The fatigue that we feel often lasts only a few days after intense physical effort, nights that are too short, a lot of work. We resume a more “normal” rhythm of life and everything is back to normal. Sometimes, on the other hand, this feeling of being “emptied” persists, becomes more pronounced, then sets in, without anything allowing it to be curbed, despite the resumption of good rules of hygiene of life.
“Beyond a month, you have to consult your doctor,” says Dr. Michel Guilbert, general practitioner. Fatigue is a symptom that means something is wrong, you have to find the cause to be able to treat it. “
Fatigue: questions to ask yourself
- Does your fatigue predominate in the morning or in the evening?
- Is it continuous or does it appear in episodes?
- Is it old or recent and of increasing intensity?
- Is it accompanied by other symptoms (fever, pain, etc.)?
- Have you been sick recently?
- Does your exhaustion have a psychological impact on your daily activities?
- Do you fall asleep during the day?
Fatigue can indeed be the indicator of multiple disorders: poor lifestyle, infection, autoimmune disease (eg rheumatoid arthritis), cancer, or even a depressive state … Overcoming fatigue is before all to cure its cause. And the blood work can give the doctor some clues.
Tips to prepare well
- When making an appointment with the blood laboratory, ask if you need to be fasting at the time of the blood sample (which is often the case).
- If you must be young: do not take sugary food or drink (other than water) for 12 hours before the blood test.
- Also avoid smoking and practice strenuous physical activity just before the appointment.