Fatigue 5/6
- From: califchief@xxxxxxxxxxx (Califchief)
- Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2008 19:00:35 GMT
06/08/07
How to Beat Fatigue - Part 5
*The Chem-20 panel.* This standard blood test of 20 chemicals measures
electrolytes, like calcium, potassium and sodium, which help cells
produce energy. Abnormal levels of the proteins, enzymes or chemicals,
such as glucose or carbon dioxide, in the panel may indicate problems
with metabolism, the liver or kidneys, or other chronic conditions, like
hypoglycemia, which may reduce energy levels.
*Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test.* A TSH level that is too high
indicates the pituitary gland is working overtime in an attempt to get
the thyroid to pump out enough of the hormones that keep metabolism and
energy production at a normal level. If the thyroid gland is not
producing enough, the condition is called hypothyroidism. Fatigue is a
major symptom of hypothyroidism, sometimes an autoimmune disease in its
own right, which occurs at a higher frequency among people with
autoimmune diseases, like RA.
*Urinalysis.* Urine can be tested to see if bacteria, excess protein
or blood is present. Abnormal results may indicate the presence of a
urinary tract infection, kidney problems or metabolic disorders, such
as anemia or diabetes.
*Pulse oximetry test.* This simple test measures oxygen levels in the
blood. Blood that is not well saturated with oxygen can be a reason for
fatigue. Oxygen levels may be lower than normal in people with lung
problems or obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep study. This overnight test
looks for sleep problems that might affect the amount of restorative
sleep a person gets, such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Treating Symptoms
Once a doctor has sifted through possible causes for fatigue, he then
takes cues from the body, treating each symptom individually. "If
there's inflammation, I treat that. If depression, I try to make that
better. If a certain activity or task is draining, occupational or
physical therapy may help. And if sleep or medications are to blame,
I'll make adjustments," says Dr. Pischel.
Your doctor can help relieve your most troublesome symptoms -
prescribing nsaids, dmards, biologic agents or corticosteroids to
reduce inflammation or prescribing iron treatments or the hormone
epoietin (/Epogen, Procrit/) to reduce anemia. But there are several
other tactics to further control and reduce your fatigue and then
prevent it from returning.
What Your Doctor Can Do:
*Stimulant medications.* "People who say their unrelenting fatigue is
more of a problem than their pain may need `activating' medications that
increase energy," says Daniel Clauw, MD, rheumatologist and director of
the Chronic Fatigue and Pain Research Center at the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Some antidepressants, such as buproprion (/Wellbutrin/), are used as
activiating medications, as is the psychostimulant medication modafinil
(/Provigil/), which reduces the excessive sleepiness brought on by sleep
disorders such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea. "The combination of drugs
such as activating agents and non-drug therapies, such as exercise and
cognitive behavior therapy, reduces fatigue and increases energy in many
cases," he says.
.... If there is no God, who pops up the next kleenex?
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12
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