Well, THAT makes sense…

Last week I went to the doctor for a physical, and talked about the fact that I seem to be WAY too tired for how much sleep I’m getting. Even with my crappy interrupted sleep pattern, I should be getting enough to keep me from crashing the way I have been. For those who weren’t at the picnic on Sunday, the results of the blood work were enlightening. My thyroid is a tick low – and by that I mean barely. My vitamin D however, is well into “deficient.” On the scale of “we like to see it between 32 and 100” mine is at 14.

Fatigue anyone?

There are a few other things askew in the numbers – my blood pressure is high, my cholesterol is just a touch high, and of course I’m carrying too much weight (which drives many of the other issues.) However my doctor wants to see how I respond to getting my D up into better levels before she messes with anything else – she seems to feel that if that addresses the fatigue and I address my recently self-admittedly crappy diet (I have), then the other things may very well fall into line, if for no other reason than that more energy generally results in more activity, which can result in dropping some weight, etc. I go back in six weeks to check all the numbers again.

So of course, having dutifully begun taking my vitamin D supplements, I want to feel better NOW. I know it doesn’t work like that, but since when did I ever allow logic to interfere with my desires? I really should figure out how to actually get more sun, because the most effective source of vitamin D is to make it. I am however, the prototype of northern-European-fish-belly-white, and my skin goes fire-engine red in no time flat. I guess that as I start cleaning up the gardens for the winter I should make a point to spend at least some time working on the sunny side of the house. Next year I’ll start in the spring and sort of ease into it – like I used to when I was a kid.

Of course, some of the blood pressure issues COULD be from stress. My husband hasn’t been able to find work for a year and a half and the money is running out, we have a mortgage, we have a two year old who has discovered defiance, my co-workers are crazy, and I haven’t taken any vacation time since 2009. Whadda ya think? Could there be a stress component?

That said, I’m sort of relieved to discover that it may be something as dirt-simple as take a supplement, get some more sun. I’m tired of being tired. I’ve got no time for debilitating fatigue – I have projects to do and workshops to organize, and it really looks better at performance review time if you’re NOT falling asleep at your desk.