Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Lyme Disease, and EBV Care in Annandale
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Long-lasting fatigue can make work, exercise, sleep, and family life hard to manage. At Health Builders in Annandale, we help patients seeking chronic fatigue syndrome treatment, support for Long COVID symptoms, or answers about a Lyme disease history and EBV test results. We review when your symptoms started, which tests you have had, and which treatments you have tried. Then we talk with you about your treatment options.
How Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Lyme Disease, and Epstein-Barr Virus Can Affect Your Life
Chronic fatigue can cause deep exhaustion, poor sleep, pain, and brain fog. You may also lose energy after physical or mental activity. Symptoms may start after COVID or another illness. You may have a past Lyme disease diagnosis or an EBV test you do not understand. You may also have several test reports that still leave you with questions. These problems can make it hard to work, exercise, care for your family, plan your day, concentrate, or sleep well. You may stop trusting how much energy you will have every day.
At Health Builders, we review when your symptoms started and how they affect your day. We also review your test results and the treatments you have tried. Then we talk with you about treatment options that may fit your health and goals. Your treatment plan may include ongoing medical care, functional medicine, or clinician-guided IV treatment. Our goal is to help you understand your symptoms, address the problems affecting your life, and choose the care that gives you the best chance to feel and function better.
Explore Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Lyme Disease, and Epstein-Barr Virus Care at Health Builders
Treatment Options at Health Builders
See the treatment options Health Builders may use for chronic fatigue, Long COVID symptoms, Lyme questions, and EBV concerns.
Learn About Your Care Team
Meet the medical and nursing team who will review your symptoms, test results, medicines, and past care.
Prepare for Your Visit
See which records, test results, medicine lists, and symptom notes to bring to your appointment.
Schedule Your Appointment
Book an appointment to talk about ongoing fatigue, symptoms after illness, or questions about Lyme and EBV.
How We Evaluate Chronic Fatigue and Complex Symptom Patterns
Your visit starts with a full review of your symptoms, test results, medicines, and past treatments. We ask when the problem started and how it affects your day. We use that information, your exam, and any needed testing to plan treatment, follow-up, or a referral.
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When Your Symptoms Began and How They Changed
We ask when your fatigue, pain, sleep problems, brain fog, or other symptoms started. We also ask whether they began after COVID, another illness, a Lyme diagnosis, or an EBV test. This helps us decide which records to review, which questions need more testing, and whether another doctor should be involved.
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What Happens After Activity, Rest, and Sleep
We ask what happens after work, exercise, chores, reading, or other mental effort. Some people feel worse hours later or the next day. We also ask about sleep and rest. This helps us understand your limits, choose what to examine, and set treatment goals that match your daily life.
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Prior Tests, Diagnoses, and Treatment Responses
Bring lab results, scans, notes from other doctors, Lyme tests, EBV tests, and records related to Long COVID. Tell us which treatments helped, caused side effects, or did nothing. We use this information to decide what still needs attention, what may need repeat testing, and whether a referral makes sense.
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Medications, Examination, and Care Coordination
We review your medicines, supplements, current diagnoses, and other care you receive. We then perform an exam and order tests when they are needed. This helps us choose safe treatment options, watch for medicine or supplement problems, plan follow-up visits, and decide if you need a specialist.
Treatment Options for Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Lyme, and EBV Concerns
Your treatments with us may include functional medicine, integrative primary and family care, or IV nutrition, medical ozone, and lipid replacement therapy. Your history, exam, test results, medicines, and goals help our team choose the treatment options that fit your needs. More than one option may be used during your care.
Functional Medicine
Functional Medicine looks at how your symptoms, health history, sleep, diet, medicines, and test results may connect. For chronic fatigue and symptoms after illness, it can help our team look for factors that may be adding to the problem. It can also help us decide which tests, treatments, or follow-up care may be useful.
Integrative Primary and Family Care
Integrative Primary and Family Care gives you ongoing medical care with the same clinic over time. It can include medicine review, exams, tests, treatment changes, follow-up visits, and referrals. This can help when fatigue, Long COVID symptoms, or past Lyme and EBV questions need experienced medical care.
