DEAR DR. GOTT: In recent years I have been experiencing quite severe fatigue in the morning. It happens almost every day shortly after showering. I have occasionally thought it may be the shower water is too warm, but I don’t take hot showers. During the warmer months I take lukewarm to cool showers. Still, shortly afterwards, I am overcome with the same almost overwhelming fatigue, to the degree that I feel I could lie down and sleep several hours.
I’m 61 years old, retired six years and in fairly good health. My blood pressure is very good, usually in the 120-135 over 70-80 range. I have no heart problems whatsoever. I’ve never had any problems with my internal organs, no cancers and no allergies (except to horse dander, so we don’t have one). I have a mild hiatal hernia and take medication for it. I have prostatitis that comes and goes. I take Ditropan when it acts up. I seem to be immune to colds and the flu. It has been about 5 years since my last cold. I am a light smoker. It makes me slightly drowsy so I only smoke when I want to nap and before bedtime. I drink two glasses of wine a day. I am 5 feet 9 inches tall and weigh 160 pounds. I am not a diabetic. I am an above knee amputee.
My cholesterol is normal. My wife and I eat a healthful diet of lean meats and lots of vegetables. We have fish 2-3 times per week on average, year round. Being Atlantic Canadians, we love fish. We don’t go to fast food places and don’t eat or keep junk food in our house.
As for symptoms of my fatigue, I generally get a goodnight’s sleep. At times I do have a problem falling asleep but not very often.
My family doctor thought my fatigue could be due to sleep apnea and I wore a monitor for one night. It was negative. Because my general health is probably better than the average senior citizen he sees daily, he didn’t seem too concerned or suggest anything further.
This daily fatigue usually lasts about an hour; however, some days it can last several hours. It doesn’t seem normal to me. I’m becoming more and more concerned that something is amiss. What should I do?
DEAR READER: Periods of unexplained exhaustion can be caused by many disease states, so before advising you regarding invasive studies, I suggest that you have a thorough exam by your doctor, followed by a full panel of blood tests, including a complete blood count, metabolic profile, thyroid study and cardiogram. This is a good first step and sets up a basic start point for future tests.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Sleep/Wake Disorders”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed 4 ¼” X 9 ½” letter-sized stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.