During the more than 20 years that I have been treating different types of immune-based diseases, I have been able to demonstrate that extreme fatigue can affect patients, which greatly limits the development of a normal life.
Patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiencies that are not well controlled often have recurrent infections as well as inflammatory processes that can be associated with a state of chronic fatigue. It is common for patients who are well controlled, such as patients with antibody deficiency who receive gamma globulin infusions, to report that these “give them life”, “give them strength” and that when the days of their next “defense shot” approach, they begin to experience fatigue.
Fatigue is a very frequent symptom in patients with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome (dry syndrome), polymyositis, vasculitis, anti-phospholipid syndrome, autoimmune polyglandular syndromes, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, autoimmune hepatitis, among others. The clinical stability of the process helps a lot to control fatigue. However, in some cases it persists and is difficult to correct.
Patients with allergic diseases such as asthma or atopic dermatitis also complain of exaggerated fatigue, especially during periods of disease activity.
People suffering from other diseases with an immunological component, such as fibromyalgia, hydrosadenitis or psoriasis, also frequently suffer from this discomfort.
Of course, this symptom is defining for some diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome, a disease that is increasingly diagnosed and which is still not well understood from the point of view of the mechanisms that lead to chronic disabling fatigue.
Treatment of chronic fatigue
The management of chronic fatigue requires a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach to the different pathologies that usually cause fatigue as a problem.
It will be important to control the activity of the underlying disease. Adequate psychological support is also important, especially in cases of chronic and recurrent processes. It will be necessary to mobilize all personal resources to face this situation. The patient’s participation and training in self-care activities is fundamental. In addition, a balanced and adequate diet, as well as physical exercise appropriate to the patient’s limitations, is also important. It may be necessary an adaptation for the development of the usual work activity, when this is possible.
In many cases this multidisciplinary approach helps the patient to recover a normal life, which is one of the main objectives to be achieved and not only the control of the disease.
The important thing is to go to the Immunologist at the first symptoms.