Hi, I have long term fibro. Pain, ibs, fatigue etc.I suffer with bloating, constipation and fatigue which follow most meals especially after breakfast when I have to wait often up to 2 or more hours before fatigue gradually goes although it is longer lasting lately.
Food does seems to affect me less as the day goes on though.
I have to tackle most of my housework before breakfast or I can't get it done.
I am just getting over my breakfast of cornflakes, almond milk and dairy free yoghurt which brought on the fatigue, horrible stomach sensations and nausea within 15mins. I can hear my stomach still gurgling after 2 hours. My stomach was emptied yesterday after adding more fibre to my diet trying to combat the constipation . I get stomach ache a lot but not enough to rock up to A&E, so I am lucky there.
Been taking aflorex for 2 months but no help so far.
I find this fatigue so debilitating.
I feel that my stomach is not happy with most food and I think fibre isn't the way to go for me. I am not a celiac as was tested a few years ago and I mostly stick to sourdough bread or plain ordinary white. No seeds, no fruit, nothing rough or pips. Hardly any salad stuff and small amounts of veg, ,unfortunately!
I also have to avoid dairy products but they just seem to affect my skin with rashes etc.,
I have had these problems along with fibro pain for many years but it's worse lately. Maybe my age, 81.
I have always been a person that engages with life and belong to various things. Tai chi, darts, pool and lunches out with friends.
I am wondering if anyone of you lovely fibro warriors have found that food brings on almost immediate fatigue that last for ages. I have always had this problem to some extent for years but it seems to have got worse.
I am on a fairly low dose of pregablin.
I have mebeverine and use over the counter stuff as well. I also take a small herbal digestive enzyme before each meal. Tried doctors over the years but have given up.
Sorry this so long.
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Sorry to hear you are feeling so fatigued. Could it be the corn flakes that cause your tummy issues? Do you take any vitamin supplements? I'm wondering if you are low on iron or some other mineral that is making you so tired. Do you drink enough water? My daughter was recently tired all the time and she found out she was low on B-12 and iron. She was also told to drink something like Gatorade that had electrolytes in it. I hope you get to feeling better soon.
Hi, thanks for your kind reply. I always take a multi vit and I always drink a full flask of warm water before I get out of bed. I don't always have cornflakes but I feel quite sure that it is something I eat because its more than tiredness because it happens suddenly with tummy discomfort, weakness, dizziness and nausea.
I have to say that after writing it down pre posting on HU then reading it back I am wondering if it is the soy yoghurt which I use because it is dairy free.
I didn't have the yoghurt this morning and didn't have the overwhelming fatigue so I am hoping it proves to be that.
I had my dinner a couple of hours ago and took a chance on some cauliflower which has given me my normal belly ache without the fatique so I may be on the right lines. Fingers crossed.
I am no expert for sure but I do go to a homeopath regularly and I know she would question almond milk or any kind of alternative milk especially soya and the dairy free yogurt, any dairy free stuff. Anything 'low fat' is not good for you she says as you do needs good fats. I guess I am an alternative medicine person so would question any chemical pill that you take. Your decision naturally. I did take mebeverine out of desperation when I was stabilising my gut after a lengthy period of pain caused by antibiotics and a gut upset but I am most off meds now deliberately. All I take is the Aflorex daily for my gut, and sometimes half a low dose pill of amitriptyline prescribed by GP but I try to keep away from that best as. I do take other alternative stuff for other things as I have an auto immune disease too. After covid I do not trust chemical meds anymore like I did before. My homeopath is making me well again for sure but anyone thinking of this, it takes 8 years to get under control your complaint and it costs a little bit though not excessive. It is never called a cure but getting your body back to optimum health before the gremlins bit which can then handle your problems naturally. It was what was used before chemical pills came along... Any pill taken can take 3 months + to get into the system and work be it natural or chemical. No body can just get better in nano seconds. It all takes time to put right whatever route you take.
I avoid salads (lettuce) and some green veg like Brussel sprouts. Anything spicy too or in moderation. Maybe you are fatigued because your body is out of kilter and not performing at its best? I hope you find a solution.
I don't think I have fibromyalgia, as I don't have the full profile of it except lower back (S.I. joint) pain. I don't usually get the pain that comes with fibro. Haven't been diagnosed with it anyway.
But yes, I have felt fatigue after eating, particularly breakfast. That's only happened sometimes, and I eat the same plain breakfast every day. Some days I'm fine after it.
I have also had extreme sleepiness about an hour after dinner. But with me, that seems to relate to how well I did or didn't sleep the night before, rather than blood sugar etc. If I slept OK, I don't get it.
I wonder if you are sensitive to the lactose in your milk on the cornflakes? I don't know. If you are usually fine with milk or dairy then it probably isn't that. But some people with lactose intolerance are fine with a small amount (say, milk in tea or coffee etc) but it's when they have a larger amount it can cause problems with digestion.
After writing it all down to post on here I saw things more clearly. It had to be my breakfast. As I use non dairy milk I didn't think it could be that (almond milk).
Various cereals didn't seem very likely.
That left soy yoghurt!!
I stopped the yoghurt and the fatigue and ill feeling with stomach pain also stopped.
It had been staring in the face.
It's now four days and I am feeling so much better.
I have had intolerance to various foods for many years which goes from one food to another. If I leave that food alone for a while I can eat it again.
The trouble is I get so overwhelmed feeling ill, gradually getting the symptoms back again
That I lose reasoning and sink into depression and anxiety which stops me from thinking clearly.
