Talking about Fatigue with Your Doctor
You should never assume that fatigue is just a necessary part of living with HIV/AIDS. If you are experiencing symptoms of fatigue, tell your health care providers so that they can determine what is causing your fatigue and how to treat it. Keeping a journal can help you keep track of information such as how much you sleep, what you eat and activities that you find particularly tiring.
When you talk with your doctor about fatigue, here are some questions that he or she might ask:
- How long have you been experiencing fatigue?
- How severe is it?
- How does fatigue affect your daily life? What normal activities are now difficult for you because of your fatigue?
- Does your energy level change during the course of a day?
- What do you find helps alleviate your fatigue?
- What makes it worse?
- How well are you sleeping?
- How are you feeling emotionally? Do you feel depressed?
- Are you eating well?