About fatigue
Fatigue is the most common side effect of cancer and cancer treatments. 80-90% of cancer patients suffer from fatigue during their first year of treatment. One in three people with cancer experience symptoms of extreme fatigue for multiple years meaning that tens of millions of people across the world suffer from long-term cancer related fatigue.
Symptoms
- Feeling exhausted
- Overwhelm
- Long recovery periods
- Negative impact on daily life
- You can’t be who you want to be
- Feeling exhausted
- Overwhelm
- Long recovery periods
- Negative impact on daily life
- You can’t be who you want to be
Effects
Fatigue can be a heavy burden on daily life. It has a major impact on physical, emotional, cognitive and social functioning and can make everyday activities, work and social contact much more difficult.
Causes
Cancer and cancer treatment often have unpleasant side effects, such as insomnia, low mood, reduced physical activity, and anxiety. All of these things are connected and contribute to the fatigue. Untire tackles all potential factors. Ultimately, you can keep fatigue under control by learning to deal with those factors.
Solutions
There is no magic pill that solves cancer related fatigue. However, solutions that have proven to be effective include:
- Psychoeducation
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Exercise programmes (strength training, walking, swimming, cycling, etc.)
- Mind-body interventions: yoga, reiki, etc.
These solutions deliver great results, and especially when combined.
In short, cancer related fatigue is a complex problem that requires a multimodal approach. Untire offers that approach.