Fatigue: The Root Cause
What do I think of when a patient comes in complaining of fatigue?
1️⃣ Iron deficiency
2️⃣ Low thyroid function
3️⃣ Insufficient sleep
4️⃣ Burnout, "adrenal fatigue" (yes it's a thing and most of us are operating on a continuum🙃)
5️⃣ Mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety (although this can go hand in hand with points 1-4).
I always start with a full health history, including an in-depth discussion of sleep habits, stress, nutrition, caffeine intake, exercise, and energy levels throughout the day. If the patient doesn't have recent labs, I'll order those before I go much further.
It's important to understand why you're tired so that you can properly and effectively treat the cause, and get you back to feeling like yourself.