I am so glad I made the effort to write it all down as the answer was in front of me all the time. I will certainly be more careful in future. Fibro is enough to contend with without adding unnecessary extra symptoms.
Yes, sometimes it's difficult to dig out the exact thing that we are intolerant to, or maybe even just ONE ingredient in a particular food! It can help a lot when we can identify whatever-it-is that causes the trouble.
In your case, is it the soya protein, or some other additive or ingredient do you think? If you aren't sure, it doesn't matter, never mind.
At least you have found that yogurt isn't for you! Good job.
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, I am back with the fatigue again which knocks me out. The good news is that I don't have the overwhelming fatigue that only happens after the yoghurt also my stomach is feeling much of a relief without the pain and nausea that went with it.The fatigue and pain I am getting at the moment happens immediately after waking and i know that is quite normal for fibro people and have to accept it. Still frustrating though.
I also go through times when I feel a strange fatigue, and I notice that after breakfast. (late breakfast, as I am not an early riser) Many times, I have breakfast and can just get on with the day, but sometimes as soon as I get going I feel like someone left the brakes on! I am basically dragging for at least a couple of hours. I keep going and it usually passes by afternoon (unless I am definitely sleep deprived.)
I don't know if that just goes hand in hand with IBS. Or what. But I get it randomly and only at certain times, then it goes away until the next time. If it's any comfort to you, I haven't felt that for some time now, so maybe it's a thing that comes and goes with IBS?
When it happens, nothing helps: I tried B12 -useless for it. Likewise vitamins containing iron etc. I tried coffee, again it doesn't work. Basically only a bit of extra rest does help slightly. So if I feel it in the first 2 hours after breakfast usually on my first short walk, then I come back and just rest for a while (not sleep, just rest.) And then after it passes, I can get on with more energetic jobs.
Hi thankyou so much. Its horrible isn't it.So frustrating to not know why or often to not know exactly what to do about it.
I will try and rest which I can only do anyway when it strikes. I still wonder if it goes with ibs and the stomach not liking the feeling of food hitting the stomach
I don't know what exactly is the cause of that strange wiped-out feeling. I don't think it's a sign of any deficiency, or anything ominous as it strikes me at times, then disappears, and I can feel quite well and fit. I used to blame it on me not slowing down and taking times to rest as I am 71 and still do a lot of tough physical work outside.
But I don't think it's that. It's just an "IBS thing" with me anyway. I have wondered if maybe at times when my gut is a bit uneasy, it's possible my sleep is a bit dysfunctional but I don't realise it and think I have slept OK.
I hope yours will just come and go and not be a huge problem, the way mine seems to go.
You're definitely not anaemic of vitamin/mineral deficient or anything are you? I would suggest getting a blood test to be sure, if it doesn't go away for decent periods of time, or gets really bad.
Luisa22, do you exercise? That is worth a go if your aren't, it can put a skip in your step. Sign up with a gym staffed with instructers who can evaluate your physical fitness and plan an appropriate course for you. Also, women need a minimum of 320 mg of elemental magnesium a day. Magnesium is needed for numerous processes and an important one is activating vitamin D and vitamin B1 (thiamine) and balancing calcium. Magnesium and thiamine are critical for creating ATP, the molecule that stores chemical energy produced by the mitochondria. Magnesium threonate and TTFD thiamine are forms unlike others, that easily pass through the blood brain barrier. Activated thiamine is critical for the brain and vagus nerve, which is connected to the digestive system, to control proper digestion. Research activated thiamine and IBS. as well as thiamine and other issues you mentioned. Using a B-complex with the TTFD thiamine offer a foundation as the B vitamins work better together. Always consult your health care professional before using any supplement.
I definitely do exercise, just as a result of my daily life, which is quite physically demanding, plus I go for at least one decent walk a day in all weathers, every day.
I have tried Magnesium glycinate supplements alongside Thiamine with a B complex. But that was about 3 years ago. I didn't notice any particular boost for me after hearing great reports from others about how they felt more energised, so maybe gave up too soon. But it always seems that way for me when I try any supplement. I never notice any great difference, But fortunately I don't have on-going exhaustion. It only happens occasionally for a few days then goes.
A 400 mg capsule of magnesium glycinate contains 14.1% of elemental magnesium equaling 56.4 mg. The minimum daily requirement of magnesium for women is 280 - 320 mg a day so it would require about five of those capsules a day (5 x 56.4) to reach the 282 mg level. It takes months to overcome a deficiency and unfortunately more than half of the population is deficient. At the same time stress, caffeine, alcohol, sweating and sugar are just a short list of causes for loosing magnesium. The threonate and TTFD I mentioned are exceptional in what they do. For example they eliminate the GERD I was experencing by allowing the brain through the vagus nerve to control lower esophageal sphincter ending those bouts. The other forms I tried didn't. Today I use an ionized form of magnesium along with magnesium threonate teamed with a B-complex and TTFD thiamine. I don't experience fatigue at any point in my day and next year I will be 80.
Yes, one tablet by itself is only a fairly small amount of Magnesium. I did a calculation of the general magnesium I get from food and generally it makes up the numbers. I am very lucky though that I can eat foods which contain plenty. I bet that many with IBS can't do that because of the fresh foods one has to eat. Or they may try the "wrong" type of magnesium supplement if they have IBS D and magnesium has a laxative effect! So not want to take it again. I remember making that mistake and vowing never to try it again until I found Mag. glycinate
But I think magnesium deficiency must be very common in the general population. So many processed foods have very little.
It's important for vitamin D absorption too. And decent sleep.
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