Fatigue is the number one persistent side effect of chemotherapy. It may take you a year or more to recover your energy. You might feel frustrated or sad. You may miss the person you used to be or long for the things that you used to do.
Be patient and allow yourself time to recover. Trust in your ability to heal and to care for yourself. By using the strategies below, you can actively increase your energy during this healing period. Be persistent and you will discover what is best for you to relieve fatigue and increase your energy.
Strategies to Improve Energy
Exercise: Regular exercise has been shown to improve energy levels in people with cancer. Keep up the exercise you started during chemo or start a new routine of regular exercise. Build up slowly to avoid injury, and as you become stronger, you can increase your exercise intensity.
Sleep: Adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. You may need more than this in the initial phase of recovery. Allow yourself enough time in bed for falling asleep and getting your hours of sleep. Discuss insomnia with your doctor if it takes you more than thirty minutes to fall asleep or if you wake frequently in the early morning hours.
Good Nutrition: Look at what you are eating and drinking. Are you drinking enough water? Dehydration causes fatigue. Are you eating too much sugar? The ups and downs of blood sugar can cause fatigue in the form of a “sugar crash.” Return to eating protein at every meal and lots of vegetables and fruits, minimizing sugar and staying hydrated.
Consider Depression: Fatigue is one symptom of depression. Ask yourself if your mood is always down or if you have trouble enjoying the good parts of your life. Talk about this with your doctor and ask about seeing a therapist or taking a medication for depression.
Stress Management: As you return to your usual duties at work and at home, your stress level may increase. Stress is exhausting. What can you do to manage your stress? Can you return to your Mindset? What techniques can you use to lessen how anxious or tense you feel? Restart what helped during your treatment or try a new technique. Many medications can cause fatigue or sleepiness, so it’s helpful to review your medications with your doctor and ask if any can be changed or if the dose can be moved to bedtime.
Remember to be gentle with yourself and always ask your doctor when any symptom isn’t getting better or doesn’t seem right.
This post is adapted from a chapter in Braving Chemo: What to Expect, How to Prepare and How to Get Through It, by Beverly A. Zavaleta MD, 2019.
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