What Are The Symptoms
Symptoms include some, or all, of the following:
- constant, overwhelming mental and physical tiredness
- sleep disturbance, un-refreshing sleep
- symptoms of IBS , such as wind/bloating, stomach pain, diarrhoea and constipation
- intolerance, or sensitivity, to alcohol, caffeine, some foods or medications
CFS/ME is poorly understood, with no specific diagnostic test. Diagnosis is made by excluding other causes of the symptoms.
Putting It All Together
Check out the 5 reasons you cant lose weight outlined here. As, you read through them it will become apparent that they are interconnected. Our body systems influence each other. When one system gets out of sync it affects the others.
Carry out appropriate testing for adrenal, thyroid, food sensitivities and gut problems if you think these could be issues for you.
Review your eating and make sure you follow a healthy diet free from sugar and junk foods while taking some gentle exercise depending on your current fatigue level.
Please feel free to leave a comment or ask me any questions.
Poor Sleep Quality And Obesity
Many of the connections between obesity and chronic fatigue arise from your inability to get good sleep if you are carrying too much extra body weight. Though decreases in physical activity, poor diet, and even body chemistry changes from having too much body fat, can all contribute to lowered daytime energy levels, the largest culprit is not getting enough good sleep.
Much of the blame for poor sleep quality can be chalked up to a condition called obstructive sleep apnea. This blockage of your upper airway when you sleep is one of the most easily addressed effects of obesity, but until it is solved, it is one of the central causes of EDS.
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You Eat Too Much Sugar
Its true your body needs glucose for energy, but too much sugar can interfere with your energy levels. If you eat a sugary meal or snack , it spikes your blood sugar, leading to an inevitable crash and feelings of sluggishness later. Do this enough and your body will be constantly recovering from each sugary binge. And its not just cookies and donuts that can send your blood sugar over the edgebe sure to avoid the 14 Health Foods Worse Than a Donut.
Has The Patient Experienced Low Moods
If they also complain of tiredness and weight gain consider hypothyroidism.
If they are tired and nauseated, and describe polyuria or constipation consider hypercalcaemia.
If they have developed weight gain and thinned or red skin consider Cushings syndrome.
If they have also lost their libido, or developed erectile dysfunction consider hypogonadism, or hypopituitarism.
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Fatigue Weakness And Weight Loss
Reviewed on 8/5/2020
There are a few different medical conditions that are strongly associated with:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Weight Loss
While the symptoms above can be considered a guide to help associate symptoms common among the conditions below, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms. Below are the top condition matches for your symptom combination from MedicineNet:
Is Weight Loss A Symptom Of Blood Cancer
Blood cancer may cause weight loss because the cancerous cells are using up much of the bodyâs energy supplies. Cancerous cells can grow quickly, impacting the bodyâs normal functions. Some cancer cells may also produce substances that change the way the body creates energy from food that is eaten .1,2
Weight loss that occurs with blood cancers and other cancers may also be caused by a lack of appetite. When appetite is lessened, people eat less than usual, and weight loss can occur.1
Weight loss is also commonly seen during treatment of blood cancers, as some treatments can cause side effects of nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, or a change in how foods taste. Some people undergoing treatment for blood cancer may also experience depression, and depression can cause a lack of interest in food, which can lead to weight loss.1
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How Senior Living Communities Help Manage Unintentional Weight Loss In Elderly
Senior care facilities often keep track of factors contributing to your loved ones sudden weight loss as part of their regular services. Most communities, especially nursing homes, measure weight and vitals regularly. Many communities will also work with residents and their families to develop special diet plans to help the seniors manage their weight and improve their overall well-being.
Assisted living communities offer different services depending on each residents needs. Most assisted living communities offer meal plans and special dining options, medication management, health monitoring, and social opportunities to help keep senior residents active and safe.
Its common for senior residents in assisted living to have their weight and vitals checked monthly. If weight loss is a concern when the resident moves in, staff will likely check their weight weekly or more. Staff at assisted living communities tend to develop close relationships with residents, so it is unlikely for drastic changes in weight or eating habits to go unnoticed.
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Description Of Included Reviews
See: ‘Characteristics of included systematic reviews’ in and ‘Characteristics of excluded systematic reviews’ in .
The initial handsearch of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in March 2010 and a subsequent followup search in September 2010 yielded 520 titles of potential interest. We reviewed abstracts of these titles and identified 185 for further consideration with full papers being obtained. We identified 110 papers as having objectives and outcomes of interest to the overview. Two overview authors independently categorised the remaining papers for their relevance to the overview. After considerable debate we included systematic reviews where quality of life was a primary outcome measure, with fatigue or weight outcome measures separately reported. We also included systematic reviews reporting fatigue and/or unintentional weight loss as secondary outcomes if these were primary outcomes for the majority of the considered studies. We included 27 systematic reviews in the review and these are described in the ‘Characteristics of included systematic reviews’ in . Systematic reviews of interventions which impacted on the management of fatigue and weight loss in advanced illness but for which treatment of these conditions was not a primary intent of the intervention are listed in the ‘Characteristics of excluded systematic reviews’ in .
