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1. Tired All the Time 21st November 2007
3. Tiredness- can mean drowsiness, weakness, lack of energy, lack of motivation etc
May be used as a ‘legitimate symptom’ to consult the doctor for more awkward problems
Very common presenting symptoms-numbers?
4. An approach to tiredness:History Clarifying symptoms-duration, time of day, sleep pattern
Associated physical symptoms-weight changes, SOB, change in bowel habit, menorrhagia, polyuria, snoring etc
Associated psychiatric symptoms-low mood, anxiety, sleep disturbance, changes in appetite
Recent infections
Medications
Alcohol
Employment and social history
5. An approach to tiredness:Examination Often entirely normal and unhelpful
But reasonable to check for-
-Weight
-Pallor
-Lymphadenopathy
-Arrythmias
-Hypothyroidism
-Cardiac failure
Also mental state examination-or at least screening questions for depression/ anxiety
6. Huge potential differential diagnosis for tiredness
Brighton and Ram will look at some of the physical and psychological causes
But first, a real life consultation
(Cue Andy’s video!)
7. TIRED ALL THE TIMEHELP ME DOC?
8. TIRED ALL THE TIME Beware to classify the patients as heart sink
Remember that there may be serious underlying disease.
Take the patients seriously
Be systematic and see this consultation as a challenge to your clinical skills rather than an imposition.
9. TIRED ALL THE TIME
10. TIRED ALL THE TIME Only 20 to 30% cases will have a discernible physical disease.
Around 75% of cases are due to some form of psychological distress
11. TIRED ALL THE TIMEORGANIC CAUSES Diabetes or Renal failure—thirst, nocturia or polyuria
Cardiac failure---fatigue
Infections---bacterial, viral, GF, post viral, TB, HIV, Brucella, Endocarditis
Iatrogenic –beta blockers, antidepressants, tranquillisers
Alcohol
12. TIRED ALL THE TIMEORGANIC CAUSES Other endocrine—hypothroid, addison’s, hypopituitary
Metabolic –uraemia, liver failure
Anaemia-consider a faulty diet (elderly)
Myopathies e.g. myasthenia gravis
Neuropathies e.g. motor neurone disease
Malignancy
13. TIRED ALL THE TIMEINVESTIGATIONS Urinalysis—glucose and albumin (DM and Renal disease) also blood sugar.
FBC –anaemia (find the cause of anaemia)
U&E and cret –renal problem or low K due to laxative abuse
LFTs – alcohol abuse
ESR, CRP or monospot test
TFTs
Tumour markers
Scans
14. Physiological Causes After Physical activity
Stress – Exams, Work
Sleep Deprivation
Dieting or Anorexia
Boredom
15. Psychological Causes Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar Affective Disorder
Somatisation
Personality Disorder
16. Assessment Low mood
Anhedonia
Biological Symptoms
Diurnal Variation
Recent illness
Identifiable life event triggers
Absence of physical signs
HADS/PHQ-9
Risk Assessment
17. Management Counselling
Anti-Depressants
CBT
Exclude physical cause
18. Tips If absence of volunteered symptoms unlikely to have physical cause
Longer it has been problem less likely to find remediable cause
First impressions
If depression suspected enquire directly
Investigations often more therapeutic than diagnostic
19. TIRED ALL THE TIMETHANK YOU!!