Milk Fever

I haven't been blogging because I've been ill. For a while now, I've been suffering from dizzy spells, headaches, feeling very sleepy and not feeling like myself. I've been very moody, short-tempered and feeling like I am unable to shake my sour mood. It takes effort to get up and do anything.

I wasn't really sure what was going on. In some cases it seemed like my blood sugar. I wondered if my iron levels were low, but I do get plenty of iron. I wondered if my vertigo was just acting up as it tends to do when I feel stressed out. It could be a mix of blood sugar and the vertigo.

Then, my oldest brother called me today to see how I was doing. I told him my symptoms and my puzzlement at them and how I was planning on calling the doctor. I told him how I don't look forward to going to the doctor because of the gamut of tests he'll put me through. I have 3 children and no babysitters this week, so it would be a pain to get the lab work done. During the conversation, I mentioned that maybe I'm dehydrated because I'm still breastfeeding and the weather's been so dry.

"You're still breast feeding," my brother asks. "Do you watch All Creatures Great and Small?"

I responded, "yes."

"It sounds like milk fever," he says. "I read all his books, too and I remember them discussing milk fever and the low calcium levels in the cows."

I confirmed that my calcium levels are probably low and that the thought did come across me earlier in the week. I haven't been drinking milk because it's pricey and I've been saving it for my children. Also, my milk wanes greatly as my period nears and that is said to be helped by taking a calcium-magnesium supplement. We also discussed how you need vitamin D to absorb calcium and it is January in the frozen northern tundra, so I'm not getting a lot of sun exposure.

Milk fever!

We nearly laughed about it and I decided that it wouldn't hurt to try treating myself like a milk fevered cow.

He also told me about one of his college professors having vertigo treated successfully with B vitamin supplements.

So, this evening, I took a B vitamin supplement, my cal-mag and a vitamin D. I feel better, but the true test will come in the afternoons of this week. The afternoons are when I feel the worst.