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Tired for almost 10 years, ever since I got mono

Ever since I got mono about 10 years ago I've been tired a lot and still getting sick easily. I sleep probably about 10-12 hours a night but I usually still feel tired. I do wake up a lot when I'm sleeping though. I have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and depression but these symptoms of tiredness have never really gone away even when I'm happier and not having major digestive symptoms. It does seem to get worse when I'm stressed though.

I feel lightheaded a lot and I have low blood pressure and low pulse rate, but I guess not to the extent that my doctor thinks they are a problem. I do just barely meet the qualifications for hypotension and bradycardia (low pulse). I sometimes feel better when I eat something salty but then I wonder if that's in just in my head.

I have always had irregular periods and I have somewhat excessive facial hair growth that has gotten worse in the past few years.

More recently I've noticed that I almost always have a feeling of pressure in my head. It feels better when I rub it or press on it but usually just temporarily better.

I've talked with doctors about this in the past and they have basically no idea but it has been a few years so I can't say for sure what tests they have done. I am already being treated for my ulcerative colitis and my depression.
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Avatar universal
Thank you, that is mostly what I have been thinking. I have tested with normal thyroid levels but I just got a blood test to have it checked again. I've also scheduled an evaluation for PCOS.
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1756321 tn?1547095325
Hirsutism is defined as the excessive hair growth in an androgen dependent pattern where hair growth in women is usually minimal or absent (eg: face, chest, and areolaeas) as a result of increased androgen production, increased skin sensitivity to androgens, or both.

Causes:

Drug-induced hirsutism
PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)
Menopause
Androgen-producing ovarian tumours
Androgen-producing adrenal tumour
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)
Cushing's syndrome
Severe insulin resistance
Anorexia nervosa
Prolactinoma
Acromegaly
Hypothyroidism
Porphyria

From this list, chronic fatigue, hypotension, bradycardia and depression are listed symptoms of hypothyroidism.

***

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune thyroid disease) is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the western world. This can be shown with elevated levels of antibodies - Thyroid Peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and/or Thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb).  However 10 - 20% with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis do not have high levels of thyroid antibodies. An ultrasound or FNA biopsy can confirm a suspected diagnosis.

***

The following info is from the book "The Everything Guide To Thyroid Disease" by Theodore C. Friedman, MD, PhD and Winnie Yu Scherer:

"Although the majority of people with Hashimoto's will not develop any other disorders, it's important to know what some of these autoimmune conditions are in case you do start to experience symptoms. Keep in mind, too, that you may be more likely to develop Hashimoto's if you have one of these other conditions.

Type 1 diabetes
Pernicious Anaemia
Addison's Disease
Vitiligo
Celiac Disease
Alopecia Areta
Systematic Lupus Erthematosus (SLE)
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sjogren's Syndrome
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)"

The major types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

***

The following is an except from Hindawi - Epstein-Barr Virus as a Trigger of Autoimmune Liver Diseases...

"Several viruses have been considered to be triggers of autoimmunity and overt autoimmune disease [1–6]. Amongst those, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is the cause of infectious mononucleosis, is unique in a sense as it has been implicated in the induction of multiple autoimmune diseases [7, 8].

These include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS), autoimmune thyroiditis (AT), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS), systemic sclerosis (SSc), myasthenia gravis, and autoimmune liver diseases (AiLD) [7–20]."

***

How to limit the symptoms of low blood pressure:

Stand up gradually
Wear support stockings
Avoid caffeine at night and limit alcohol intake
Include more salt in the diet
Eat smaller meals more often
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