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Food Allergies Food Intolerance And Fatigue
Symptoms: Fatigue, sleepiness, continued exhaustion
Although food is supposed to give you energy, medical research suggests that hidden food intolerances — or allergies — can do the opposite. In fact, fatigue may be an early warning sign of food intolerance or food allergy. Celiac disease, which happens when you cant digest gluten, may also cause fatigue.
Ask your doctor about the elimination diet. This is a diet in which you cut out certain foods linked to a variety of symptoms, including sleepiness within 10 to 30 minutes of eating them, for a certain period of time to see if that makes a difference. You can also talk to your doctor about a food allergy test — or invest in a home test such as ALCAT — which may help you identify the offending foods.
What Is Sudden Weight Loss For Seniors
Sudden senior weight loss is quick, unintentional, and unexplained weight loss in older adults. About 15% to 20% of seniors experience sudden weight loss, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Though some weight loss can be a normal part of aging, losing a substantial amount of weight over a short period of time can be a sign of an underlying condition. Weight loss in older adults is considered a problem when theres a loss of 5% body weight in one month or 10% over a six-month period.
Some of the health consequences of sudden senior weight loss can be serious:
- Loss of ability to perform activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, and grooming
- Fatigue
- Medical Author: Dan Brennan, MD
Reviewed on 6/15/2020
These symptoms are present in a wide variety of medical processes, including low calcium levels, exercise-related and other medical conditions. Rapid onset of these symptoms may require urgent or emergency care. If you find that your symptoms are persisting, then you should reach out to your doctor.
While the list below can be considered as a guide to educate yourself about these conditions, this is not a substitute for a diagnosis from a health care provider. There are many other medical conditions that also can be associated with your symptoms and signs. Here are a number of those from MedicineNet:
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When To See A Doctor
Rheumatoid arthritis RA is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in the joints. Inan estimated The symptoms of depression can also cause weight loss. How to cope with a depressive episode.
See more conditions. Rheumatoid arthritis: Can it affect the lungs? Early symptoms of cancer also include:. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Symptoms. Treatment for CHF focuses on alleviating symptoms and slowing further heart damage. Next Steps If you or someone you care for is dealing with a pancreatic condition, the Pancreas Center is here for you.
Cancer is always considered when someone unexplajned fatigue weight loss and fatigue however, a wide variety of other causes, including viral infection and other illnesses, may be causing these symptoms. Have your eating patterns changed? Rheumatoid arthritis medications: Dangerous during pregnancy? Sudden symptoms suggest that something new, such as an infection, might be causing the symptoms.
Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces more hormones than the body requires. Congestive Heart Failure. Legg, Ph. Other Causes : Gallstones, which are primarily made up of cholesterol, are a common cause of jaundice.
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Symptoms Of Adrenal Fatigue
Traditional allopathic Western medicine doesnt recognize adrenal fatigue, even though the changes it can cause are now starting to be confirmed by science. Referring to it as exhaustion syndrome research from Umeå University in Sweden has found that people suffering adrenal fatigue have lower activity in their frontal lobes and also altered regulation of cortisol.
The study also found that people more prone to this condition are often over-achievers and perfectionists. This is not news to functional and integrative practitioners who see women suffering from this problem every day. They arrive feeling absolutely at the end of the line and suffering from these kinds of chronic complaints:
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When Should I Be Concerned
For many people, unintentional weight loss is welcomed as a good thing. However, this is definitely the wrong attitude to have, as more often than not there is an underlying condition responsible.
I was also losing a bit of weight which, like most people out there, I thought was a great thing.
For this reason, it is important to visit your doctor, even if you feel healthy or think you can explain your weight loss with stress or a pre-existing medical condition. Your GP will be able to run any precautionary tests to check for a cause and thereby rule out leukaemia or crucially, give an early diagnosis.
Make sure to push for a blood test if you are experiencing any of the other symptoms of leukaemia. Knowing what other symptoms are typical of leukaemia is crucial for helping you make the decision to visit your GP sooner for a blood test. Connect the dots between the symptoms of leukaemia and spot leukaemia sooner.
For information on the other symptoms of leukaemia, click here.
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How The Intervention Might Work
The mechanism of action for included interventions was through primary and secondary intervention strategies.
Primary intervention strategies for fatigue may have included those which help preserve muscle mass and maintain energy reserves through interventions such as exercise, activity pacing, relaxation and support services.
