Fatigue —feeling tired and lacking energy—is a very common symptom reported by cancer patients. The exact cause is not always known. It can be due to your disease, chemotherapy , radiation , surgery, low blood counts, lack of sleep, pain, stress, and poor appetite, along with many other factors.
Fatigue from chemotherapy feels different from fatigue of everyday life. Fatigue caused by chemotherapy can appear suddenly. Patients with cancer have described it as a total lack of energy and have used words such as worn out, drained, and wiped out to describe their fatigue. Rest does not always relieve it. Not everyone feels the same kind of fatigue. You may not feel tired while someone else does, or your fatigue may not last as long as someone else's does. It can last days, weeks, or even months.
Here are some tips on coping with fatigue:
RESOURCES:
American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org/
National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.ca/
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html/
References:
Cleveland Clinic. Cancer-related fatigue. Cleveland Clinic website. Available at: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/cancer/hic_cancer-related_fatigue.aspx.
Cresse M. Cancer fatigue. EBSCO Health Library website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/thisTopic.php?marketID=15topicID=81. Updated December 15, 2009. Accessed June 28, 2010.
DynaMed Editorial Team. Cancer-related fatigue. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php. Updated January 13, 2010. Accessed June 28, 2010.
Last reviewed July 2010 by Brian Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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