A Survivor Story: Lynell Hunt
I’ve been putting off writing about cancer because I didn’t want to be reminded of what a difficult period of my life it was. From diagnosis through the early part of chemotherapy, I was a ball of
Read BlogSometimes survivors may feel extremely tired or feel like they don’t have enough energy to carry out daily activities. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms experienced by survivors during active treatment. Knowing the causes and how to recognize symptoms can help you manage fatigue.
Survivors can experience chronic fatigue because of the treatment they received for their cancer or because of the different emotions they are feeling during the cancer journey. Fatigue also can be a sign of a recurrence or another illness. Types of fatigue include:
If you feel fatigue, don't ignore it or convince yourself not to complain. Talk to your health care team about managing fatigue symptoms.
In most cases, your energy level will return to normal within the first six months after active treatment ends. However, studies have found that about 30 percent of cancer survivors may experience fatigue that lasts much longer, even for years. Certain cancer treatments are more likely to cause fatigue, such as:
Many people think that fatigue is something you only experience during treatment. In fact, some survivors experience fatigue months or years after completing active treatment.
If you’ve been feeling good for a while but suddenly become extremely tired again, you may be experiencing a new, severe fatigue. This can be a sign of infection or a late effect of cancer treatment. Make an appointment with your health care provider to discuss your fatigue.
Sometimes you won’t find the exact cause of your fatigue, but you and your health care team can still work together to help manage your fatigue. Some physical causes of fatigue include:
Fatigue can also be associated with depression (a prolonged feeling of sadness). Both can happen during your experience with cancer. Both are real problems that you should discuss with your health care team. However, being tired does not necessarily mean a survivor is depressed. Those around you might say things like, "You're not tired – you're just depressed." While depression may be one cause of fatigue, it’s important to discuss all possible physical and emotional causes with your health care team. Emotional causes of fatigue include:
Fatigue is a treatable condition, and you can work with your health care team to manage the symptoms. The medical community is working to understand fatigue and to find a cure.
___
Harpham, Wendy. After Cancer, A Guide to Your New Life. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995.
National Cancer Institute, U.S. National Cancer Institutes of Health Fatigue (last modified 10.04.07) http://www.Cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/fatigue/patient