Red Flags Related To Fatigue You Shouldnt Ignore
Here are some warning signs that your fatigue may be linked to an underlying medical condition:
- waking up tired despite getting 8 hours of sleep
- lack of motivation to start the day
- lack of energy to do pleasurable activities
- fleeting bouts of sudden exhaustion throughout the day
- exhaustion accompanied by shortness of breath.
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Which Doctor Should I See For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
If a person suspects having CFS, it is best to see a GP. The GP will recommend having physical and blood tests done. He or she will also ask about the patients medical history. It is also important to be aware that not all GPs and health care providers have CFS programs in place. It will be best to do some research to find the health care practitioner who can alleviate the CFS symptoms.
Do I Need To See A Doctor
If you can figure out the reason for feeling tired yourself, and do something about it, then no. If the tiredness is getting in the way of your life, or making you feel unhappy, or you feel unwell, then yes, you should visit your doctor.
You should definitely see a doctor if you feel tired and have lost weight without trying to. Also see a doctor if you have other symptoms as well as being tired, such as coughing up blood, a change in the way your guts are working, heavy periods or a lump somewhere it shouldnt be.
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How Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diagnosed
CFS diagnosis depends on two criteria:
A specific treatment for CFS has yet to be proven effective. Vitamin supplements and medicines have some benefit. Many treatments just relieve the symptoms of CFS.
Shine Protocol For Chronic Fatigue
If youre feeling profoundly exhausted and too heavy to carry out basic tasks you need help now. Women between the ages of 30 and 50 are most commonly affected, and symptoms can worsen if patients push themselves into post-exertional malaise.
Just as a variety of factors can cause CFS, a variety of approaches can treat it. Deciding which work for your unique case requires thorough testing to address each symptom, then observe results.
Thats why Dr. Borenstein follows the protocol of chronic fatigue expert and innovator Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, who has enjoyed decades of success treating chronic fatigue patients with his S.H.I.N.E® protocol.
In a peer-reviewed double-blind placebo-controlled study, 91% of people applying S.H.I.N.E® improved with an average 75% increase in quality of life at 99 days and 91% increase two years later . After treatment, many patients no longer even qualified for the diagnosis of CFS!
This proves that chronic fatigue is treatable and that anyone who now says its all in your head is wrong.
Infections, hormonal deficiencies, poor sleep, and other factors can cause your body to blow a fuse. Then your hypothalamuswhich controls autonomic functioningthrows your body in a kind of protective hibernation.
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Treating Cfs By Strengthening The Immune System
Image: Lingzhi mushroom on Wikipedia
Among Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients certain parts of the immune system tend to be weak. Strengthening these weak parts might be of benefit. An important test for immune system weakness is called Natural Killer Cell Function. NK Cell functional testing is a difficult test to do. For selected patients we send out this test. However, whether or not NK cell functional activity is low, strengthening the CFS immune system could likely be useful. One powerful immune stimulant, AHCC, a form of Shitake mushroom, has been shown to suppress HHV-6 virus levels in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Reishi mushroom might have similar good effects. Thus AHCC and Reishi mushroom might be considered as natural additional treatments for Epstein Barr or HHV-6 viruses.
Who To See For Fatigue
If you experience fatigue on an ongoing basis and it doesnt respond to self-care at home, see your primary healthcare provider. He or she likely will take a thorough health history to determine if lifestyle issues could be at the root of your fatigue. You also probably will undergo some lab work to look for vitamin deficiencies, thyroid dysfunction, pregnancy and other common causes of fatigue.
If you doctor cant make a diagnosis from this routine testing, then you may undergo some more advanced tests to look for unusual causes of fatigue, such as cancer, Addisons disease, or infection . Your doctor may suggest you consult a specialist based on your test results.
In most cases, fatigue resolves with changes in diet, exercise, sleep and medications or supplements. But you can always feel good about consulting your doctor for help treating any fatigue symptoms that linger.
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How To Prove To Your Doctor You’ve Got Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Me/cfs And Are Not Just Depressed
by Cort Johnson | Apr 26, 2014 | Depression, Diagnosis, Homepage |
Wrong diagnoses hurt. They lead doctors to prescribe treatments that dont work and may even be harmful and they keep doctors from prescribing treatments that do work. They waste patients money and, given the fact that the earlier a person is diagnosed with ME/CFS the better chance they have of improving their health, they contribute to poor health.
Many people with ME/CFS and FM are mistakenly diagnosed with depression first
The fact that only from 15-20% of people in the U.S. with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have been diagnosed with it suggests wrong diagnoses run rampant in this disorder. Of all the wrong diagnoses, being diagnosed with depression is surely the most common.
Who has not been diagnosed with depression at some point? I was diagnosed with depression by my primary care provider only to have the psychologist I was sent to tell me, I know what depression is and youre not depressed.
