Depression - 'I can't get to sleep'

For people with severe insomnia, often underlying depression is the problem. Yet many GPs will prescribe them sleeping pills, which often do nothing for the insomnia.

'People get so desperate they start popping sleeping pills, which only cause more problems because the pills will often not work. Or they start mixing sleeping pills with other pills, alcohol or illegal drugs. What is often needed is a mood stabiliser or antidepressant to correct the imbalance in the brain,' says Professor Ian Hickie from the Brain & Mind Research Institute in Sydney.

What to do:

If you have insomnia for more than two weeks, particularly if it's accompanied by feelings of agitation, moodiness, teariness, desperation, irritability or loss or gain of appetite, you may have depression or anxiety. While exercise and early morning sunlight may help depression and anxiety, it's important to see your doctor for an assessment and advice about medication.

For more information, call 1300 22 4636 or visit Beyond Blue

Hypothyroidism - 'I feel tired a lot'

Do you feel tired during the day and, despite your best efforts to exercise and watch your diet, you can't help but put on weight? You may have hypothyroidism.

'Hypothyroidism is believed to affect one in 10 people, and usually strikes after the age of 40,' says Professor Creswell Eastman, professor of medicine and pathology at the University of Sydney.

What to do:

'Australia generally has a high incidence of thyroid deficiency. This can cause everything from attention deficit disorder to low IQ in children whose mothers were iodine deficient in pregnancy,' Professor Eastman says.

'Pregnant and breastfeeding mums should take 250mcg of iodine a day through supplements, while other adults should take 150mcg a day through a multivitamin. Children need about 100mcg a day. If their mums buy iodised salt to add to their food, and they have two to three serves of dairy, such as cheese, yogurt, ice-cream and milk, they will probably get enough iodine.

'That said, eating too much additional salt is not a good thing, so we need to apply pressure on governments to start putting iodised, rather than regular salt, into processed foods.'

If you suspect you may have a thyroid condition ask your doctor to perform thyroid function tests.

For more information, visit the Thyroid Foundation

Lupus - 'I'm achy all the time'

'It's common to take up to three years to finally get an accurate diagnosis for lupus,' says Ben Jackson, executive officer from the Lupus Association of NSW. ‘Lupus affects about one in 700 Aussies and nine out of 10 cases are women.

So how does it develop?
'In a healthy immune system, the body will attack foreign bodies such as viruses and bacteria, but with lupus the immune system begins to attack the body itself, often the joints, in some cases the kidneys, and in extreme cases the brain or heart,' Ben says.

'One of the most frequently misdiagnosed symptoms is joint pain, often thought to be arthritis in older women and growing pains in younger women. And the constant tiredness can be misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue.'

What to do:

Watch out for joint pain, fatigue and a distinctive butterfly rash across the nose, under the eyes and around the cheeks, fevers and mouth or nasal ulcers that won't heal.

'If you suspect you have lupus, get a referral to a rheumatologist or immunologist,' Ben says.

'The good news is most people with lupus have a normal life span.' 

For more information, call 1800 802 088 or visit Lupus NSW

High blood pressure - 'I feel healthy and have no symptoms'

Known as a silent killer, often high blood pressure has no symptoms at all. 'So people may mistakenly misdiagnose themselves as being healthy,' Dr John D'Arcy says.

The only way you can tell is to have your blood pressure tested every year or more frequently if there's a family history. Normal blood pressure is 120/80, high normal is up to 140/90 and high is more than 140/90.

Of people with untreated blood pressure, 78.3 per cent have mild, 17.4 per cent have moderate and 4.3 per cent have severely elevated blood pressure, according to the National Heart Foundation.

What to do:

Reduce salt and alcohol, exercise and keep your weight down. Have regular check-ups. 

For more information, call 1300 362 787 or visit the Heart Foundation

Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome - 'I'm wired but tired'

Up to five per cent of the world's population have a condition called mitral valve prolapse, the world's most common and misunderstood heart abnormality. Some people describe the mitral valve as an 'anatomical saloon door' between the chambers of the heart.

If the valve is prolapsed, the door doesn't close snugly and a little of the passing blood that's pumping through the heart pumps back into the heart, instead of out and around the body.

'For about 98 per cent of people, this poses no problems, but in very rare cases, the heart valve will be so 'leaky' that surgery
is required, which is usually very successful,' says Professor David Robertson, professor of medicine, pharmacology and neurology at Vanderbilt University in the US.

And while many doctors are sceptical that mitral valve prolapse is anything more than a heart issue, Professor Robertson says there's now evidence it's also responsible for feelings of palpitations and associated anxiety - known as mitral valve prolapse syndrome.

'Some doctors believe the leaking valve is part of a wider syndrome caused by a disturbance in the autonomic nervous system. This not only causes the mitral valve prolapse but is linked to irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, palpitations and aches and pains,' Professor Robertson says.

'Sufferers may be constantly tired in the day, yet feel 'wired' at night. Low blood pressure, cold hands and feet and dizziness are other telltale signs of mitral valve prolapse syndrome. It's frequently misdiagnosed and patients are often left thinking these very real symptoms are all in their head,' Professor Robertson says. 'Long arms and/or being double-jointed or having mild scoliosis (curvature of the spine) can be telltale signs of co-existing mitral valve prolapse.'

What to do:

Ask your doctor to listen for a 'click' or a murmur in your heart. An echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, may also help diagnose the condition. Reducing caffeine, increasing your intake of water, taking magnesium supplements and exercising regularly help as well.

For more information about this condition,
visit the Mitral Valve Prolapse site

Top tip:

To help avoid a medical misdiagnosis don't doctor-shop - new doctors may not be aware of old problems or your medical history. Find someone you trust and stick with them.

Keep a list of your symptoms and notice when they get worse,
and what makes them worse so you can discuss it with your doctor.

For more health advice, check out the latest issue of New Idea - on sale now!