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Chest pain, shortness of breath, pale complexion, rapid heart rate, episodes of chilliness and fatigue ...
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You may have ANEMIA. When the amount of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in red blood cells falls below normal, anemia occurs. The body is forced to work harder to get oxygen to vital organs, straining the heart. Severe anemia eventually can lead to heart attack.
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What to do: See your doctor. Depending on what's causing your anemia, she may recommend supplements, a more healthful diet, prescription drugs, or other treatments or tests. Women with heavy menstrual flows might benefit from birth control pills, which can reduce blood loss.
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Weight gain or difficulty losing weight; fluid retention; constipation; pale, rough skin; coarse, dry hair; hair loss; feeling cold; muscle cramps and aches; memory loss; irritability ...
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You may have HYPOTHYROIDISM. Up to 14 million people have this condition in which too little thyroid hormone is made, resulting in a "slow" metabolism. Untreated, it can lead to heart disease, infertility and muscle weakness.
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What to do: See your doctor, who may refer you to an endocrinologist. You'll get a blood test for TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone). A high TSH result often indicates an underactive thyroid gland.
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Loud snoring or snoring punctuated with noiseless gaps that last 10 seconds or more, morning headaches, heartburn, poor concentration or frequent nighttime urination ...
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You may have SLEEP APNEA. Some 4% to 6% of Americans have this disorder. Untreated, sleep apnea may contribute to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
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What to do: Ask your doctor to refer you to a sleep specialist, who may order a polysomnography (an overnight test at a sleep clinic).
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Trouble falling or staying asleep; muscle and joint stiffness or pain; numbness, tingling and burning; restless legs syndrome; irritable bowel and bladder; headaches; dry mouth ...
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You may have FIBROMYALGIA. Up to 6% of Americans have this disorder, which has no clear cause. Research links it to an imbalance of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, or to genes or physical trauma.
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What to do: Find a doctor who knows fibromyalgia. She'll do a "tender point" exam. If you've had chronic pain for at least three months and are tender in 11 or more specific areas, you could have fibromyalgia.
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Unrefreshing sleep, poor concentration and short-term memory; blurring and other vision problems; irritable bowels; or the general feeling you have the worst case of flu imaginable ...
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You may have CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME. Six months of fatigue is a hallmark of this disorder. The cause? Researchers only speculate that extreme stress or infection may trigger an overreaction by your immune system.
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What to do: Find a specialist through cfids.org. Be prepared for lots of tests: blood work, urinalysis, a thyroid test, even cognitive exams that check your concentration or memory.
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