I am tired and frightened... (pains, blood tests, aches, support group)

[jaminhealth]

The range in the labs around here is 20-100 and some yrs back I felt best when I had hit 80 and I can't seem to get back there again. Due to hip surgery D dropped a lot and I had read that could happen.

10-15 minutes on arms/legs is nothing. I felt best at the beach for 8 hrs and exposed more than arms/legs.

Being in the sun as much as possible is the big puzzle piece. Common sense tells me NOW as I've been there with a lowness in 2006 and found Vit D to be 16...I had NOT been in the sun like I was for many many yrs.

[sheena12]

I am leaning towards SAD. ( are there two Ds in SAD? I thought it was Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Some of you know me through CD - for those who do not - I am 61. Way past menopause or peri-menopause.
I am at my correct weight. I do not have other signs of hypothyroidism - with the exception of brain fog - and that is also related to fibromyalgia.

This part of OH is one of the cloudiest in the country. Most days are overcast. The Summer is not even that sunny. I think we have over 320 days of cloud cover per year. I might be a little off, but something like that. I love the sun and I thrive in sunshine. I wish getting sun on my face in the morning was an option here. If there is sun, it comes out later in the afternoon. And in winter, that is a rare event.

The closest place I have, without driving to Cleveland, that sells vitamins is The Vitamin Shop. What should I get there? What is a good quality vitamin D? What about that other vitamin someone mentioned?
I need all of the help I can get.

How can I readjust my circadian rhythms? Does anyone have a link to this?

SoCal is out of the question but we are thinking of someplace with more sunshine. My husband is affected too. We hate to relocate, but this is unbearable. In October though Christmas and New Years I am fine. Then there is the slow decline. I go through it every year. This was the worst ever.

I'm also visiting a new doctor tomorrow and I am hoping it's a good fit. My problem is I look healthy and younger than my age, so many doctors tend to think that any health problems are not real. There are doctors who don't even believe in fibromyalgia. Or worse, think it's something "women make up".

[piperdiva]

When you go to the doctor you must get a whole vitamin blood workup. I bet you have vitamin D deficiency. And maybe other vitamin deficiencies as well. Years ago I had symptoms similar to yours and the vitamin deficiencies were the cause. ALSO, have your doctor check your thyroid function. ETA: I have Fibromyalgia too. From personal experience, you will feel better with dry heat as opposed to humid heat. I'd consider Arizona or Palm Springs/Desert if you plan to move. For vitamins, you can order online through Amazon. I buy my vitamins through a company called "Solgar."

[BOS2IAD]

Originally Posted by Luckyd609

Hopefully your doctor will order a blood panel to see what is really going on. I would just wait for the results before spending money on vitamins and supplements. You can do that after when you can take the proper ones.

^^^^Good idea

A couple of years back when I had my yearly blood panel done, it was discovered, that despite taking 1000 i.u. of vitamin D3 per day, I was still deficient. The doctor told me to up it to 5000 i.u. per day. That, for me, was the answer. Since then, my D3 levels are much better.

[BOS2IAD]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I am leaning towards SAD. ( are there two Ds in SAD? I thought it was Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Some of you know me through CD - for those who do not - I am 61. Way past menopause or peri-menopause.
I am at my correct weight. I do not have other signs of hypothyroidism - with the exception of brain fog - and that is also related to fibromyalgia.

This part of OH is one of the cloudiest in the country. Most days are overcast. The Summer is not even that sunny. I think we have over 320 days of cloud cover per year. I might be a little off, but something like that. I love the sun and I thrive in sunshine. I wish getting sun on my face in the morning was an option here. If there is sun, it comes out later in the afternoon. And in winter, that is a rare event.

The closest place I have, without driving to Cleveland, that sells vitamins is The Vitamin Shop. What should I get there? What is a good quality vitamin D? What about that other vitamin someone mentioned?
I need all of the help I can get.

How can I readjust my circadian rhythms? Does anyone have a link to this?

SoCal is out of the question but we are thinking of someplace with more sunshine. My husband is affected too. We hate to relocate, but this is unbearable. In October though Christmas and New Years I am fine. Then there is the slow decline. I go through it every year. This was the worst ever.

