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He has seen two cardiologists and his personal doctor. They have run many tests. Complete blood work- Hooked up to a treadmill and checked his lungs-Checked Thyroid- Checked his heart- Blood pressure is fine. Have given him some medication to thin out his blood. He is drinking more water now. He use to drink maybe two 8oz glasses per day. That was not enough! We begged him to drink more. He would say that he was not thirsty. He gets plenty of rest. He is retired. That we see he is not depressed. He is somewhat bored. Donates two half days per week at a local hospital to stay busy. Spends the rest of the day watching TV, surfing the internet and annoying my mom. We have tried to get him to exercise more. Goes to the gym once per week. He says he is too tired to go. He has never liked to exercise so not sure if it is an excuse. He is somewhat socially isolated. Family is around but few people his age. Doctors say he is in good health. One doctor told him to drop 10 pounds. He does not eat junk food. Few if any sweets because of sugar. His mother was diabetic. He is not diabetic. Some mornings he gets up, makes breakfast and then he has to sit down because he is already tired. Same throughout the day as far as having to rest. Short of breath with any activity. I was just reading up on anemia. I will ask doctor to check when we go see him this Friday. He was dozing off constantly throughout the day. Now he drinks 2 cups of coffee with caffeine and is not dozing off nearly as much. Although he now tells me that he thinks the caffeine is giving him gasses and making him belch whenever he lays on this right side while sleeping so he plans on stopping for a while. I would appreciate any input someone may have. Thank you! Dan

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I am not positive which blood test the nurse ordered for me. I remember she said it was not a routine thyroid test.
A quick web search indicates it may have been a test for TPO antibodies. Synthroid fixed the problem immediately.
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Thank you all for your answers.
Dan
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There may not be anything wrong with Dad. It sounds like he’s had every test possible. I can attest to the fact that as we age, even something like taking a shower can exhaust us. And, there are times I just want to be left alone. When we say we’re “tired”, it’s just a catch-all phrase mostly meaning “old”. Unless Dad actively complains about something paining him or if he says he feels unwell, I’d tend to just leave him be.
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Has he ever seen a pulmonologist? He would be checked for lung capacity as well as respiratory issues.
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What did your dad do when he worked? Did he have a big job? How is he on his two half-days of volunteering? I'm wondering if his tiredness is more a lack of purpose than anything physical? Does he seem more energetic on his volunteer days?
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Maybe it's because of his age that he's tired. Maybe he's bored. Maybe he's slightly depressed. But since he's had tests done and the doctor's have said he's fine I'd say it's his age.
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I think checking out his iron levels sounds like a good idea.

The thing about making breakfast and then having to sit down sounds very familiar to me. I complained of fatigue for years - no- two decades- and my thyroid levels kept testing as normal. It turned out I had an immune disease called Hashimoto's and although my body produced the thyroid hormone, it wasn't being absorbed properly. It was finally discovered when a nurse practitioner did one additional test. Daily medication has completely fixed the problem. Twenty years wasted.

He shouldn't be so tired that he needs a rest after he makes breakfast. It is likely that he is being dismissed because of his age. I would try to find a nurse practitioner. I feel they spend a little more time with you and are less apt to dismiss a complaint.
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anonymous825308 Jul 2018
Marcia,

Was you thyroid gland enlarged? What was the additional test the NP did? What is the medication they prescribed?

Thank you.
Dan
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