Husbands constant tiredness

Posted , 4 users are following.

My husband it constantly exhausted, with no enthusiasm or interest in anything. At 75 he is turning into an old man. He is only out of bed for a few hours, and he has to go back, and immediately goes to sleep. Could this be chronic fatigue and if so what can we do to get his doctor to acknowledge it? Any advice would be so welcome.

 

1 like, 13 replies

Report / Delete

13 Replies

  • Posted

    Really hard to say if it’s cfs. How long has he been dealing with this? Was there other symptoms when it started? 
    Report / Delete Reply
  • Posted

    There is a difference between chronic fatigue, which can be associated with many illnesses, including depression--and ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), which is a specific illness. The red flag for ME/CFS is post-exertional malaise (PEM), which means that after mental or physical activity, the person gets fatigues way beyond normal. Go to the "solve me/cfs website" to see if the symptoms relate to your father. 

    Report / Delete Reply
    • Posted

      Thank you Jackie. He doesn't get post - exertional malaise because he seldom has the energy to do much! I have suspected that it could be ME for some time, and I have looked at the website you recommended, and answered the quiz. It said he had it, but as there is no cure, it seems there is little we can do. Thank you for responding. 

      Report / Delete Reply
    • Posted

      By the way, I noticed in my last post I said "your father" instead of "your husband." Sorry about that. Has your husband gone to a doctor and had a complete blood workup? I think it's important that he get a diagnosis, at least to rule out other conditions. He may be dealing with something that can be treated. Also, even if he has ME/CFS, a diagnosis is important. Even though there is no cure for this illness, there are things that can be done to treat some of the symptoms, and there are lifestyle recommendations that can help mitigate symptoms.

      Report / Delete Reply
    • Posted

      I think the first step to helping your husband is to do bloodwork, then get a diagnosis. If you live in the U.S., I can give you the names of some doctors specializing in ME/CFS. You can do a Google search on "ME/CFS treatment," but really, you may be dealing with another condition entirely. I know how difficult it can be to sort all this stuff out.

      Report / Delete Reply

Join this discussion or start a new one?

New discussion Reply

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the forums to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the forums are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the forums is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.

newnav-down newnav-up