I'm also visiting a new doctor tomorrow and I am hoping it's a good fit. My problem is I look healthy and younger than my age, so many doctors tend to think that any health problems are not real. There are doctors who don't even believe in fibromyalgia. Or worse, think it's something "women make up".

Per the bolded --- I take the Vitamin Shoppe's house brand of vitamin D3 (5000 i.u.). I get their gel caps. You can order it online through their website. If you join their reward program (it's free of charge), you can arrange for them to mail it to you at regular intervals---plus by using this program, you get a 10% discount and start collecting rewards in the form of a coupon for future use.

[matisse12]

I think a good number of people who often blame the state of their health on weather and specifically winter are sublimating and blaming their emotional problems or life problems into and on the weather/winter when they are emotional problems or life problems existing outside of the weather and winter.

just my opinion. Not to say there are not a few people who do have Seasonal Affective Disorder to a certain degree. Although I think SAD is over-emphasized. Some good doses of light and/or sunshine can be beneficial though.

[Tokinouta]

Originally Posted by matisse12

I think a good number of people who often blame the state of their health on weather and specifically winter are sublimating and blaming their emotional problems or life problems into and on the weather/winter when they are emotional problems or life problems existing outside of the weather and winter.

just my opinion. Not to say there are not a few people who do have Seasonal Affective Disorder to a certain degree. Although I think SAD is over-emphasized. Some good doses of light and/or sunshine can be beneficial though.

There are people who get SAD in Phoenix also. In the summer it's so hot people just stay inside.

We used to be outside all the time, now most of what we do is inside. It may have more to do with lifestyle than location.

O.P. I do notice that the warm states are better for Fibro. If you have that it could very well be the reason for your misery. Exercising, even a little daily helps. Vitamin levels at good levels will also help that. I do a lower carb diet and that has helped more than I thought it would. Ug, it's a sucky illness. It's hard to get much understanding from others if you have it. We have our own club.

[matisse12]

Originally Posted by sheena12

The closest place I have, without driving to Cleveland, that sells vitamins is The Vitamin Shop. What should I get there?

Amazon.com has all the vitamins you would ever need in a lifetime, and all the same vitamins and same brands that one finds in stores, actually majorly many more brands and types. Order thru amazon.com

[RamenAddict]

Originally Posted by sheena12

I am leaning towards SAD. ( are there two Ds in SAD? I thought it was Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Some of you know me through CD - for those who do not - I am 61. Way past menopause or peri-menopause.
I am at my correct weight. I do not have other signs of hypothyroidism - with the exception of brain fog - and that is also related to fibromyalgia.

This part of OH is one of the cloudiest in the country. Most days are overcast. The Summer is not even that sunny. I think we have over 320 days of cloud cover per year. I might be a little off, but something like that. I love the sun and I thrive in sunshine. I wish getting sun on my face in the morning was an option here. If there is sun, it comes out later in the afternoon. And in winter, that is a rare event.

The closest place I have, without driving to Cleveland, that sells vitamins is The Vitamin Shop. What should I get there? What is a good quality vitamin D? What about that other vitamin someone mentioned?
I need all of the help I can get.

How can I readjust my circadian rhythms? Does anyone have a link to this?

SoCal is out of the question but we are thinking of someplace with more sunshine. My husband is affected too. We hate to relocate, but this is unbearable. In October though Christmas and New Years I am fine. Then there is the slow decline. I go through it every year. This was the worst ever.

I'm also visiting a new doctor tomorrow and I am hoping it's a good fit. My problem is I look healthy and younger than my age, so many doctors tend to think that any health problems are not real. There are doctors who don't even believe in fibromyalgia. Or worse, think it's something "women make up".

There are special lights to use if you get SAD that you are supposed to use every day to help. I know one of my friends who has SAD and goes to therapy was recommended a specific type to get but I don’t have the information for it. I will probably look into it next winter since I live in Chicagoland and have trouble with side effects on antidepressants.

[Mikala43]

You have fibro too?