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What to expect at your health care provider's office

Your doctor will obtain your medical history and perform a complete physical examination, with special attention to your heart, lymph nodes, and thyroid. He or she may ask questions about your lifestyle, habits, and feelings.

Questions may include:

How long have you had fatigue? Did it develop recently or awhile ago?
Have you had fatigue in the past? If so, does it tend to occur in regular cycles?
How many hours do you sleep each night? From when until when? Do you awake feeling rested or fatigued? Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you awake during the night? Do you snore or does someone who sleeps nearby tell you that you snore?
Do you feel fatigued or tired throughout the day? Does it tend to get worse as the day goes on or stays about the same?
Do you feel bored, stressed, unhappy, or disappointed?
How are your relationships?
Has anyone in your life recently passed away?
Have you had more activity (mental or physical) lately?
What is your diet like?
Do you get regular exercise?
Do you have any other symptoms like pain, headaches, or nausea?
Have you had any recent change in appetite (up or down) or weight (up or down)?
Do you fall asleep uncontrollably during the day?
Do you take any prescription or non-prescription medications? Which ones?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include the following:

Blood tests for anemia, thyroid function, and possible infection.
Urinalysis

References

Ressel GW. National Institutes of Health. NIH releases statement on managing pain, depression, and fatigue in cancer. Am Fam Physician. 2003; 67(2): 423-424.

Penninx BW. Anemia and decline in physical performance among older persons. Am J Med. 2003; 115(2): 104-110.

Williams RH, Larsen PR, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier; 2003.

Gonzalez R. Common Syndromes. In McPhee SJ, Papadakis MA, and Tierney, Jr. LM, eds. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2007. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2007.

Bennett B, Goldstein D, Friedlanger M, Hickie I, Lloyd A. The experience of cancer-related fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome: a qualitative and comparative study. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007; May e-pub.

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Reviewer Info: Robert Hurd, MD, Professor of Endocrinology, Department of Biology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, and physician in the Primary Care Clinic, Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.; ADAM Health Illustrated Encyclopedia, 07/17/2007