● You’ve got sinus problems.
     Patients who report unexplained chronic fatigue are nine times more likely to have sinusitis symptoms (such as headaches, sinus pressure, and chronic nasal congestion) than those who feel rested and well, according to a Georgetown University Medical Center study. “Most of the patients I diagnose with sinusitis are women in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s— and they’re the most likely to brush off their symptoms as run-of-the-mill exhaustion,” says study author Alexander Chester, M.D.

    Women are particularly susceptible during pregnancy, when shifts in hormone levels can cause nasal membranes to swell. Your doctor can generally diagnose sinusitis by taking a careful history of your symptoms. Treatment may involve nasal steroid sprays to reduce inflammation, decongestants, and antihistamines to treat underlying allergies.
● Your guy snores.
    Having a partner who saws wood can cost you an hour of sleep a night, according to one Mayo Clinic study. Next time his snorting and snuffling jerks you out of slumber, nudge him to roll over on his side, suggests Charles Kimmelman, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Cornell University’s Weill Medical College in New York City. One reason: Back-sleeping can cause the uvula (the small mass of tissue that hangs at the back of the throat) to fall back and block the airway. A saline or prescription nasal spray may also help relieve any congestion. If these measures don’t work, he may have sleep apnea, a sleep breathing disorder that causes snoring and pauses in breathing. Diagnosis sometimes involves spending the night at a sleep center so machines can monitor his breathing; wearing a special mask over his nose while he sleeps may help open his breathing passages.
● You’ve got undiagnosed heart disease.
    About 70 percent of women who have had heart attacks experienced fatigue for about a month beforehand, according to one University of Arkansas study. You’re not too young for this killer, either: “I’ve seen plenty of women in their 30s and 40s who have had heart attacks, many of whom told me they couldn’t even walk up steps without feeling exhausted, but figured they were just getting old,” explains study author Jean C. McSweeney, Ph.D. Other warning signs? Sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, indigestion, and anxiety.
   “If you have any of these symptoms, especially if you have known risk factors for heart disease, see your doctor,” says McSweeney.
● You’re mildly anemic.
    About 12 percent of women under 50 have anemia or deficient levels of iron, a mineral key to producing hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that transports energizing oxygen throughout the body. Anemia is typically diagnosed with a complete blood count test, which measures circulating hemoglobin levels. But even if your numbers are normal, you may still be anemic. “Have your doctor also test your ferritin levels, which measure your body’s iron stores,” says Northrup. Anything below 12 nanograms per milliliter signals anemia. Your doctor will probably advise eating more iron-rich foods, such as lean beef and dried fruit. But don’t take an iron supplement before first asking your doctor, since too-high levels can damage your liver.
● You’re hypothyroid.
     One in 10 women have hypothyroidism, or low thyroid hormone levels—and about half don’t know it, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. “Thyroid hormones control metabolic rate, so when your cells aren’t getting enough, your body’s processes start to slow down, leaving you sluggish and prone to weight gain,” says Mark Wiesen, M.D., director of endocrinology at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. Your doctor can check hormone levels in your blood with a thyroid-stimulating hormone test; low levels are treatable with a synthetic hormone, which you may have to take for the rest of your life. Another 10 percent of women experience postpartum thyroiditis, a decline in thyroid levels that frequently normalizes on its own over time.
● You’ve got restless legs syndrome (RLS).
    Up to 10 percent of women suffer from RLS, a neurologic disorder characterized by an overwhelming urge to move your legs when they’re at rest. “It can cause severe sleep deprivation because whenever you do fall asleep, your legs jerk you awake,” says Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, D.O., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Cleveland Clinic. If you suspect RLS, check your iron levels: One suspected cause is iron defi ciency (doctors aren’t sure why). If you aren’t anemic, ask your doctor about Requip, a drug proved to reduce RLS symptoms.
  ● Your meds are knocking you out. 
    Certain antidepressants such as Celexa and Paxil can be sedating, according to Judith Orloff, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Positive Energy, so if yours are dragging you down, talk to your doctor about switching to a more “activating” antidepressant such as Prozac or Wellbutrin. Another common Rx culprit? Statins, cholesterol-lowering drugs that can deplete body levels of CoQ10, a coenzyme vital to producing energy in cells. Often, switching to a different statin solves the problem. Plenty of over-the-counter (OTC) products zap energy, too. The most common are allergy or nighttime cold remedies, which contain diphenhydramine HCL, a sedating antihistamine. If an OTC label lists fatigue as a side effect, ask the pharmacist for suggestions on nonsedating meds.
● You’ve got diabetes.
    Nearly 10 million women over age 20 have diabetes, and about a third don’t know it, according to the American Diabetes Association. One telltale symptom: unexplained fatigue. “When you’re diabetic, glucose or blood sugar—the body’s main source of energy—can’t get into your muscle cells,” says endocrinologist Alan L. Rubin, M.D., author of Diabetes for Dummies. If you’re overweight and/or have a family history of diabetes, ask your doctor for a fasting blood glucose test to measure your levels. If caught early, diabetes can be controlled with simple lifestyle changes such as increasing exercise, lowering fat intake, and losing excess pounds.

Trackback URI |