Being prepared with the right language can make a crucial difference when discussing persistent exhaustion with your doctor. According to a leading medical professional, patients experiencing debilitating tiredness should learn six specific phrases to ensure their concerns receive proper attention during GP consultations.
The Importance of Clear Communication
While occasional tiredness is common for everyone, there exists a significant distinction between needing extra rest and suffering from a deeper health condition that requires medical investigation. Many patients find it incredibly frustrating when their persistent fatigue gets dismissed as merely a consequence of modern busy lifestyles rather than being recognised as a potential symptom of underlying health issues.
Expert Guidance from Dr Nighat Arif
Dr Nighat Arif, a prominent women's health expert familiar to viewers from BBC Breakfast and This Morning, has shared what she describes as "golden nuggets" of communication that can trigger more thorough medical investigation. These carefully chosen phrases help patients articulate their experiences more effectively within the limited time available during standard NHS appointments.
Dr Nighat explained: "Here are the phrases to say to your doctor so that you are not dismissed. These are the phrases that I would recommend as a doctor."
The Six Essential Phrases
Sharing her advice through social media platforms including TikTok, Dr Nighat recommends patients memorise or write down these six statements ahead of their next surgery visit:
- "I feel shattered, and I'm tired" - This specific wording conveys a level of exhaustion beyond ordinary tiredness.
- "I'm more than just tired. It's affecting my life" - This statement clearly communicates the functional impact of your symptoms.
- "My family and/or colleagues have, on multiple occasions, told me that I look tired - and I feel fatigued" - This provides external validation of visible symptoms.
- "I've had to rearrange plans because I don't have the energy to participate" - This demonstrates concrete examples of how fatigue disrupts daily activities.
- "I've had persistent fatigue for several months, which is affecting my daily life" - This establishes both duration and ongoing impact.
- "I would like this to be looked into further. I was thinking we could do some investigations" - This proactive approach helps guide the consultation toward diagnostic steps.
Documenting Your Symptoms
Beyond verbal communication, Dr Nighat strongly recommends that patients maintain detailed symptom records to present during consultations. Recalling every relevant detail during brief GP appointments can prove challenging, so contemporaneous notes made when symptoms are most acute provide invaluable documentation of persistent health concerns.
The healthcare professional advises tracking specific elements that help identify patterns and potential underlying causes:
- Sleep patterns and quality
- Mood fluctuations
- Pain levels and locations
- Headache frequency and intensity
- Menstrual cycle details (where applicable)
- Weight changes
- Current medications
- Stress levels
- Recent illnesses, particularly viral infections like flu and Covid
Patients should additionally document how their fatigue affects professional productivity, personal relationships, and even sexual drive. Building this comprehensive picture helps eliminate possibilities from the outset and can prevent unnecessary requests for broad blood tests that may not target the specific issue.
When to Seek Urgent Medical Attention
While fatigue manifests as a symptom across numerous medical conditions, certain circumstances require immediate attention rather than waiting for routine investigations. Dr Nighat emphasised the importance of recognising "red flag" symptoms that accompany worsening fatigue.
She advised: "If your fatigue is getting worse and comes with what we call red flags - including breathlessness, chest pains, night sweats, unintentional weight loss, new and severe headaches, back pain, or mood changes that make life feel not worth living - then please seek urgent medical advice rather than waiting for a routine blood test."
For comprehensive information about potential causes of persistent fatigue, available treatment options, and detailed guidance about when to consult healthcare professionals, patients are encouraged to visit the official NHS website, which offers numerous helpful tools for symptom monitoring and health management.