IV Nutrition, Medical Ozone, and LRT
IV Nutrition replenishes nutrients, Medical Ozone supports immune health, and Lipid Replacement Therapy supports cellular repair. Our team may include these treatments when fatigue, Long COVID symptoms, or Lyme and EBV concerns affect your health. A physician or nurse practitioner chooses the treatment based on your history, test results, and goals.
Ready to Get Help With Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Lyme Disease, or EBV?
If fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, pain, or symptoms after activity are limiting your day, schedule an appointment with Health Builders. Bring your test results, treatment history, and questions. We will review them with you and talk about the treatment options that best fit your needs.
Meet the Health Builders Care Team
We strive to deliver the best care for our patients, and that starts with the our team. Your care team includes a family medicine doctor, a family nurse practitioner, and a registered nurse who bring medical and nursing experience to your care.
Patient Experiences With Health Builders
Our patients mean everything to us, and we always strive to deliver the highest-quality care. These are some of the patients who have placed their trust in us for their care. Each has experienced firsthand the impact our team can have on their lives. Their stories show why patients across Northern Virginia choose us when they need help.
“I wasn’t feeling well and had the pleasure of being seen and treated by Dr Kim, she was nice, patient and very knowledgeable about my condition, made me feel heard and wasn’t in a rush to get rid of me and off to her next patient. She discussed with me in detail about receiving further treatment and referred me to Dr Fuller. He was amazing!”
Claudia Peralta-Monterrosa
“Dr. Kim is incredible. She is now our younger daughter’s doctor as well. We just cannot say enough about how incredibly important Dr. Kim is to our family and our daughters. I encourage you to talk with Dr. Kim if you would like a very knowledgeable, compassionate, brilliant practitioner. Her staff is great as well. They are organized, compassionate and efficient. We love love this Practice!”
Jennifer B.
“I have the utmost respect for the Doctors and staff at HealthBuilders. Doctor Kim and Doctor Fuller and Bianca are attentive to one’s needs and focus on listening and accompanying one on their healing journey. I can reach out for an appointment and they work to get me in right away and their professionalism and care is always 110%!”
Maria Sanchez-O'Brien
Prepare for Your Visit to Health Builders
Bring the records that can help us understand what changed and what you have already tried. A short symptom list, test results, medicine list, and notes from other doctors can help us spend more time on your main questions.
New Patient Information
Write down when your symptoms started, whether they followed an illness, and what happens after activity. Bring Lyme tests, EBV results, COVID records, lab work, scans, and notes from other doctors. Include your medicines, supplements, past treatments, side effects, and the questions you want to discuss first.
Learn About Health Builders
Learn how Health Builders combines primary care, Functional Medicine, nursing support, and other treatment options. Read about our care philosophy and our Annandale clinic. Meet the doctors, nurse practitioner, and nurses who care for patients at Health Builders.
Read Our FAQs
Read answers about scheduling, forms, fees, insurance, Medicare, payment, and starting care at Health Builders. These general questions can be handled before your visit, so you can use your appointment to talk about your symptoms and treatment options.
Explore Your Care Options
Contact Health Builders
Call us when fatigue, symptoms after an illness, Lyme questions, or EBV test results are affecting your daily life. We can help you book an appointment with our team.
How is chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosed?
Chronic fatigue syndrome is also called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, or ME/CFS. Diagnosis is based on your symptoms, medical history, physical exam, and targeted testing. There is no single test that confirms ME/CFS.
CDC guidance looks for a major drop in your ability to function, post-exertional malaise, unrefreshing sleep, and problems with thinking or remaining upright. Post-exertional malaise means symptoms get worse after physical or mental activity, often hours later. These symptoms generally need to last six months or longer.
At Health Builders, we review when your symptoms began, how activity affects you, and which tests have already been completed.
What kind of doctor diagnoses chronic fatigue syndrome?
