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Fatigue and cancer treatment: How do you cope?
It seems that fatigue has affected all aspects of life in the years I have had treatment for multiple myeloma. (Into 4th year.)The cancer causes fatigue, and all treatments list fatigue as most common side effect. My greatest challenge has been to manage time so fatigue doesn't rule every day, and I wonder how others deal with it. My greatest strategy comes from recognizing that there is major difference between physical and mental fatigue. I have activities that are doable when physical fatigue limits what I do, like writing, mind games, or reading. But having physical energy doesn't always mean I feel like quilting, baking, etc. I just feel lazy!
How do you deal with your fatigue so you stay productive in a good way that keeps you happy?
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hi!
Fatigue is cumulative, which is not great so we have to be able to live and do things, anything. I started out walking on the days that I felt like moving, and moving, gets you motivated to move some more. Who knew! Anyways, walk from mail box to mail box in your neighborhood. Walk to same one til you feel that you have conquered that! Then move on the the next mailbox. I eventually met everyone in my h=neighborhood, and am walking almost to miles per day. this does work!! Walk in the morning, when you have most of your energy. Rest when you come home drink plenty of water. When you feel like you have gained some energy back, do something else, make your bed , put make-up on, these are all motivators for me. Hopefully, you will get stronger, each day and this will be less of a big pill to swallow. It still will be there, but you just have to battle it back. Somedays, I don't have the energy so I split up on walk into two segments. Tring to get at least a mile in. Do this it helps, no pills needed just will power!!
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6 Reactions2 miles, duh!! Horrible at texting but I try!
For me, walking was my way to combat fatigue and muscle loss while I was on chemo and then recovering from my transplant. I eventually started doing small chores like making a simple meal or doing the dishes - any kind of movement is good!
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3 ReactionsI let my body dictate what I was feeling. On good days, I would go outside ( even in -30C weather just to breathe fresh air…. It would give me a brain boost every time…. Just a different scenery helps me let go of disturbing thoughts. One day my Apple Watch clocked 25 steps in 24 hours…. I think I only went to the washroom that day….. and the next day I felt a little better. My body was so stressed by my allergic reactions to most of the chemo drugs they were trying to get in me…. That I quickly learned to listen very closely to my body…. And then one day long after the radiation treatment ended…. I went to my favourite flower garden and slowly walked around…. Realizing I was still alive and breathed deeply and a couple of months later I was driving to pick up my daughter and caught myself smiling and thinking…today is a good day to be alive! Listen to your body..mine is good at telling me what I can and cannot accomplish “that day” ☀️
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