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Coping with fatigue: What are your coping tips?
Cancer: Managing Symptoms | Last Active: Sep 11 9:32pm | Replies (31)Comment receiving replies
The only advice my Oncologist has is to walk and drink energy drinks. May help some, but the fatigue is always present. The hard part is that resting doesn't alleviate it. I'm having trouble accepting this a my new normal. Any ideas
Replies to "The only advice my Oncologist has is to walk and drink energy drinks. May help some,..."
So true. Cancer treatment fatigue is bone deep and by all accounts you can’t get rid of it while you’re under treatment. No quick fix.
The way I looked at it my body was fighting very very hard to help beat the cancer cells. If my body needed me to conserve energy (lie on the couch and watch Netflix or whatever!) then that is what I did so my energy could be focussed on the battle going on inside me.
I accepted that I could only do the best I could do within my new limitations to help my body - whether that was resting, walking, having a hot scented bath and practising mindfulness or eating as healthily as I could.
It did frustrate me initially that I couldn’t run anymore during treatment and had trouble walking a fraction of the distance. A hill I used to run up as part of a long run became a struggle walking up and took 4 stops. I learned to chuckle and just be grateful I was out and about.
The best thing is also knowing that the fatigue does go away once treatments stop. I may not be back to running yet but I feel strong again walking up that hill without stop 😁
I hope that helps 🌹
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@ele I don't have that medication, but I do take chemo for my multiple myeloma, in addition to being on dialysis every day for kidney disease [not related to the myeloma].
Fatigue seems to be a common thread for almost every cancer patient I know. We muddle through each day, and "bank" our energy as we can to get through activities, right? Sometimes it has to do with the place we are on our chemo schedule, also. Would taking your chemo/medications at a different time of day make a difference, do you think?
Drinking a homemade protein drink [berries, greek yoghurt, almond milk, protein powder] several times a week, staying hydrated, eating healthy [and it's okay to have a cheat day!], don't exhaust yourself but move as much as you feel able to. And really, if you are tired, take a nap! Over the course of time I have found napping or sleeping when exhausted, no matter the time of day, can be a good thing. No, I don't work, or have youngsters to care for, so my schedule is much more flexible. Rarely sleeping more than 3 hours at a time at night, so napping is critical for me.
Ginger