I was lucky.
Fortunately, Dr. Lenny Jason has come up with a way to convince your doctor that youre not simply depressed. But first, a little history.
Depression Stress And Anxiety
Adjusting to a chronic, debilitating illness sometimes leads to other problems, including depression, stress, and anxiety. Many patients with ME/CFS develop depression during their illness. When present, depression or anxiety should be treated. Although treating depression or anxiety can be helpful, it is not a cure for ME/CFS.
Some people with ME/CFS might benefit from antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. However, doctors should use caution in prescribing these medications. Some drugs used to treat depression have other effects that might worsen other ME/CFS symptoms and cause side effects. When healthcare providers are concerned about patients psychological condition, they may recommend seeing a mental health professional.
Some people with ME/CFS might benefit from trying techniques like deep breathing and muscle relaxation, massage, and movement therapies . These can reduce stress and anxiety, and promote a sense of well-being.
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What Does Interfering With Life Actually Look Like
Screening tools for a concerning level of tiredness include the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the STOP-BANG score. You can do both tests at home and take the results to your GP.
But even if you have normal scores, your tiredness is worth investigating if you:
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feel too tired to exercise
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feel too tired to go out, see friends or do activities you once enjoyed
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hit the alarm snooze button a lot because you dont wake feeling refreshed
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doze off in front of the TV regularly
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spend the whole day wishing you could go back to bed.
If, along with tiredness, you also have any of the following red flags, it is vital you see a GP sooner rather than later: unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath, recurrent fevers, bleeding from your bowels or gums, swollen and sore joints, or other new symptoms concerning you.
I sometimes get asked if wanting an afternoon nap is a red flag. Thats a tricky one a late afternoon energy slump is pretty normal physiologically .
And, of course, many of us lead busy lives and are subject to crushing expectations around work, study and parenting. Tiredness may not always be sign of a physical health problem, but rather that the balance between work and rest is not right.
Fatigue And Sleep Deprivation
Find out about the BMA Fatigue and Facilities charter, the impact of fatigue on doctors and patients, and the factors increasing the risk of fatigue. You can also read guidance aimed at doctors and other clinical staff on how to manage the risks associated with fatigue.
Being a doctor typically involves high-intensity, time-pressured working patterns. These can lead to sleep deprivation and fatigue, effecting doctors health, well-being and performance, their safety and that of their patients.
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Gradually Figuring Out Whats Wrong
In 1983, a health professional in her 30s walked into my office and said, Ive been healthy all of my life. A year ago, I came down with some kind of virus sore throat, aching muscles, swollen lymph glands, fever. My fatigue was so bad I was in bed for nearly a week. Many of the symptoms gradually improved, but the terrible fatigue and difficulty thinking have not gotten better. Theyre so bad I cant fulfill my responsibilities at home or at work. This illness is affecting my brain, stealing my energy, and affecting my immune system. Its keeping me from realizing my dreams.
Theres a piece of advice attributed to a famous physician, William Osler, that every medical student probably has heard: Listen to your patient. The patient is telling you the diagnosis. But I wasnt sure it applied in this case.
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The Other Care Providers
There are other people that might be able to help you other care providers like chiropractors, physical therapists and even massage therapists. There are good chances that you would be going to one of them and you could ask them if they could recommend a good doctor that will help in your treatment of CFS.
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Diagnostic Criteria For Me/cfs
In order to be diagnosed with ME/CFS, you must have post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion. This means unexplained and severe fatigue after simple activities, not otherwise explainable by medical conditions like anemia, hypothyroidism, etc. In addition, a patient needs to present with at least one symptom from each of the following 3 categories:
Short-term memory loss, difficulty concentrating or thinking, pain, unrefreshing sleep, problems focusing vision, sensitivity to light or noise, problems with depth perception, muscle weakness, poor coordination
Diagnostic and treatment focus
Neurotransmitter collapse, vaso-cognitive impairment, histamine abnormalities, glial cell activation, infectious etiologies, innate immunity pathway abnormalities, chronic inflammatory response syndrome , neurotransmitter intrapathway genetic susceptibility, and so on
Flu-like symptoms, nausea, food sensitivities, frequent urination
Diagnostic and treatment focus
Sympathetic / parasympathetic imbalance, Th1-Th2 shift, IgA deficiency or excess, malabsorption, eosinophilic inflammation, gastrointestinal dumping, GI permeability problems, food sensitivity/allergy, and so on
For example, dizziness or lightheadedness, difficulty breathing, difficulty regulating body temperature
Diagnostic and treatment focus
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Who Gets Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Who Is At Risk
Because the cause of CFS is unknown, researchers have yet to determine definite risk factors for the disease.
