Hey people, I need a little help and understanding.

I have been macro/vegan for a year and a half, when I first gave up meat and sugar etc I felt on top of the world. A while ago i started to get tired and started to take  B12 supplements and felt better again. I stopped taking them on a regular basis and felt ok, but I have been feeling really down lately and getting a lot of colds etc, my eye lids and gums are really pale, I've been taking supplements (multi vits, iron, vit D) and it doesnt seem to be helping yet. I am making iron rich meals, but again no change yet and I am feeling very low.

I'm guessing I've used up all my bodies stored vitamins. I am considering eating meat for a quick fix. I really dont want to, it makes me feel ill just thinking about it! But I am unsure of what to do? any help advice would be greatly appreciated.

Natalie x

Do not eat meat. It won't solve any problems, it just creates them.  I have been 99.9% vegan for over 10 years (0.1% is the occasional marshmallow or gummy worm). I have had my bloodwork checked yearly and it is normal. I do eat nutritional yeast daily (a vegan source of vit. B12) on my air popped popcorn. I did give it up once, and I was tired within a week. So nutirional yeast is a daily part of my diet and it tastes awesome. I found when I have bouts of tiredness it is due to my hormones. I am 43 and have not have my period since my son was born 7 years ago. I had my hormone tested and it revealed almost no estrogen and no progesterone. I recommend to you to see a natural path or your doctor for some bloodwork. It is always a good idea to have your blood checked every few years just as a baseline.

Hey Cheryl,

Thanks for your reply. I dont think i could bring myself to eat meat anyway. Makes me feel ill when i cook it for my husband. I did however just have an egg, which im not feeling great about.

I will go out tonight and get some nutritional yeast. I've got corn, so can make some pop corn as soon as i get back.

I know i probably should get my blood checked. Im relucatant though as my doctor will only give me a lectur that I shouldnt be vegan and that i should eat meat. I cant afford to see a natural doctor. I'll give the nutritional yeast and B12 supplements a go for a few days and see how i go. If I still feel the same, I'll give in and go to the doctor.

Thanks again for replying, it has made me feel better! I havent told anyone how I feel as none of my family, friends are supportive of my diet choices. And have limited food knowledge, so would just say to eat meat.

Are your hormone changes due to being vegan, or is that just something that would have happened anyway.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks from a slightly happier, but still tired natalie :)

I would recommend heading to a doctor for some bloodwork. When it comes down to it - vegan or not vegan - there are about a thousand nutrional deficiencies/overindulgances and the like that can cause some of the issues you cite. Without bloodwork, not even a doctor can tell you what they are. Once you know what your "problem" is, you can solve it. Commonly for vegans in this situation is iron, B12 and other B panels. However, it can also be estrogen, allergies and a guantlet of other things. 

If you're concerned about your doctor giving you a lecture - no need to tell him you're vegan. Just mention that you've been feeling a bit run down recently and would love a simple blood test to help figure it out. Also, you might be surprised: I went to a doctor and they asked why this and that had gotten better in my bloodwork and I meekishly mentioned I was vegan and they went on to laud how healthy that is and how so many more patients wouldn't need doctors if they did it. And here I was waiting for my lecture!

I have also received great responses from my doctors about my vegan diet.  They ask some questions and tell me that they could never do it, but think it's great.  The American Heart Association even promotes a vegan diet for those who have heart ailments!  Give the doctor a chance and if you do get a lecture, find another doctor!

Well just an update, but I stuck with it, my doctors were no use whatsoever. But i tried various vitamin supplements and have realised that I do not store vitamin B12 very well, my stores run out very quickly. I tried a spray that worked really well, but was too expensive so I am taking tablets, they are 1,000 ug and i have to take 4 of these a day to keep my b12 levels up. If i take these i have no need to take iron supplements as i believe i do get enough from my diet, i just cant absorb the b12 well enough to go without supplements. I have also started taking vitamin d3 spray which i think i am lacking as i do not get anywhere near enough sun exposure!