deficiency as only 1% of our magnesium can be located in our blood...the rest is stored in our organs and tissues. The last information that I read indicated that over 50% of the population (closer to 2/3 actually) does not get the recommended magnesium necessary for daily functions. Also, magnesium is essential to over 300 processes in the human body...over 300.

Oh and...gluten intolerant individuals are at an even higher risk for magnesium deficiency.

[Gemme]

  On 8/20/2012 at 2:50 AM, justlisa said:

Magnesium deficiency is something to consider very seriously.

Keep in mind that blood tests alone are, often, ineffectual at diagnosing magnesium deficiency as only 1% of our magnesium can be located in our blood...the rest is stored in our organs and tissues. The last information that I read indicated that over 50% of the population (closer to 2/3 actually) does not get the recommended magnesium necessary for daily functions. Also, magnesium is essential to over 300 processes in the human body...over 300.

Oh and...gluten intolerant individuals are at an even higher risk for magnesium deficiency.

I am new here.

You are right, very right.

In my case it was Magnesium deficiency , One Tablet a day, i am very much on track.

Thank you for your input.

[Skittles]

  On 8/20/2012 at 2:50 AM, justlisa said:

Magnesium deficiency is something to consider very seriously.

Keep in mind that blood tests alone are, often, ineffectual at diagnosing magnesium deficiency as only 1% of our magnesium can be located in our blood...the rest is stored in our organs and tissues. The last information that I read indicated that over 50% of the population (closer to 2/3 actually) does not get the recommended magnesium necessary for daily functions. Also, magnesium is essential to over 300 processes in the human body...over 300.

Oh and...gluten intolerant individuals are at an even higher risk for magnesium deficiency.

I have already figured out that I have other food intollerances and have cut them out of my diet. I know that my iron cannot be low because I eat enough meat. It's the one thing I can have! lol. I also take other supplements but not magnesium. I will deff pick some up this week! thanks!

[Keshavdas]

  On 8/30/2012 at 4:17 AM, Skittles said:

I have already figured out that I have other food intollerances and have cut them out of my diet. I know that my iron cannot be low because I eat enough meat. It's the one thing I can have! lol. I also take other supplements but not magnesium. I will deff pick some up this week! thanks!

Don't be so sure about that. Remember - one of the number one issues with celiac disease is malabsorbtion. So not everything you eat will benefit you the way it does with folks with normal digestion.

That is why so many folks here take B12 under the tongue rather than swallowing it. B12 pills never helped me. I went my doctor and had him teach me to do a simple intramuscular injection (really painless) and found that this is the most effective way to get B12 into the system. I'm a big baby when it comes to needles and this is really not scary.

Same with Magnesium. When I took magnesium it was to stop heart palpitations but (previous to celiac dx) the magnesium would make me constipated for 4-5 weeks; a total nightmare. Now I do it by injection and it does the job with no side effects.

One thing I have been doing that helps quite a bit with Iron - because I do not want to do supplements just yet - is that I make a breakfast smoothie with hemp powder for protein, a bannana for taste, some juice and a big fistful of frozen chopped spinach. Seems to really help with morning dreariness and gives a bit of energy boost by late morning.

[Skittles]

magnesium makes you constipated? I thought it was the other way around?

  On 9/5/2012 at 1:26 PM, Keshavdas said:

Don't be so sure about that. Remember - one of the number one issues with celiac disease is malabsorbtion. So not everything you eat will benefit you the way it does with folks with normal digestion.

That is why so many folks here take B12 under the tongue rather than swallowing it. B12 pills never helped me. I went my doctor and had him teach me to do a simple intramuscular injection (really painless) and found that this is the most effective way to get B12 into the system. I'm a big baby when it comes to needles and this is really not scary.

Same with Magnesium. When I took magnesium it was to stop heart palpitations but (previous to celiac dx) the magnesium would make me constipated for 4-5 weeks; a total nightmare. Now I do it by injection and it does the job with no side effects.

One thing I have been doing that helps quite a bit with Iron - because I do not want to do supplements just yet - is that I make a breakfast smoothie with hemp powder for protein, a bannana for tasted, some juice and a big fistful of frozen chopped spinach. Seems to really help with morning dreariness and gives a bit of energy boost by late morning.

[Keshavdas]

  On 9/5/2012 at 7:34 PM, Skittles said:

magnesium makes you constipated? I thought it was the other way around?

Yes... in the beginning it made "movements" more free. But then it did exactly the opposite. I suppose it's like the way that different foods are okay for different folks dealing with Celiac. I believe it has to do with the fact that anything that artificially takes water from your digestive system to move undigested food also tends to create a lot of gas and the gas ends up trapping everything in little pockets throughout your digestive tract.

I only know that since getting off gluten no constipation.

I found while still undiagnosed - that many things made me

constipated. Chlorella was one and acupuncture accompanied

by electro stimulation would give me a month of cramps.

Now... no cramps.