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For the past year or so, I've felt generally unwell - a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, shaky, and no energy. It started out as just every once in a while, but now it's occurring pretty much every day, lasting from just a few minutes to all day long.  
 
I've been to the doctor several times about it, but been told that nothing is wrong with me. I'm a generally healthy, early 30s person - I get regular exercise, I eat well, I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, and I have a healthy body weight. I don't think people should generally feel sick on a regular basis and it's affecting my life, so I'm trying to figure out what is wrong.  
 
I've tried tracking what I eat, how much I eat, when and the amounts I eat, my sleep, etc, to see if I can pin down what is making me feel this way, but haven't noticed any patterns yet.  
 
So I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas for me of what else may be causing this so I can try to figure it out and make changes in my life so I feel better.  
 
Thank you in advance for any ideas!

When I feel like that I am usually not drinking enough water.

The doctor has checked everything out and all is ok.  
 
Are you stressed, I am sure you are down about not feeling well for this length of time. Have you asked or has your doctor thought maybe a mild form of depression.  
 
No energy, motivation, upset the way you have been feeling, tired, a little down, not sleeping as good as usual, perhaps not socializing as much as usual. Just a thought - there are so many forms from mild to major.

Have you got tested for blood pressure problems, diabetes, auto immune diseases, west Nile, Lyme disease? Not saying you have to have some illness to feel that way just saying to check some avenues out.

Read about using magnesium. Magnesium is basic to all body processes & health. You might be deficient in it. Most people are. To use magnesium chloride oil on your skin (get flakes & make your own...it's cheaper) for 3 months would be a good idea. This oil on your skin is the most effective,fastest way to obtain magnesium with no digestive effects. Once you are done the 3 months, then you reduce use to a lesser daily maintenance level. You spray/rub it on, leave it on for 20 minutes and wash it off. It can be quite tingly/itchy when it is on the skin. You might have to experiment to find where you are least sensitive to it. There are easy to find instructions for making & using the oil online.  
 
You can by the flakes at Hedleys. The price is high initially, but it lasts a very long time, so considering that, it is an inexpensive thing to try.  
 
I found that it helped clear up a few issues that I had, including psoriasis (my purpose in taking it) & bonus...some tooth cavities! I had no idea at the time that it would heal those, but it did!  
 
I hope you can help yourself. It is very frustrating when you have a mystery ailment. Wishing you relief!

Often unresolved trauma can result in the symptoms you describe. Only you can answer this question as to whether or not you have some trauma in your background (grieving, loss of some kind, abuse etc)  
 
Check out traumarecovery.ca. A Manitoba based site

Trauma-informed.ca

As someone who has had a few "mystery ailments" over the years, here's a few thoughts:  
 
- I agree with Brenda that depression and/or anxiety should be looked at. I was diagnosed with both in my early 20's and it was amazing how broad-ranging the physical symptoms were. Antidepressants were a huge help to stablize both my mood (which I didn't realize was being impacted until after-the-fact) and my health. I was eventually able to come off the medications.  
 
- Has your B12 been checked? I have gone through periods of low B12 and it causes a myriad of symptoms that you wouldn't think are connected.  
 
- Your heart. You say you have episodes of feeling unwell, sounds like you have periods of feeling good interspersed with those episodes. If you have a heart problem (the ventricles not being coordinated/irregular heartbeat, for example), it can cause symptoms like you described. Next time you feel suddenly unwell, try sitting quietly and taking your pulse for an extended period. See if fluctuates, is racing, or otherwise feels abnormal (it helps if you know what your "normal" pulse feels like). If you suspect there might be an issue, talk to your doctor and ask to be hooked up to a halter monitor.  
 
Hope you feel better soon!!

Also, has the topic of atypical migraines come up? I get a combination of both regular and atypical migraines. Regular migraines are the normal, run-of-the-mill ones that everyone seems to get these days, but the atypical ones are tricky. They can cause all sorts of weird symptoms (including the ones you describe) that are not painful, or is painful but not in the head (I get pain on the trigemonel nerve in my face).  
 
Atypical ones don't always present the same everytime in the same person as well, which makes them notorious difficult to diagnose.

YoungHeart said "For the past year or so, I've felt generally unwell - a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, shaky, and no energy. It started out as just every once in a while, but now it's occurring pretty much every day, lasting from just a few minutes to all day long.     I've been to the doctor several times about it, but been told that nothing is wrong with me. I'm a generally healthy, early 30s person - I get regular exercise, I eat well, I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, and I have a healthy body weight. I don't think people should generally feel sick on a regular basis and it's affecting my life, so I'm trying to figure out what is wrong.     I've tried tracking what I eat, how much I eat, when and the amounts I eat, my sleep, etc, to see if I can pin down what is making me feel this way, but haven't noticed any patterns yet.     So I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas for me of what else may be causing this so I can try to figure it out and make changes in my life so I feel better.     Thank you in advance for any ideas! "

Sometimes you just don't know you're stressed out but your body does... 6-7 years ago I had a 2 month period were my chest felt ice cold all the time and I honestly thought I was dieing... Turned out to be Anxiety.  
 
