Not sure what the deal is but lately my fatigue has been off the charts. (And I know I’ve gained weight, boo hiss…) This time last year, I was well into training, riding nearly 20 miles whereas this year I can’t seem to get myself motivated. To date my longest ride is 12.5 miles. Need to get out of this funk and cycle more if I’m to have any chance at riding 75 miles at this years City to Shore. 

Update: My neurologist called before the holiday weekend letting me know my iron is low again. Anemia, that would account for my increased fatigue. Ugh it’s such a balancing act. I’m always struggling to keep my iron up, never surpassing low-normal. I take iron supplements to bring my levels up, then I stop (b/c they’re nasty) and then I have long, heavy periods, and bam, I’m right back to where I started. I am so tired of this. I just need to come to terms with the fact that I’ll probably need to take iron supplements for the rest of my life (or until I get my crazy periods sorted out — but that’s another long story).

Is there such a thing as health fatigue? Chronic illness is exhausting. It’s the spiraling domino effect in which one health issue stems from another. MS, fatigue, anemia, anxiety, obesity (weight that is damn near impossible to lose — trust me, I’ve tried for 30 years and the weight always piles back on), menstrual issues, borderline high blood pressure… all the while, I’m desperately trying to lose weight (I’ve changed my eating habits, cutting out dairy and gluten since both make me incredibly ill), drastically reduced my stress levels, and every year I train to ride in MS City to Shore in September, last year cycling 45 miles. I try to get on my bike at minimum twice a week, often riding for at least two hours, And still it’s not enough. Some days I want to throw my hands in the air and give up, but I know I can’t. Some part of me recognizes that despite all of my health troubles, I’m doing well (relatively speaking) and that’s because of these healthy lifestyle changes…

Some days I just wish this were easier…