Fatigue: “I’m just too tired….”
Fatigue, or lack of energy, is one of the most common side effects from cancer and cancer treatment. It may be a symptom of the cancer and the reason for the initial diagnosis. It could be the result of surgery. It can take weeks to months to heal and recover from surgery. For the first month or two of chemotherapy or radiation after surgery, fatigue may be overwhelming.
Radiation will cause fatigue. With radiation, you may feel greater chronic fatigue with each week of treatment. And the fatigue can last up to 6 months after radiation stops.
Chemotherapy can have a cumulative effect. The fatigue it causes may last until treatment is finished. Some women say they felt fatigue up to a year after chemotherapy ended. Many women, though, are so happy treatment is over that they don’t let the feeling of fatigue stop them from living an active and fulfilling life.
Here are some of the more common causes of fatigue:
- lifestyle and daily responsibilities — job, housework, caring for family, financial worries
- not getting enough sleep
- getting too much sleep
- poor dietary habits
- not taking in enough fluids or nutrients
- too much exercise without allowing the muscles to rest
- lack of exercise and activity
- medical issues, including anemia, or electrolyte imbalances, which can be caused by dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea
- depression
- pain
Fatigue is hard to measure. So it may not always be thought of as an important side effect. One way to measure fatigue is to tell your doctor or nurse how it interferes with daily activities. You can rate fatigue on a scale of 0-10. Zero means no fatigue, and 10 means the worst fatigue. Then describe the fatigue on a daily basis.
Some women keep a fatigue journal. That way they can identify patterns and plan activities or social events around their fatigue. Talk to your doctor about how fatigue affects your mood, daily activities, concentration, and ability to work or care for yourself or your family. The doctor and nurse will want to know if your fatigue came on suddenly or gradually. Sudden fatigue may indicate something serious. Coming on gradually is typical of treatment-related fatigue.
Research shows that increasing activity is an excellent way to increase energy levels. Activity will keep your circulation healthy and prevent muscles from getting weak. Try to maintain a daily routine as much as possible. A routine blood test can check for anemia as well as fluid and electrolyte problems that can cause fatigue.
