Managing Cancer-Related Fatigue

[Joanne S]

http://www.cancercenter.com/newsletters/january_2008_newsletter.cfm

[Soccermom]

Dear Joanne,
Your posting is so timely! I was just commenting to a friend that i really need an exercise fitness evaluation or something to that effect. I am 3 years out (1 1/2 from last Chemo) and still feel fatigued. (I am still not finished w my recon so that is a factor.)
CTA seems to have a comprehensive plan to evaluate patients and design a program just for them. I am impressed.The regional cancer center here has no such capabilities as far as I know...wish it did!
Marcia

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

I feel the same as Marcia. I wish all these modalities were available to me at my (wonderful) Cancer Center. I have an oncological nutritionist (= Naturopathic provider) who is phenomenal, but way up north (with me in Fla). And I do SUPPLEMENT like crazy -- to keep my energy up, my immune system boosted, neutralizing free radicals and keeping them at bay, keeping my heart healthy, my stomach calm et al...

Mind-body medicine (http://www.cancercenter.com/complementary-alternative-medicine/mind-body-medicine.cfm) techniques like deep breathing, guided imagery and relaxation techniques, cognitive behavior therapy, stress management, humor therapy, massage, Reiki therapy, acupuncture, etc. (mentioned in the article) all have utterly intrigue me from the getgo! But a Yoga class here or there hasn't been tempting enough to me. Having access to all these techniques and therapies -- within my Cancer Center -- is a dream!

Great article, Joanne. Thanks so much for sharing.

BTW, my chronic fatigue issue has become a *given*, virtually ignored by my oncs who are focused on tx and success, which is of course fabulous, but... To just read that --talking on the telephone, shopping for groceries, or walking across a room can seem like too much, makes me feel sane! Such *tasks* seem foolish to fret over (to me and most pp). Yet, these are things I struggle with daily. I am blessed to have a DH who more than pitches in and leaves me free to work (on my book, keeping up w/my Great Group of outstanding women, maintain a life of joy and serenity, healing and wellness). I love that man!

I prefer *emailing* to talking on the phone, and can't ever offer a good reason. Reading this trait listed among the little things that can prove to be challenging validates this peculiar feeling I have and explains it somewhat. Wish an onc would have said that to me. I do push to keep going to the other side of my 3000 sq ft house often throughout the day. Sounds pretty wimpy I know, but I swear I'm doing the best I can. The article made me feel less guilty for being such a sloth (LOL)... I always marvel at those of you who care for children and go to work midst tx. Then I think
-- I guess we do what we have to. God, and/or the Universe support us in this. God will provide, I always tell myself. (I often seek to draw more energy from the infinite source within the Universe, meditating on achieving just that!)

I'm pretty much in uncharted waters here, in my 10th yr of Herceptin. Who knows what my *chemo induced* anemia is from. Lasting effects of Taxotere et al? H? It is what it is. And I deal as best I can...
Andi http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/smi/2b0000025e/06

[Catherine]

Glad we are talking about this. I work part time from home and manage family buiness items from home. Go to bed by 9pm, get up at 730am. Start working about 930am. and am pooped by 630pm. I do have a lot of energy during the day and I take a 30-60 minute brisk walk every day. I am adjusting to this feeling of fatigue. I have hopes that a year out from Herceptin, I will have more energy.

Hugs to all the other tired mammas like me.
Catherine

[Bill]

Hello, Ladies, I'm not sure if this will help, but there is some useful information in "The Cancer Survival Cookbook" written by Donna L. Weihofen, RD, MS and Christina Marino, MD, MPH. Some tips for nausea as well. Love, Bill

[goops]

I had terrible fatigue with chemo and it seemed like the minute my chemo was done people expected the fatigue to be gone. I finished chemo the end of November and I still get to tired if I try to exercise as much as I used to, at times my legs feel like they have 30 pound weights attached to each.

At work it is now the busiest time of the year and I am going through radiation. I hope I will be able to make it through without missing any time due to fatigue.

[Mary Anne in TX]

I'd love to comment on this wonderful article and my own fatique, but I'm too tired to write anymore!!!!! ma

[Paris]

That is a very good article and I think doctors need to be aware of it. That said, don't ignore the possibility of heart damage being part of the cause for your fatigue. There is a good article in the latest issue of HEAL that talks about heart and lung damage from chemo and radiation. It's not just the anthracyclines that cause the damage. Almost all chemo has the potential, although small, to cause heart damage. My onc. refused to believe my fatigue and heart issues were caused by chemo and or herceptin. It took my going to three cardiologists to find one that said my heart muscle damage was due to chemo and herceptin and he gave me 30 pages of clinical studies on the effects of various cancer drugs on the heart. A MUGA scan does not show any and all damage that can occur to the heart. As well, heart damage can show up years after finishing chemo.

Hope this sheds some light on the problem. Fatigue is real. It's getting to the root cause that is hard.

luv you
jamie