When to inform your healthcare provider
It’s normal to feel tired and exhausted, especially after engaging in an energy consuming activity. Everyone experiences occasional, brief fatigue due to illness, travel, sleep disturbances or changes in diet or medication. But it is best to talk to your healthcare provider if you are tired all the time. Other cases that require you to call your provider include:
- If you are experiencing fatigue longer than a few days
- If you are having a hard time going to work or performing daily activities
- If it comes suddenly
- There isn’t a clear reason (such as a recent illness) for your fatigue.
- You are older than the age of 65
- If you have been losing weight
Fatigue can be a sign of a serious health condition. It is important to seek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing fatigue along with other symptoms, such as:
- A fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or slow one (bradycardia)
- Shortness of breath or pain in your chest, arm or upper back
- A pounding heartbeat or fluttering (heart palpitations) or irregular (arrhythmia)
- Headache or vision problems (especially if you’ve hit your head recently)
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
- Having thought of inflicting pain to yourself or others