Dear Dr. Roach: I’m writing in regarding my 92-year-old father. He has always been active, still plays golf and had played softball up until the age of 88. My father has a history of blood clots, so he is on blood thinners. Nowadays, my father is constantly fatigued; walking out to the garage leaves him drained, and attempting to play nine holes of golf leaves him drained. He sleeps a lot during the day. All the doctors say is: “Hey, your dad is 92 years old.” So, my question is, is this a normal part of aging? — J.N.
Answer: While it is true that we all slow down a little bit as we get older, and 92 is certainly a very respectable age, I would not rush to blame this on his age, especially if these changes are relatively sudden. I certainly would not diagnose this as normal aging without, at least, a careful history and physical examination, as well as some judicious laboratory studies.
Fatigue is a very nonspecific symptom that can be caused by abnormalities of virtually all your major organs, especially the heart, liver, kidney, lungs and bone marrow. Thyroid problems are another common issue, and depression is a frequently overlooked possibility, especially in older men.
