Fatigue is a very common effect of cancer - and of cancer treatments. It doesn't
help that you're probably eating less, you may be experiencing considerable
stress and possibly a fair amount of pain, and you may not have enough red blood
cells circulating.
Fatigue is usually most noticeable at the beginning and end of a chemotherapy
medication treatment cycle, but you may have to deal with it at any time - even
people who are not going through chemotherapy can sometimes get very fatigued.
Fortunately, there are ways to cope with fatigue and revive your energy.
To increase your energy: Avoid quick fixes like coffee and candy bars
- you might get a little burst of energy, but it won't last that long. Deal
with fatigue at the source:
- Eat a well-balanced diet.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Work on relaxation - try to reduce your stress level. Talk to your
health professional or a counselor about stress reduction techniques.
- Talk to your doctor about doing light exercise. Exercise is good
for keeping healthy and lively, and it also helps in dealing with stress.
But you need to make sure you don't do too much.
- If you don't have enough red blood cells circulating (a condition known
as anemia), talk to your doctor about your options for dealing with
it. Treatment options range from increasing the iron in your diet to increasing
the production of red blood cells with a medication called erythropoietin
to blood replacement or transfusion.
To cope with fatigue: You may not be able to avoid feeling tired some
of the time. So be kind to yourself - don't make yourself even more tired than
you already are. Give yourself a break.
- Don't go, go, go - instead, pause, pause, pause. Stop every so often
during the day to take a break, have a nap, read a book or magazine, or just
sit in the park or in a comfortable chair.
- Prioritize. Do the important things first, and get around to the
rest when you're less tired.
- Get a little help. Ask your family and friends to help you with chores
and errands such as shopping and cleaning. If you have children, get family
members to look after them every so often.