NOT FEELING LIKE YOURSELF LATELY?
Chronic Fatigue and Autoimmunity
Understanding and Tackling Chronic Fatigue:
If you're grappling with chronic fatigue, Dr. Reem Sharhan wants you to know you’re not alone. This condition is incredibly common and multifaceted, but rest assured, there is help available. Identifying the root cause of your fatigue is a detailed process, far more involved than simply trying to get more sleep.
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What Exactly is Chronic Fatigue?
Chronic fatigue is much more than feeling overly tired occasionally. It’s a persistent and profound lack of physical and mental energy that can linger for over six months. Unlike fatigue from a noisy sleeping environment or a specific health condition, chronic fatigue doesn’t stem from one obvious cause.

A hallmark of chronic fatigue is tiredness that worsens after exertion, whether physical or mental, and doesn’t improve with adequate rest. This persistent exhaustion often accompanies symptoms like mental fog, memory issues, mood swings, and irritability.
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Persistent fatigue may signal a more serious underlying issue, such as a heart condition, endocrine disorder, or even cancer. It’s crucial not to ignore these symptoms.
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What Causes Chronic Fatigue?
About nine out of ten of Dr. Sharhan’s patients report issues related to chronic fatigue, showing its close connection to various conditions, from systemic inflammation to diet. Some common culprits include:
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Adrenal Imbalance: Persistent stress can weaken the adrenal glands, affecting the production of energy-boosting hormones like cortisol.
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Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid gland can result in insufficient T3 and T4 hormone production, leading to low energy levels.
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Nutritional Deficiencies: These can be linked to poor digestive health or dietary habits.
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Chronic Inflammation and autoimmunity: This can drain your energy and leave you feeling perpetually fatigued.
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Stress—whether physical, mental, emotional, or a combination—often disrupts hormone balances and other bodily processes. However, chronic fatigue usually stems from multiple factors. Dr. Sharhan’s approach involves exploring a wide range of lifestyle factors, medical histories, and environmental settings to uncover the cause.
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Infections can also go undetected for long periods and contribute to chronic fatigue. Common examples include mononucleosis, The C virus (long hau- ler), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and cytomegalovirus (CMV).​
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Sleep apnea is another often undiagnosed condition that can cause chronic fatigue, especially in individuals who live alone and are unaware of their erratic breathing patterns during sleep.
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Natural Treatments for Chronic Fatigue
Given the numerous potential causes of chronic fatigue, treatment plans need to be highly individualized. With Dr. Reem, each patient receives a tailored plan that might include hormone therapy for hypothyroidism or adrenal fatigue, dietary adjustments to address nutritional deficiencies, and more.
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Dr. Reem's approach emphasizes identifying the underlying problem rather than just prescribing sleep aids. If systemic inflammation or a chemical imbalance is the root cause, merely inducing sleep with medications won’t help and could create additional issues. True restorative rest comes from addressing the actual problem.
The most effective way to tackle chronic fatigue is to pinpoint and resolve the underlying issue, allowing the body to heal and function as it should.
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The Importance of Addressing Chronic Fatigue
Chronic fatigue can be the first sign of a more serious medical condition. Identifying and addressing these conditions early can be life-saving. Underlying issues like inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, hormonal imbalances, undiagnosed infections, dietary problems, and neurotransmitter imbalances can lead to chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and other serious health concerns.
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By resolving chronic fatigue, patients not only regain their energy and improve their quality of life but also free their bodies to focus on long-term healing and overall well-being.
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