It isn't always age

A few years ago I was diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency.  This seems to be pretty rampant. Why? Vitamin D is manufactured in our bodies, for the most part, from being in the sun. We don't spend enough time in the sun, and when we do, we sunscreen, because we've been told that sun is bad.  So is a lack of vitamin D...but not as bad as skin cancer. Now, I know when my D level is sliding, because I recognize the symptoms. I get pain in my legs. The pain, I had previously blamed on work...and age. I took prescription strength Vitamin D until my levels reached normal. Now, I take a daily OTC supplement.

I went to the doctor the other day for a check-up. I mentioned how fatigued I'd been feeling. Not sleepy. Not tired. Just disinterested in doing anything. She asked about depression. I had already examined that option, as disinterest in things you normally enjoy, is a definition of depression. Nope, I said, not depressed. I am perfectly happy...not doing anything. This goes against my personality. I am not generally happy being still. I had considered a lot of options other than depression; new job, frequent changes, stress and of course, age. Sorry, but as you get older, you start hearing it used as an excuse for everything. Fortunately, for me, I have a good doctor, she knows me and she listens. She did some lab work and my B12 level was low. Research ensued, because, well, that is how I am. And I learned something that could probably be as prevalent as the Vitamin D deficiency. B12 is in food, almost exclusively in meat. Smart vegans/vegetarians should be supplementing their diets. B12 is released and absorbed when the acid in our stomachs breaks the meat down. Two problems here; tons of people are on medications to reduce stomach acid, me included, and as we age (there is that dirty word again) we produce less stomach acid. Guess that proves I am not old, since I still have to take medication to reduce the stomach acid. Ha!
Lack of B12 can produce a lot of issues:

Diarrhea

Fatigue

Numbness of the extremities

Sore mouth

Loss of appetite

Nausea

Cessation of menstruation

Confusion

Memory loss

Hallucinations

Disorientation

Anemia

Nervousness

Behavioral changes

Enlarged mucus membranes

One article I read, said a lot of people attribute their symptoms to aging. Big surprise. There is even speculation, that some people diagnosed with dementia, may actually be suffering from B12 deficiency. 

Besides my fatigue, I have also felt over anxious the last few months, something I blamed on the new job. But it wasn't going away as I settled in. I'm hoping it will dissipate along with my fatigue. I haven't found a clear answer on how long it will take to feel better, it seems 7-60 days. I guess it depends on just how low my levels were...my doctor was not specific. I guess I can be grateful at the lack of hallucinations and enlarged mucus membranes.