Chronic Fatigue
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex, long-term disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that can’t be explained by any specific medical condition – but can be set off even by normal to low activity.
While the exact cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is unknown, the symptoms are debilitating and can make daily life feel like an uphill battle.
Symptoms include:
- fatigue
- loss of memory or concentration
- sore throat
- enlarged lymph nodes in your neck or armpits
- unexplained muscle or joint pain
- headaches
- unrestful sleep
- extreme tiredness (can occur following light movement or exercise)
As for what causes this condition, most practitioners believe that stress to the body including food allergies and other chronic issues such as adrenal dysfunction or leaky gut syndrome are most common.
Potential causes for chronic fatigue:
- poor diet
- dormant infection
- hormone imbalances
- exposure to environmental toxins
According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an estimated 836,000 to 2.5 million Americans suffer from CFS, but most of them have not been diagnosed and the numbers are growing affecting men, women and children of all races and ethnicities.
With Dr. Gagnon, you will have access to the most recent data about the potential root causes of chronic fatigue. She will have a detailed conversation with you about your medical history and the severity of your symptoms before developing a natural and effective treatment method to ease your fatigue and help you to regain your energy.
Many perimenopausal and menopausal women suffer from estrogen dominance due to low progesterone levels leading to chronic fatigue. Why would you develop low progesterone levels?
Here are two reasons:
1. Because your body is not making enough progesterone. Why would your body not make enough progesterone?
What do women take all the time to prevent pregnancy…..Oral Birth Control Pills (OBCP). OBCP prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation. It is at ovulation that we produce/release our natural progesterone. So, anything that prevents ovulation, decreases progesterone. Remember ladies, progesterone is our calming hormone, without it we experience insomnia, night sweats, fatigue, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, musculoskeletal pain, decrease libido, and weight gain. You may want to consider stopping your synthetic OBCP.
Your body will also decrease production of progesterone during perimenopause, when your ovaries begin to atrophy. Perimenopause can last up to 15 years before you enter menopause. Menopause is when your ovaries decrease production of estrogen. You may want to consider Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (CBHRT).
2. Because you are converting your progesterone into cortisol to help you deal with stress. Cortisol is the most important hormone in the body; it is your stress hormone, your adaptation hormone. Your body will steal the ingredients from progesterone to make cortisol to help you deal with stress. You can decrease this conversion by increasing your coping mechanisms. Good examples of coping mechanisms would be: massage, yoga, pilates, tai chi, deep breathing, meditaiton, prayer, and hot baths.
So, things you can do, starting today, to prevent/treat estrogen dominance due to low progesterone levels are: stop synthetic OBCP, start CBHRT, decrease stress, and increase coping mechanisms.
If you have been experiencing symptoms relating to chronic fatigue and are looking for answers, Apply for a FREE Discovery consultation
