Feeling Tired All the Time - A Comprehensive Guide to the Common Causes of Fatigue and How to Treat Them

Do you ever feel utterly exhausted? Perhaps you feel like falling asleep on your feet right now? If so, you are not alone! One in four people complains of feeling tired all the time, and finds it hard to maintain a normal lifestyle as a result.'Doctor, I feel tired all the time' is the single most common complaint presented by patients to their doctors. In studies in the UK and the USA, up to twenty per cent of men, and thirty per cent of women identified themselves as having the complaint.Unfortunately, because fatigue is such a common problem and is sometimes caused by psychological factors, the complaint may not be taken seriously and the patient seeking help may be too easily dismissed. Feeling Tired All the Time has been written for the layperson. In it, Dr Fitzgibbon explains the common and treatable causes of fatigue. Using the most up-to-date research and information available, he aims primarily to help people identify the cause of their tiredness, and specifically to help them distinguish between 'ME' (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and other possible causes. Dr Fitzgibbon strongly refutes the notion that nothing can be done to help the fatigued.Each section in the book provides checklists which help the reader to recognise the conditions that might apply to them, together with a sensible and practical approach to treatment. The text is generously complemented by real-life case histories taken from the author's personal experience. A directory of support organisations is also included. Feeling Tired All the Time: Table of ContentsIntroductionSECTION 1. Putting Fatigue in ContextThe Complex Problem of FatigueNormal Energy LevelsSECTION 2. The Most Common Causes of FatigueI. Psychological and Psychiatric Explanations of FatigueSocial Attitudes to Psychological DistressStressDepressionAnxiety Panic and PhobiaHysteria and HypochondriasisII. Physical Explanations of FatigueFatigue as a Symptom of Physical DiseaseSECTION 3. Forgotten Causes of FatigueI. Fatigue and SleepNormal Sleep Pattern and Sleep RequirementsChronic Sleep DeprivationSleep DisordersII. Fatigue and DietDiet, Mood and EnergyOverweight and ObesityNutritional DeficiencyFood Allergy and IntoleranceCaffeineHypoglycaemia Low Blood SugarIII. Fatigue and germsThe Truth about CandidaParasites, Bacteria and VirusesIV. Fatigue and ChemicalsMultiple Chemical Sensitivity SyndromeSECTION 4. Chronic Debilitating FatigueFibromyalgiaChronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) From Controversy to Consensus in CFSAssessing the Impact of Chronic FatigueThe Treatment of Chronic FatigueAppendix 1. An Effective Treatment for AllergyAppendix 2. Useful Addresses