Aug 22, 2010

You know you're in trouble when...

Fatigue is a common complaint of women in their 30's. When a woman presents with this routine symptom, she will be likely first be assessed for the 'usual suspects', such as:

- hypothyroid
- anemia
- pregnancy
- B12 deficiency
- diabetes

No answers there? Let's move on to the next possible culprits...

- sleep apnea
- depression
- autoimmune disease

But what if all these tests fail to reveal an obvious cause? What if you've become the medical equivalent to a 'cold case'?

Congratulations! You now have a "medically unexplained illness".

You may not be able to work, study or get out of bed more than a few hours a day - but hey - at least your lab results are within normal range.

When your Internist asks, "have you ever considered homeopathy?", you know you're in trouble.