For unintentional weight loss primary intervention strategies may have included those which help preserve body weight through interventions such as nutritional supplementation to produce positive energy balance, weightbearing exercise to increase lean body mass, pharmacological agents to downregulate inflammatory processes and improve nitrogen balance and psychological and social interventions that increase desire to eat.
Secondary intervention strategies may have included strategies to adapt to functional decline and weight loss rather than seeking to alleviate them, such as counselling and complementary therapy support.
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Weight Loss Can Still Be Healthy
Losing excess weight can be an effective way to reduce a personâs risk of several potentially life threatening conditions. These include:
Research is more extensive in these benefits than the possible cardiac risks of sudden weight loss in some groups.
Findings from one observational study may not be representative of potential results from a randomized group. The benefits of losing excess weight may far outweigh the possible cardiac risks associated with a sudden drop in weight.
People living with heart failure can develop rapid weight loss. This is known as cardiac cachexia, and the outlook for people with the condition is not positive due to an increased risk of mortality.
Cardiac cachexia is a condition that causes a person to lose weight, skeletal mass, and muscle mass. It can also cause inflammation and affect several organs.
The condition can cause a person to have an increased risk of death regardless of other risk factors associated with heart disease.
is associated with an increased risk of premature death, independent of other risk factors, such as age or overall health.
A person living with cardiac cachexia will therefore have an increased risk of death even if they have no other risk factors that would indicate a shortened lifespan.
Six Possible Causes Of Body Aches And Fatigue: What To Know
Are you wondering why you are experiencing body aches and fatigue at the same time? Generally, body aches are common. When a person suffers from this, he or she can also experience other symptoms, such as pain in a particular body area, cold and flu-like symptoms, and fatigue. Hence, body aches and fatigue usually come together. Sometimes, these may also bring some dental pain. If that happens, you can visit Advanced Dental Care Dubbos services.
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Fatigue Cause No : Dehydration
Your fatigue can be a sign of dehydration. Whether you’re working out or working a desk job, your body needs water to work well and keep cool. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
Fix: Drink water throughout the day so your urine is light colored. Have at least two cups of water an hour or more before a planned physical activity. Then, sip throughout your workout, and afterward drink another two cups.
Causes Of Weight Loss In People With Cancer
Weight loss often starts with appetite loss. The underlying cancer and treatment-related side effects that may cause appetite loss are:
-
Changes in metabolism. Metabolism is the bodys process of breaking down food and turning it into energy.
-
Nausea and vomiting
-
Depression
-
Pain
Talk with your health care team about any symptoms you have. Tell them about new symptoms or a change in symptoms.
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Fatigue Cause No : Caffeine Overload
Caffeine can improve alertness and concentration in moderate doses. But too much can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and jitteriness. And research indicates too much actually causes fatigue in some people.
Fix: Gradually cut back on coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks, and any medications that contain caffeine. Stopping suddenly can cause caffeine withdrawal and more fatigue.
Heart Palpitations After Weight Loss
Several conditions and events can trigger heart palpitations. Heart palpitations include the heart beating too fast, too hard, skipping beats, or a feeling of fluttering in the chest.
Though weight loss itself may not cause heart palpitations, some things that accompany it may. For example, diet pills, exercise, caffeine intake, nutritional disturbances, or electrolyte abnormalities can trigger heart palpitations.
In addition, research has shown that low carb diets may significantly increase a personâs risk factor for atrial fibrillation . A-fib can cause symptoms such as heart palpitations and can increase the risk of stroke.
, researchers noted increased cases of premature death, including from heart disease, in people who had lost weight after experiencing obesity after the age of 47.
The study authors recommend that younger individuals take steps to prevent weight gain throughout their life.
In another study , researchers noted an increased mortality rate in people living with congestive heart failure who experienced weight loss compared with those who did not lose weight. They noted that the risk was highest in people with obesity.
However, it is important to remember that weight loss can be unintentional. For example, people with cancer may experience weight loss and mortality due to the condition.
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Caffeine And Alcohol Consumption
Those double-shot cappuccinos you sip to stave off the late-afternoon slump? They may wake you up in the moment, but the caffeine in such drinks can contribute to a larger cycle of tiredness, says Valerie Agyeman, a registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Flourish Heights in Washington, D.C. Caffeines energizing effects can linger for a solid six hours after consumption, messing with sleep and leading to more fatigue the following day.
Caffeines impact can stretch even longer in the presence of certain medications, including birth control pills, MAOI-class antidepressants, and antibiotics such as ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, Agyeman adds. If you suspect you are having sleep troubles due to the mingling of meds and mochaccinos, switch to decaf or chat with your healthcare provider about a more workable approach.