Sometimes your body picks up on things we don't.  
 
I am not saying you have anxiety or stress, but if you've experienced any big changes recently it can be all sorts of things that cause stress and anxiety.  
 
I wish you the best of luck, I wouldn't wish what I went through on even my least favorite people. It's not fun.

Check your blood glucose levels. Don't think just because you are in shape you couldn't possibly have Diabetes. I suffered for 7 years while I was in great shape with illness. Then someone told me to make my Dr check my blood sugars. My DR swore out loud and left the room for a minute to come back with the news that I had a level of 38 out of 40. When he looked back at my records everything I was suffering with for the past 7 years now made sense. I hope this is not the case for you but please get it checked out.

It sounds like you have some stress and anxiety in your life, sometimes you don’t even know you’re experiencing it! Also, you may be down in iron levels, that might be causing your feeling of no energy. Maybe a doctors visit to see if you need a pres:cription for a low dosage of anti anxiety meds and a blood test for low iron. Good luck

Thank you so much to everyone for their ideas/input.  
 
As much as I don't like to admit it, I do have a fairly high level of stress in my life and I do worry more than I probably should. Unfortunately, the sources of stress are uncontrollable (a sick child and caring for an ill parent). I just never really clued into the fact that perhaps that could be causing me to be physically sick. I'll definitely look into that and some of the other ideas others have mentioned.  
 
If anyone has additional ideas, please let me know! If it's a simple underlying issue (like the idea of not drinking enough water, which I hadn't thought of), I'd like to fix that so it doesn't compound my problems.

Also get your Thyroid checked. It is amazing the number of things the Thyroid affects and if you do have stress in your life, your hormones may not be working effectively to offset the stress.  
 
If you do decide to have your Thyroid checked, make sure your doctor requests ALL the Thyroid tests. TSH alone is not an effective diagnosis. You need T3 and T4 checked as well.  
 
As to the water - I can really tell when I have not had enough water [from drink or food] Dehydration can cause many of the symptoms you mention too.  
 
Good luck in your search!

YoungHeart said "Thank you so much to everyone for their ideas/input.     As much as I don't like to admit it, I do have a fairly high level of stress in my life and I do worry more than I probably should. Unfortunately, the sources of stress are uncontrollable (a sick child and caring for an ill parent). I just never really clued into the fact that perhaps that could be causing me to be physically sick. I'll definitely look into that and some of the other ideas others have mentioned.     If anyone has additional ideas, please let me know! If it's a simple underlying issue (like the idea of not drinking enough water, which I hadn't thought of), I'd like to fix that so it doesn't compound my problems. "

High level of stress can then also add depression.  
 
The thing about stress and depression is that something could happen and your body may not even feel the affects until months later. Then you are left wondering what is going on, you thought you had made it through that period. Or even genetics. The brain is so complex, and so many different types of things related to stress. Often stress and depression will be linked together - as one can cause the other one to be brought on.  
 
I would, just to set your mind at ease and rule it out, call the Mental Health Clinic at the Town centre and talk to a Mental Health worker - 578-2400. It is free and they will just assign one to talk to. They are all great down there. Especially if you have spoken with your doctor of your stress and he has not given you advice on how to deal with it.  
 
Good Luck - give them a call, it sure cannot hurt.

Opustwo said "Also get your Thyroid checked. It is amazing the number of things the Thyroid affects and if you do have stress in your life, your hormones may not be working effectively to offset the stress.     If you do decide to have your Thyroid checked, make sure your doctor requests ALL the Thyroid tests. TSH alone is not an effective diagnosis. You need T3 and T4 checked as well.     As to the water - I can really tell when I have not had enough water [from drink or food] Dehydration can cause many of the symptoms you mention too.     Good luck in your search! "

Please follow Opustwo's info-and get ALL your thyroid-related hormones tested. Aslo, REVERSE T3, although you may have to pay for that one yourself, but it is worth it.

Opustwo said "Also get your Thyroid checked. It is amazing the number of things the Thyroid affects and if you do have stress in your life, your hormones may not be working effectively to offset the stress.     If you do decide to have your Thyroid checked, make sure your doctor requests ALL the Thyroid tests. TSH alone is not an effective diagnosis. You need T3 and T4 checked as well.     As to the water - I can really tell when I have not had enough water [from drink or food] Dehydration can cause many of the symptoms you mention too.     Good luck in your search! "

None of the symptoms that YoungHeart has are thyroid related, except perhaps tiredness that would be on a thyroid symptom list...but this is only one thing. That is not enough to come to such a conclusion.  
 
