Absolutely nothing prepared Linda C. Johnson of Indianapolis for the tiredness that descended on her after a medical diagnosis of phase 4 lung cancer in early 2020.

Johnson, now 77, believed she was depressed. She might barely summon the energy to get worn the morning. Some days, she could not rise.

However as she began to get her affairs in order, Johnson recognized something else was going on. Long she slept the night in the past, she woke up tired. She felt depleted, even if she didn't do much during the day.

" People would tell me, 'You know, you're getting old.' And that wasn't helpful at all," she stated. "Because then you feel there's absolutely nothing you can do psychologically or physically to handle this.".

Tiredness is a typical companion of numerous health problems that beleaguered older adults: heart disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, lung disease and kidney illness, in addition to neurological conditions such as several sclerosis. It's one of the most common signs associated with chronic health problem, affecting 40% to 74% of older individuals coping with these conditions, according to a 2021 evaluation by researchers at the University of Massachusetts.

This is more than exhaustion after a very busy day or a night of bad sleep.

It's a consistent whole-body feeling of having no energy, even with minimal or no effort.

Tiredness doesn't represent "a day when you're tired; it's a number of weeks or a number of months when you're tired," said Dr. Kurt Kroenke, a research study researcher at the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis, which concentrates on medical research study, and a teacher at Indiana University's School of Medicine.

When he and colleagues queried almost 3,500 older clients at a big medical care center in Indianapolis about irritating symptoms, 55% listed fatigue-- second just to musculoskeletal discomfort (65%), and more than back pain (45%) and shortness of breath (41%).

Individually, a 2010 research study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society approximated that 31% of people 51 and older reported being tired out in the previous week.

The impact can be profound.

Fatigue is the leading factor for restricted activity in people 70 and older, according to a 2001 study by scientists at Yale. Other studies have actually linked fatigue with impaired movement, constraints in people's abilities to carry out daily activities, the onset or worsening of impairments, and earlier death.

What often happens is older adults with tiredness stop being active and end up being deconditioned, which results in muscle loss and weakness, which increases tiredness.

" It becomes a vicious cycle that contributes to things like depression, which can make you more tired," stated Dr. Jean Kutner, a teacher of medicine and chief medical officer at the University of Colorado Hospital.

To stop that from taking place, Johnson came up with a strategy after discovering her lung cancer had actually returned. One day, she 'd get up and clean her face. Another day, she 'd go to the grocery shop.

In the three years considering that her cancer came back, Johnson's tiredness has actually been consistent.

However "I'm working better," she said.

That's since she's found out how to speed herself and find things that encourage her, such as teaching a virtual class to students training to be instructors and getting workout under the supervision of an individual trainer.

When should older grownups be concerned about tiredness?

" If somebody has been doing OK however is now feeling tired out all the time, it's crucial to get an examination," stated Dr. Holly Yang, a doctor at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and inbound board president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Fatigue is an alarm, added Dr. Ardeshir Hashmi, section chief of the Center for Geriatric Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.

The items people must have doctors check include:

• Are your thyroid levels normal?


• Are you having problem with sleep?


• If you have underlying medical conditions, are they well managed? Do you have a hidden infection?


• Are you chronically dehydrated?


• Do you have anemia (a deficiency of red cell or hemoglobin), an electrolyte imbalance or low levels of testosterone?


• Are you consuming sufficient protein?


• Have you been feeling more depressed or anxious recently?


• Might medications you're taking be contributing to fatigue?

" The medications and dosages might be the exact same," Hashmi stated, "however your body's ability to metabolize those medications and clear them from your system might have changed."

Lots of potential factors to fatigue can be resolved. much of the time, factors for fatigue can't be described by an underlying medical condition.

That occurred to Teresa Goodell, 64, a retired nurse who lives simply outdoors Portland, Oregon. Throughout a December see to Arizona, she unexpectedly found herself exhausted and short of breath while on a walking, despite the fact that she was in good physical condition. At an urgent care center, she was diagnosed with an asthma worsening and given steroids, however they didn't help.

Quickly, Goodell was spending hours each day in bed, overcome by profound exhaustion and weakness. Even small activities wore her out. But none of the medical tests she received in Arizona and consequently in Portland-- a chest X-ray and CT scan, blood work, a cardiac tension test-- showed abnormalities.

" There was no objective evidence of disease," she said, "which makes it difficult for anyone to believe you're sick."

Goodell started checking out long COVID-19 sites and chatroom for people with fatigue syndrome. Today, she's persuaded she has post-viral syndrome from an infection. One of the most common symptoms of long COVID-19 is fatigue that interferes with life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are numerous techniques for handling persistent fatigue. In cancer patients, "the very best evidence prefers physical activity such as tai chi, yoga, walking, or low-impact exercises," stated Dr. Christian Sinclair, an associate teacher of palliative medication at the University of Kansas Health System.

The goal is to "gradually stretch patients' endurance," he stated.

With long COVID-19, nevertheless, doing too much too soon can backfire by triggering "post-exertional despair." Pacing one's activities is often advised: doing just what's essential, when one's energy level is greatest, and resting afterward.

" You find out how to set sensible objectives," said Dr. Andrew Esch, senior education advisor at the Center to Advance Palliative Care.

Cognitive behavior modification can likewise help older grownups with fatigue find out how to adjust expectations and address intrusive ideas such as, "I ought to have the ability to do more."

At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, management plans for older patients with tiredness typically consist of strategies to deal with physical activity, sleep health, nutrition, psychological health, and support from family and friends.

" So much of tiredness management is about forming new routines," stated Dr. Ishwaria Subbiah, a palliative care and integrative medication doctor at MD Anderson. "It's essential to recognize that this does not take place right away: It takes time."

Kaiser Health News is eager to hear from readers about concerns they 'd like answered, problems they've been having with care, and recommendations they need in dealing with the health care system. KHN is a nationwide newsroom that

produces in-depth journalism thorough health issues.