When to see a doctor and what can be done
"I'm tired" has become a standard response when someone asks us how we're doing.
But there's a difference between
Being tired after a long day and waking up tired for weeks or months at a time.
In this article, we'll talk about the latter, namely chronic fatigue: :
- кога е нормална реакция на начинът Ви на живот
- кога вече е сигнал, че е време да се намеси лекар
- какви са възможните стъпки за изследване и лечение
- къде се вписват инфузионните терапии в цялата картина
- Important: the article is of general informational nature and does not replace a medical examination.
What do we actually call “chronic fatigue”?
Everyone gets tired. It's normal to feel weak after:
- sleepless night;
- a lot of work;
- hard workout;
- illness.
Usually, after a few days of more sleep and a slightly more relaxed pace, a person returns to their normal state.
We talk about chronic fatigue when:
- You feel tired most of the time
- You wake up in the morning feeling exhausted, no matter how much sleep you have had
- Simple tasks (shopping, walking, work) exhaust you more than before
- This condition lasts for weeks or months.
Often, fatigue comes with other "friends":
- lack of concentration, experiencing "brain fog";
- irritability;
- decrease in motivation;
- more frequent illness;
- headache, muscle pain, insomnia.
"Just a lot of work" or something more?
The first question you should ask yourself is:
“If I rethink my lifestyle – is it normal to be tired?”
For example:
- Do you sleep less than 6–7 hours each night?
- Do you have a stressful job without real rest?
- Do you eat irregularly and on a regular basis?
- Do you drink a lot of coffee/energy drinks?
- Are you training a lot without enough recovery time?
If the answer to most of the questions is "yes", then your body is simply signaling -
"I can't do this anymore."
However, it is not a good idea to despair, especially if:
- fatigue is a new symptom;
- has appeared abruptly;
- progressively deepens;
- There are also other complaints – weight loss, shortness of breath, pain, swollen lymph nodes, fever.
When is it time to see a doctor?
There are a few clear signals that say “stop, it’s time for a checkup”:
- Fatigue persists for more than 2–3 weeks, with no tendency to improve.
- You start to limit activities that were previously normal for you – meetings, sports, even walks.
- You experience shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitation, dizziness.
- You experience unexplained weight loss , night sweats, fever.
- You notice changes in mood – anxiety, sadness, lack of interest in things that used to bring you joy.
- You recently had a more serious infection and have not been the same since.
In these situations, visiting a doctor is not a whim, but a sensible step!!!
What are the doctor's actions in case of complaints of chronic fatigue?
In the best-case scenario, the checkup ends with “it will pass, just rest more.”
We usually go through the following several steps:
1. Detailed conversation (anamnesis)
The doctor will ask you:
- Since when do you feel fatigue?
- Was there a specific moment or situation in your life after which the complaints started?
- How do you sleep, how do you eat, how much do you work?
- Do you have any other complaints – pain, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, fever?
- What chronic diseases do you have?
- What medications or supplements are you taking?
2. Physical examination
- blood pressure and pulse measurement;
- auscultation of the heart and lungs;
- examination for swelling, skin changes, enlarged lymph nodes;
- in some cases – ECG, saturation measurement, etc.
3. Lab test
Depending on the specific case, the doctor may recommend laboratory
tests:
- complete blood count;
- iron, ferritin, B vitamins, folic acid;
- thyroid hormones
- liver and kidney indicators;
- blood sugar, lipid profile;
- if necessary - additional, more specific tests.
The goal is not to "search for illness at all costs," but to understand the cause of your
fatigue.
Unhealthy lifestyle
- Неправилен начин на живот – chronic lack of sleep, stress, improper diet, lack of exercise.
- Deficiency of certain substances – iron, B12, vitamin D, etc.
- Hormonal problems
- – heart, lung, kidney, autoimmune, oncological and many others. – сърдечни, белодробни, бъбречни, автоимунни,
- Mental health - depression, anxiety, burnout.
- Post illness
Usually, the cause is more than one, a combination of stress, lack of sleep, deficiencies, hormonal problems.
That's why the "we'll just take a magic supplement and everything will be fine" approach rarely works.
What can be done – a realistic planv
Once serious illnesses are ruled out and the cause of your fatigue is determined, the plan usually includes a combination of several components:
- Sleep – minimum 7–8 hours of sleep per day
- Nutrition – less sugar and fast food
- Exercise - at least 20–30 minutes of walking per day
- Breaks during the day – it's a good idea to take a 30-minute afternoon nap.
- Medical/infusion therapy
How do we approach chronic fatigue at the Reflex MC?
Our usual approach:
- Medical consultation
Examination, discussion of symptoms and lifestyle, review of old tests and case reports, if any. - Order lab tests (if necessary)
- Discussion of a recovery plan
- Lifestyle adjustments
- Preparation of an individual infusion therapy plan depending on your needs. - Follow-up & monitoring
– It is important not only to see how you feel after the procedure, but also to monitor your condition over a longer period of time.
Conclusion
Chronic fatigue is not “laziness”, it is your body’s signal for help.
If you can’t deal with chronic fatigue on your own, contact us!