What's up with me?

Warning - this is mildly graphic... And, as it turns out, kinda long, too... I've noticed the last several days, maybe week, that my urine is very dark and strong smelling. I thought maybe I wasn't getting enough to drink, so I upped my fluids, although, to be honest, I'd been getting the same amount as I've been geting since the beginning - at least 60 oz. So yesterday, I kept track and had: 36 oz of water 10 oz of milk 25 oz of CL 8 oz of Diet Snapple 2 SF Popsicles (okay, only 3 oz, but, it counts, right?) This morning, my urine was still very dark and very strong smelling... In addition, I have no appetite. I've spent the last 45 minutes trying to get down an 8oz smoothy, for crying out loud. It doesn't make me sick, or anything, I just don't FEEL like it... *stomps foot like 3 year old* I've been having this aversion to eating for probably close two 2 weeks, and at first thought it was the heat, but the heat's backed off now. I'm also very tired lately - I thought it was stress, work, all the working out, running the kids around, etc. combined with what I've read is normal fatigue at this point after surgery, but now I'm starting to wonder. So I dunno. It could be nothing and I'm being neurotic... I'm gonna work really hard on my fluid intake again today and if I'm still the same way tomorrow, I'm gonna call my doc. What do you guys think?

Well....it could be a urinary tract infection or kidney infection. I'd definitely go see your doctor and get a urinanalysis done just to be safe. I'd also ask your doctor to run some blood work to make sure that your vitamin levels and blood levels are good given your fatigue level. The smell from urine could be ketosis which is normal when eating low carb but best to get it checked out. Feel better! Kathy

I thought about the UTI or Kidney infection, but I've had those before. I know a UTI from the earliest symptoms, and I'm not having any pain whatesoever. The blood work, I agree on. I got something in the mail from a lab that I guess I'm supposed to go to, but didn't receive any call or anything about setting something up... Reason number 2 for calling my doc tomorrow. I'm wondering if it's not an issue with iron. Red meat really isn't my friend, and other than my multis with iron, I'm not supplementing it. Thanks for the ideas/suggestions, I guess I just wanted to whine to someone until I could get in touch with my doc tomorrow.

Right now I take 3 chewable iron tablets (my multi doesnt have iron) along with a chewable Vit C. I'm about to switch to regular pills...Vitron C which is iron with C. I also take a 1000 mcg B12 daily in addition to the rest. Perhaps you need more iron than your multi provides? Good luck and let us know how it goes! Kathy

Hey Becky, Lately I have been noticing that my urine is very dark also, so I increased the fluids. I even had a UA, and the nurse told me to increase the fluids. Since surgery the one and only thing that I stay 100% true to is at least 64oz of water a day. And I mean water, that doesn't include my diet snapple and/or CL. So I don't know how much more I'm supposed to increase the fluids. Bottom line is I increased the damn fluids, and my urine is still almost orange! So I dont know about that one...Fatigue is my best friend, and its weird because 1 week post op I was running around Disney World. I am almost 3 months post op, and I think my body is telling me to slow down. With my life its almost impossible. 2 jobs, Single Mom, student. I see that you're gonna call your doc, Good choice. Well I probably havent offered you one drop of advice, but thanks for letting me vent!

Thanks, Aliya, you gave me some peace of mind. Like you, I've been running since a few days after surgery so this fatigue is something new to me...

Becky Sue, Not sure about the urnine thing, mine is dark but I know I dont get enough fluids in. As far as being tired, I was very run down and I also noticed that I was bruising easily and was having troubles sleeping, I told the doc and he asked if I was on iron. He said the iron in my multi vitamin was not enough, I bought a iron supplement at the health food store, its a "non-constipating" formula and I have felt much better. Also, I get a B12 shot every month at the docs, that is a major energy booster! Cary

Thanks, Cary, I'm beginning to think it's probably iron. I'll ask my doc tomorrow about going on an iron supplement in addition to my multi. I take sublingual B-12 every day but may switch to the shot if my doc will let me self-inject.