As there is no specific laboratory test or clinical sign for CFS, it is difficult to ascertain how many people it affects. The prevalence of the disease is estimated at approximately 0.5 1.5% of the population.
Doctors diagnose CFS two to four times more often in women than in men, but gender is not a proven risk factor. It is unclear whether CFS affects women more frequently or if women simply report the symptoms more often than men do.
Some studies indicate that CFS is more common among higher socio-economic groups, but it may be because only those with access to medical care get counted in such studies, resulting in a bias with regards to income and race.
Although CFS is most common in people 25 to 45, it can affect people of all ages.
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What Is Epstein Barr Virus Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A special case of this ghastly medical disorder is the Epstein Barr Virus Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It is caused due to Epstein-Barr Virus , which is one of the most common viruses of the herpes virus family in the world.
This malady has the same symptoms as does CFS, but it additionally also affects the patients memory and may cause insomnia. Several pathological experts consider it to be the underlying cause of CFS and its related syndromes, but none of it has been conclusively proved so far.
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Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Im always tired. Is there something wrong with me?
- Do I need any tests to help determine why Im so tired all the time?
- What is the likely cause of my fatigue?
- Will alternative therapies such as yoga or acupuncture help?
- Do I need to make any diet or lifestyle changes?
- Is it safe for me to exercise? What kind of exercise should I do?
- How do I convince people that my fatigue is real?
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Family Doctor In The Dallas
If you think that you or someone you love might be suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome or a similar condition, contact our friendly team at Star Medical Associates here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Dr. Rani Anbarasu has many years of experience and training in how the mind and bodywork together, so she is adept at pinpointing and diagnosing issues and providing treatment that works.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Anbarasu, call our Denton office today at 382-6900 or our Frisco office at 301-2300. You can also fill out our appointment request form online now. Let us help you get a handle on your chronic fatigue syndrome and keep it under control for good!
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Diagnosis And Treatment For Me/cfs
Currently, there is no single test to diagnose ME/CFS. Doctors make a diagnosis by excluding all other illnesses that might be causing symptoms and following accepted diagnostic criteria. The persons results from routine medical tests will often be normal, but additional tests may show abnormalities.
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What Does Constant Fatigue Treatment Look Like
The right constant fatigue treatment really depends on whats causing your exhaustion in the first place, Dr. Kane says. To get you on the road to better energy, your doctor should ask questions about whats happening in your life, when you first noticed the fatigue, and anything else that may have coincided with it, she says.
One of the first questions I always ask is, How much sleep are you getting? Dr. Tallia says. In my practice, one of the most common causes of fatigue is people not getting adequate amounts of sleep, which they usually dont realize. He tends to follow that up with questions about nutrition. Its amazing how many people are not eating balanced diets, Dr. Tallia says. Part of that is a consequence of our stressful world right now.
Your doctor should also order basic blood panels and urine testing to check certain physical indicators of your health, like your thyroid hormones, essential vitamin and mineral levels, blood glucose levels, and inflammation markers, among others, Dr. Kane says. Treatment can then be tailored based on your results. If your doctor suspects a sleep disorder is at play, they may refer you to a sleep specialist, who will likely recommend doing a sleep study that takes place either in a sleep center or in your home .
Your doctor may also suggest making certain lifestyle changes to see where that gets youand there is a lot you can try out, according to the Cleveland Clinic:
Chronic Fatigue Cause No : Undiagnosed Urinary Tract Infection
Although most women associate a urinary tract infection with symptoms such as burning or urgency, sometimes fatigue is the only clue.
In most instances, a UTI is caused by bacteria in the urinary tract, often the result of improper bathroom hygiene . Sexual intercourse can increase the risk because it can push bacteria from the into the urethra.
If your doctor suspects that you have a UTI, your urine will be tested. Treatment is quick and easy, and usually involves an oral antibiotic medication. You can expect the fatigue to lift within a week or less if the antibiotic works effectively.
If your symptoms return, get tested again. Some women have chronic UTIs, which are very difficult to resolve. If this is your case, ask your doctor about preventive care, which may include low dose antibiotics.
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When To Obtain A Specialized Sleep Study
A high STOP-BANG score or GOAL score indicates that evaluation by a specialist in sleep medicine is indicated.
Diagnostic pathways for patients with fatigue as the chief complaint
A further risk is that irrelevant changes will be assigned too much importance and labeled the cause of fatigue. Deceptive associations of this kind are most likely in patients who suffer from a known underlying disease, manifest isolated laboratory changes such as mild iron deficiency or subclinical hypothyroidism, or are subject to dubious environmental influences. Conversely, the overall clinical picture must always be borne in mind so that a relevant disease will not be overlooked in the presence of only mild laboratory abnormalities.