Many conditions mimic thyroid issues, so one should be very cautious suggesting this. I think more people are improperly diagnosed with it than should be. It is pushed pretty hard. Those who then get diagnosed with it often go down a road of further big issues related to the drugs given and more medications as a result. They are not as safe as they claim. I have repeatedly heard of this from others. It is not just my experience. If one does go down that road, I have figured out, through learning about the thyroid and related interconnected glands, that using adaptogenic herbs is your best bet as they balance the imbalances either way, and they are safer than the synthetics and I would suggest, even better than the other (dessicated) alternatives.  
 
 
After reading about the stress issue...that is most likely it. If the OP can get someone to help, that could make a huge difference. Drinking more water is not a bad idea anyway. As I suggested with the magnesium, it affects many things. It will certainly help you deal with stress in a better way.  
 
Above all else, YoungHeart, seek out someone to help out with your caregiving duties. I think that that will help tremendously.  
 
Edited by Flutterby, 2018-08-07 17:06:16

myhandleistrain said "Talk to a pychologist. I did. Same symptoms. It's something you can't deal with yourself. Medication can do wonders. If your quality of life is being hampered, seek help. "

would have to be referred to a psychologist or a psychiatrist, which is why I mentioned a good place to start would be the Mental Health office in the Towne Center.  
 
just a quick note: If you decide to go the route of checking out a mental health worker at and you do not like or click with the one they give you, it is very easy to ask for another one, that may suit you better. Or ask for a male or female, whichever you would feel more comfortable with.

If you try to practice mindfulness it may help. Pay attention to small things like the sun, leaves, blue sky, green grass and recognize them for the miracles that they are. In a similar way, become more mindful of your body. Accept that this feeling of unwellness is present. Listen to it. To what it is trying to tell you. Be mindful of what you feed your body. Notice when there are periods of wellness. What is different? Even when you are unwell. Notice if there are any parts of your body that feel better. Try to focus on that. It is best to begin being mindull by focussing on your breath. Notice on the inbreath how the air fills your mouth and lungs. It energizes your body giving life. On the outbreath notice the feel of the air below your nostrils and the release of tension in the body. Be kind to yourself. Your body is trying to tell you this. Listen to it! Wishing you peace

Sent you a PM. I think it's okay to say to your Dr what you think might be the problem.

I know a person that had similar symptoms for a long period of time and was told by doctors there was nothing wrong, but further testing found the she had celiac disease. She went on a gluten free diet and she feels great now. Celiac can produce many symptoms.

I to have on occasion suffered from the same symptons you described and found them to be a pre-cursor to a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) episode. Next time you get these symptons eat a couple of cookies, piece of cake or have a glass of juice or pop. Sounds like you are eating a healthy diet - but keep in mind that your body requires a certain amount of sugar in order to function.

Flutterby said "    Opustwo said "Also get your Thyroid checked. It is amazing the number of things the Thyroid affects and if you do have stress in your life, your hormones may not be working effectively to offset the stress.     If you do decide to have your Thyroid checked, make sure your doctor requests ALL the Thyroid tests. TSH alone is not an effective diagnosis. You need T3 and T4 checked as well.     As to the water - I can really tell when I have not had enough water [from drink or food] Dehydration can cause many of the symptoms you mention too.     Good luck in your search! " None of the symptoms that YoungHeart has are thyroid related, except perhaps tiredness that would be on a thyroid symptom list...but this is only one thing. That is not enough to come to such a conclusion.     Many conditions mimic thyroid issues, so one should be very cautious suggesting this. I think more people are improperly diagnosed with it than should be. It is pushed pretty hard. Those who then get diagnosed with it often go down a road of further big issues related to the drugs given and more medications as a result. They are not as safe as they claim. I have repeatedly heard of this from others. It is not just my experience. If one does go down that road, I have figured out, through learning about the thyroid and related interconnected glands, that using adaptogenic herbs is your best bet as they balance the imbalances either way, and they are safer than the synthetics and I would suggest, even better than the other (dessicated) alternatives.       After reading about the stress issue...that is most likely it. If the OP can get someone to help, that could make a huge difference. Drinking more water is not a bad idea anyway. As I suggested with the magnesium, it affects many things. It will certainly help you deal with stress in a better way.     Above all else, YoungHeart, seek out someone to help out with your caregiving duties. I think that that will help tremendously.     Edited by Flutterby, 2018-08-07 17:06:16"

re the symptoms - I don't want to hijack this thread so refer to this site  
 
https://hypothyroidmom.com/300-hypothyroidism-symptoms-yes-really/

for me, it was my birth control that made me feel that way!

Could also be good to see another doctor for a second opinion. Not sure who yours is, but some are more thorough than others...