| Most older people experience, at some time, | | | | even think of the problems just described. Instead |
| some degree of fatigue. But most problems with | | | | they think of a problem with the thyroid or |
| fatigue are not physical weakness; they are | | | | anemia. These are so unusual as causes of fatigue |
| related to failure to exercise, depression, | | | | that you can almost forget about them. But if |
| unhappiness, worry, or boredom. True weakness, | | | | your fatigue persists, for more than six weeks |
| as with inability to move an arm or leg, is a | | | | despite home treatment, your doctor might want |
| physical problem involving nerves, brain, or muscle, | | | | to check out these and other possibilities or may |
| and needs immediate medical attention. Fatigue or | | | | be able to reassure you that these problems are |
| tiredness is far more common than true | | | | not present. |
| weakness. | | | | The chronic fatigue syndrome is an unusual and |
| Another common cause for fatigue is overuse of | | | | troubling problem that requires consultation with a |
| one drug or another. For example, excess | | | | doctor. This syndrome lasts a long time, lacks |
| caffeine intake leading to poor sleep habits can | | | | really good treatment, may follow a viral infection, |
| cause daytime fatigue. Or tranquilizers can make | | | | and frequently includes an emotional component, |
| you feel tired or drowsy. Once the normal sleep | | | | sometimes aggravated by the fatigue. |
| cycle has been disturbed, there is a tendency to | | | | Fatigue is not a symptom of old age. In fact, as |
| grab an afternoon nap. Then the following | | | | you get older you need less sleep and tend to be |
| night’s sleep is not good because the | | | | more alert, particularly early in the day. So pay |
| afternoon nap decreased the need for sleep at | | | | attention to this symptom. |
| night. A vicious cycle has been set in motion. | | | | Listen to the fatigue message from your body. |
| You may be assuming from this discussion that | | | | Heed it, but don’t give in to it. Rest if you are |
| most fatigue is not serious. That is correct. Even | | | | tired, but alternate such periods with times of |
| when arthritis is associated, most fatigue results | | | | activity. Fatigue, because it can lead to physical |
| from misunderstanding your body. Reestablishing a | | | | de-conditioning, can become its own cause. |
| pattern of healthy activity, more moderate drug | | | | Decrease all possible drugs including caffeine, |
| use, and good nocturnal sleep will do wonders. | | | | nicotine, alcohol, tranquilizers, and probably |
| But if you have an inflammatory arthritis, such as | | | | television. Ingredients in common cold or allergy |
| rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, the disease may be | | | | medications can cause fatigue, as can Valium and |
| causing the fatigue. This is a more serious kind of | | | | codeine. Suspect all drugs. |
| fatigue, and improving your living patterns will not | | | | Increase new activities. Friends, hobbies, travel, |
| help much. In such cases the sedimentation rate is | | | | vacations, and even shopping tend to break the |
| elevated and there may be a low-grade fever. A | | | | fatigue cycle. Increase your activity level by |
| hematocrit test may show the anemia of chronic | | | | addition of smooth, graded, and easy exercises. |
| disease. There may be some weight loss. | | | | Exercise helps you become involved in new and |
| Treatment in these cases is directed at the | | | | different things as well as giving physical help by |
| disease causing the fatigue and may take some | | | | increasing your stamina. |
| time. | | | | Expect improvement to be slow and expect to |
| When you mention fatigue, most people don’t | | | | be discouraged at times. Persevere. |