GP shares three reasons you’re always tired and it’s not your sleep

Feeling tired is one thing, but if you are constantly fatigued and can’t quite put your finger on the cause, one doctor suggests it may be time to probe deeper. A Milton Keynes-based GP has advised those concerned to examine three crucial areas before making any diagnosis and insisted your doctor does the same.

Dr Asif Ahmed was addressing fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis, commonly referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and he outlined there were several particular examinations he performs before confirming either of these common health issues. The GP regularly encounters patients presenting these conditions, although he claimed you might have received an incorrect diagnosis as some of these ailments can prove complex.

Addressing followers on his TikTok page @dra_says, Dr Ahmed said: “When I see patients who have got fibromyalgia or ME, one of the first things they want to know is, has everything been ruled out.”

With that in mind, the GP outlined three possible causes as to why you might feel constantly tired – and it’s not down to your sleep.

1. Obstructive sleep apnoea

Firstly, Dr Ahmed warned: “This is one thing that if we don’t diagnose and treat, nothing else we do will work until we treat it – and this is obstructive sleep apnoea.

“I think this is chronically under-diagnosed because to get a diagnosis, often someone else is needed such as a partner who is in the same bed as you.”

He explained the rationale behind this is that should you sleep by yourself, you might not recognise that you’re experiencing “these weird apnoeic episodes when you sleep”.

The doctor went on to explain that individuals may actually be suffering from this condition, rather than ME, reports the Mirror.

“If you are someone who sleeps alone, you may never pick up on this and amount of people I’ve seen have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome or ME when, in fact, they have undiagnosed sleep apnoea is actually been very high,” he added.

2. Chronic Lyme disease

A second possible cause of exhaustion, according to Dr Ahmed, could be Lyme disease. He said: “This is a very tricky one because you can’t really diagnose on a blood test. And there’s no actual medication for it that we can give you that will make it better.”

He explained that GPs frequently require comprehensive details regarding your medical background, including elements such as skin irritations or insect bites.

Therefore, if you’ve dedicated considerable time in outdoor environments, resided in countryside or forested locations, or been employed alongside animals, your GP must know about this straight away.

Dr Ahmed pointed out that several of his patients “recall having a very significant rash or a time when they were very unwell with the symptoms that was associated with a rash”.

3. Mast cell activation syndrome

A final possible cause could be mast cell activation syndrome, a condition that causes intense episodes of swelling, shortness of breath, hives, diarrhoea, vomiting and other symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Dr Ahmed added that this is usually caused by an “inappropriate amount of histamine release due to a trigger that should not normally release histamine”.

With this disorder, you develop “widespread symptoms” and naturally, the primary one is “extreme fatigue.”

He explained that the most effective way to diagnose this is through a trial of treatment and while it might sound intimidating, he assured it’s nothing to worry about, reassuring people: “It is relatively safe and if it does work, it can give great results.”

Wrapping up his video, he cautioned those experiencing symptoms, saying: “This list is not exhaustive. Chronic fatigue or feeling tired all the time is one of the most common things we see every single day and it can be done so many things.

“These are just three that I’ve come across recently that have been missed.”