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.

1. The Complex Problem of Fatigue
2. Normal Energy Levels SECTION 2. The Most Common Causes of Fatigue I. Psychological and Psychiatric Explanations of Fatigue
3. Social Attitudes to Psychological Distress
4. Stress
5. Depression
6. Anxiety Panic and Phobia
7. Hysteria and Hypochondriasis II. Physical Explanations of Fatigue
8. Fatigue as a Symptom of Physical Disease SECTION 3. Forgotten Causes of Fatigue I. Fatigue and Sleep
9. Normal Sleep Pattern and Sleep Requirements
10. Chronic Sleep Deprivation
11. Sleep Disorders II. Fatigue and Diet
12. Diet, Mood and Energy
13. Overweight and Obesity
14. Nutritional Deficiency
15. Food Allergy and Intolerance
16. Caffeine
17. Hypoglycaemia - Low Blood Sugar III. Fatigue and germs
18. The Truth about Candida
19. Parasites, Bacteria and Viruses IV. Fatigue and Chemicals
20. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome SECTION 4. Chronic Debilitating Fatigue
21. Fibromyalgia
22. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME)
23. From Controversy to Consensus in CFS
24. Assessing the Impact of Chronic Fatigue
25. The Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Appendix 1. An Effective Treatment for Allergy Appendix 2. Useful Addresses

Auteur

Dr Joe FitzGibbon is an allergist practising in Galway and Dublin. He regularly writes articles and books on the subject of allergies, nutritional medicine, chemical sensitivity and states of chronic debilitating fatigue, and gives lectures and seminars to interested groups. He is the author of the bestselling books Feeling Tired All the Time, Could it be an Allergy? and Weight Loss for Health Gain.