Can chronic fatigue be treated without medication?

This study investigated which factors are linked to chronic fatigue in type 1 diabetic patients.

Fatigue is a common symptom in diabetic patients and may impair patients' daily function. Chronic fatigue is often the first symptom patients present with before the diagnosis of diabetes. It was thought that fatigue is a result of unbalanced glucose levels, and that once these are controlled chronic fatigue will resolve itself.  However, this is not always the case, and many patients who properly manage their disease continue to suffer from chronic fatigue. The term chronic indicates that the symptoms persist for 6 months or more.

This study investigated chronic fatigue specifically in type 1 diabetics. Patient characteristics, blood glucose levels and emotional factors were evaluated to examine which affect the development of chronic fatigue. Information from 214 diabetic patients was compared to that of 1900 non-diabetic patients which acted as a control group.

Results showed that 40% of the diabetic participants suffered from chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue was found to be linked to patient age, the existence of depression, pain or sleeping problems, and to physical inactivity. On average, blood glucose levels were found to be only slightly higher in chronically fatigued patients compared to patients not suffering from fatigue.

This study concluded that chronic fatigue is very common in type 1 diabetic patients.  However, chronic fatigue was linked more closely with patient behavior and activity than to blood glucose levels. This suggests that behavioral therapy and changes in lifestyle could be used to treat chronic fatigue in diabetic patients.

Consult with your physician regarding changes in lifestyle and cognitive behavioral therapy that may improve your quality of life while managing diabetes.