You don’t know why you’re so tired. Your doctors can’t really tell you why, either. It could be your body or your treatment. Your friends don’t understand why you can’t just rest up like them. Like so many other things in your life, cancer makes fatigue different.
Here are some explanations as to why you’re feeling down but this list is not meant to be a diagnosis tool, just a guide. Check out the Mayo Clinic for more detail:
- Cancer causes changes to your body that can lead to fatigue. There could be a release of proteins called cytokines which are thought to cause drowsiness. Also, your body is using more energy as it fights so you have less energy for everything else.
- Your treatment may cause fatigue. People react to treatments in different ways. Your energy is being used to create healthy cells and repair tissue.
- You can develop anemia if your body kills too many red blood cells or if it has difficulty generating new ones.
- The gamut of emotions you feel during your cancer journey can wear you down and make you fatigued.
- You may have disruptions in your sleep patterns with long periods of rest partnered with long periods of unrest. It’s difficult to feel refreshed when you’re unregulated.
- If you’re consistently nauseated or vomiting, you’re less likely to consume good foods for energy production.
- Medications can be soporific.
- It’s been said that maintaining an active lifestyle gives you energy. The opposite is true for the sedintary lifestyle many cancer patients lead.
Explain to your friends and loved ones that you’re not at top form and they should be there rooting for you when you’re back in the game.
Source:
Mayo Clinic
Image source:
Fightingliberals.com
