Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion and it’s a common problem experienced by between 80%-90% of people being treated with chemotherapy and radiation.

For some, the fatigue may be mild, whilst for others it can make carrying out your everyday tasks difficult, leaving you feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. Other symptoms may be difficulty concentrating, difficulty in remembering things, difficulty sleeping, loss of interest in self or others, problems sleeping, crying, low mood etc.  Cancer related fatigue isn’t  relieved fully by sleep, as it is for people who do not have cancer.

The fatigue may improve once treatment finishes but it can last for months or even years.

Keeping active can help, some days walking to the bathroom may be all that you can do, once you are stronger short walks around the house and doing more day to day tasks yourself will help.  Always going with your intuition, increase your activity bit by bit as you become stronger.

Fatigue can affect both your work and home life, relationships may become strained as you spend less time with family or friends.  Talking therapy/counselling as a couple/family can be very helpful at this time.

So, what can you do to help reduce the effects of fatigue?

  1. Stay active, this may mean simply walking across the room or it may be a daily walk. Follow your intuition and do what you can, when you can. Build up as your body allows. 
  • Rest when you can.  Schedule a short nap and or regular rest breaks throughout the day.
  • Eat well, with the majority of your diet being vegetables, the more colourful the better, some nuts, grains, beans, pulses.  Keep your fluid intake up, with water, herbal teas etc.  Speak to a nutritional therapist for specific advice on diet.
  • The effects of fatigue can be stressful and overwhelming, incorporate into your daily habits some useful relaxation techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, prayer, talking therapy, listening to music, breathwork.  Complementary therapies such as yoga, acupuncture, hypnosis, reiki, massage and reflexology have shown a positive role in managing cancer-related symptoms and general wellbeing.
  • Establish a healthy sleep routine, aim to get 7-8 hours sleep each night.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17573451
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5661353/