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What Causes Fatigue In An Elderly Person?
Question: I N 65 YEARS OLD, VERY FIT (GYM FIVE TIMES A WEEK, SWIM THREE ETIMES A WEEK) and active. I have experienced extreme fatigue lately along with extreme thirst. What could be issues for me.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Extreme thirst can be a sign of diabetes mellitus ("sugar diabetes"). If sugar isn't able to get into the cells where it is needed for energy, it remains in the blood. When the blood is filtered by the kidneys, the excess sugar spills into the urine. The excess sugar draws water with it - i.e. water is drawn out of the blood and into the urine. So a person can become dehydrated and then very thirsty. And because of needing to drink more, there is more urination, often more dilute than usual.
Another possibility is diabetes insipidus which is not really diabetes. In this problem, your body either doesn’t make enough anti-diuretic hormone (called central diabetes insipidus), or your body makes enough but your kidneys can't respond to it (nephrogenic diabetes insipidus).
Low thyroid function can cause fatigue, but is not usually associated with thirst.
Anemia can cause both symptoms and low blood pressure can too.
I recommend that your see your doctor and have the following tests:
1. Fasting blood sugar
2. A1C (shows how your blood sugars have been on average over the past 2 months).
3. CBC (complete blood count - can show if there is anemia).
4. Thyroid function tests (TSH, T4)
5. Chemistry panel (to check serum sodium levels)
I also recommend getting your blood pressure checked on a number of occasions. Blood pressure can be higher in the doctor's office so it may be helpful to check a few times when you are not there, and especially when you are feeling tired.
I hope this information helps. Please do go in to see your doctor, though.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Extreme thirst can be a sign of diabetes mellitus ("sugar diabetes"). If sugar isn't able to get into the cells where it is needed for energy, it remains in the blood. When the blood is filtered by the kidneys, the excess sugar spills into the urine. The excess sugar draws water with it - i.e. water is drawn out of the blood and into the urine. So a person can become dehydrated and then very thirsty. And because of needing to drink more, there is more urination, often more dilute than usual.
Another possibility is diabetes insipidus which is not really diabetes. In this problem, your body either doesn’t make enough anti-diuretic hormone (called central diabetes insipidus), or your body makes enough but your kidneys can't respond to it (nephrogenic diabetes insipidus).
Low thyroid function can cause fatigue, but is not usually associated with thirst.
Anemia can cause both symptoms and low blood pressure can too.
I recommend that your see your doctor and have the following tests:
1. Fasting blood sugar
2. A1C (shows how your blood sugars have been on average over the past 2 months).
3. CBC (complete blood count - can show if there is anemia).
4. Thyroid function tests (TSH, T4)
5. Chemistry panel (to check serum sodium levels)
I also recommend getting your blood pressure checked on a number of occasions. Blood pressure can be higher in the doctor's office so it may be helpful to check a few times when you are not there, and especially when you are feeling tired.
I hope this information helps. Please do go in to see your doctor, though.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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