A primary care doctor can begin the evaluation for chronic fatigue syndrome. The first step is a detailed medical history and physical exam. Testing is then chosen based on your symptoms and current health.
Some patients may also need a neurologist, rheumatologist, or sleep specialist. These doctors can look for other conditions that cause similar symptoms. They can also treat health problems that occur alongside ME/CFS.
At Health Builders, we review how fatigue affects your work, sleep, thinking, and activity. We also review your test results and past treatments. Then we discuss treatment, follow-up, and referrals based on your health.
Can EBV test results explain ongoing fatigue?
EBV test results can help show whether an infection is recent or from the past. The full antibody pattern and your symptoms help your clinician decide what the result means.
VCA IgM antibodies usually appear early and fade within four to six weeks. VCA IgG antibodies appear during the early phase and usually remain for life. EBNA antibodies usually appear two to four months after symptoms begin and also remain. Antibodies to both VCA and EBNA usually point to a past infection.
More than 90 percent of adults have been infected with EBV. Bring the complete report and collection date to your appointment so we can review the full pattern.
How does a prior Lyme disease diagnosis or treatment affect your evaluation?
A prior Lyme disease diagnosis changes which records and treatment details we need to review. Bring the original test results. Also bring the dates of antibiotic treatment, medicine names, doses, and notes about how your symptoms changed.
The CDC recommends a two-step antibody testing process for Lyme disease. Lyme antibodies can remain elevated for months or years. A positive test cannot show whether treatment worked or whether an infection is still active. Your symptoms, possible tick exposure, exam, and other health problems also affect how the results are read.
Can Long COVID cause fatigue or symptoms after activity?
Yes! Fatigue and symptom worsening after activity are common with Long COVID. This pattern is called post-exertional malaise, or PEM.
CDC guidance defines PEM as a worsening of symptoms after even minor physical or mental effort. The increase often begins 12 to 48 hours after activity. It can last for days or weeks.
Keep notes about what you did, when symptoms increased, how long they lasted, and which activities became harder afterward. This information helps our team understand how Long COVID affects your daily function. It also shows which symptoms need the most attention during your appointment.
When might another specialist or referral be recommended?
A referral may be recommended when your symptoms or test results need a doctor with specific training. CDC guidance notes that people being evaluated for ME/CFS may see a neurologist, rheumatologist, or sleep specialist. These doctors can look for other causes of fatigue or treat conditions that occur alongside ME/CFS.
At Health Builders, we explain why a referral may help and which records should be sent. We also discuss how the specialist’s care fits with your treatment and follow-up. The choice depends on your symptoms, exam, test results, and remaining questions.
Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Lyme, and EBV FAQs
We put together some of the most common questions we get from our patients who have come to us with chronic fatigue, long COVID, lyme, and EBV so you can be more informed before arriving at the clinic.
Still Have Questions About Chronic Fatigue, Long COVID, Lyme, and EBV?
Contact our office, and we would be happy to answer anything that is unclear or anything you would like to know more about!
Discuss Your Symptoms With Our Care Team
Bring the test results, records, and questions you already have. Our team can review them with you and talk about chronic fatigue, Long COVID symptoms, Lyme history, EBV results, and treatment options. Schedule an appointment or call the clinic to get started.
Explore Our Holistic Health Hub
Read articles from Health Builders about common health questions, treatment options, first visits, and patient care. The Holistic Health Hub can help you learn before your appointment. It can also help you write down questions for our team.
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IV Nutrition Therapy: What Our Team Reviews With You
Medical Ozone Treatment Options: Questions About Oxygen Utilization and Cellular Repair
Questions About Starting Care With Us?
Find answers about scheduling, forms, fees, insurance, payment, and what to expect when you begin care at Health Builders.
Schedule Your Appointment in Annandale
If fatigue, Long COVID symptoms, Lyme history, or EBV questions are affecting your day, book an appointment with Health Builders in Annandale. Bring any test results, medicine lists, and notes from past treatment. Our team will review them with you.