Blog Post

Fatigue Management

  • By Elle Woodford
  • •
  • 28 Mar, 2019
  • •

Fatigue is one of the most common side effects from cancer and cancer treatments. Here are some tips to help you reduce fatigue and into thrive mode again to get the most out of life!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 3 min. read         

Feeling exhausted? More than what a good night’s sleep would fix? 

Fatigue in the cancer journey is common.  It occurs in up to 94% of breast cancer patients at some point after diagnosis but is common in all types of cancer. And for many people, this is what limits them returning to full participation in life including work, daily tasks at home and social activities.  The diagram below outlines the complexity of causes.

The proposed causes of cancer related fatigue include:

  • The cancer itself and the cancer treatments changing normal protein and hormone levels that are linked to inflammatory processes which can cause or worsen fatigue.
  • Pain (can be cancer pain or side effects from deconditioning and related causes).
  • Cancer treatments killing normal cells AND cancer cells which leads to a build up of cell waste and requires the body to use more energy to  clean up and repair damaged tissues.
  • The cancer forming toxic substances that change the way normal cells work.
  • Secondarily from results of cancer and cancer treatments such as low levels of certain blood cells (e.g. Anaemia is common)+, sleep problems, stress, pain, lack of exercise and not eating enough.

Fatigue often starts during chemotherapy or radiation but if not managed well, can last long after cancer treatments have ended. It is such a frustrating and debilitating side effect which is often not managed at all by your medical team. Fatigue is more than just feeling a bit tired, and many of your family, friends and even doctors may struggle to understand this but your cancer physiotherapist does and is able to help.

Active coping strategies such as physical activity and stress management have been shown to be most effective in relieving fatigue and therefore improving your quality of life. When you feel so fatigued, often the last thing you feel like doing is getting out there and exercising but your physiotherapist can help you through an individualised exercise program at an intensity and volume you can handle which will really work, without getting the hit of fatigue afterwards. It might be as simple as a walking program - starting with what you can comfortably handle now and slowly progressing. 

Your cancer physiotherapist can also provide realistic advice on structuring your daily routine and rest periods – working with you so you can take control of what you can do to help yourself and improve your quality of life. Think of your energy levels like a battery - try to get exercise or essential housework done early when your battery is full, but don't do too much to deplete the battery otherwise you will crash and run on empty for the rest of the day. Rest when your battery level is still above about 30% (well before you feel exhausted) and your energy will replenish easier so you can do more for the rest of the day. That way you can actually do more in your day and still feel less fatigued. Your cancer physiotherapist can help you schedule your day with your individual needs and goals to combat fatigue and gain strength.

We hope you enjoyed another Thrive Tip :)



SOURCE:  Acknowledgement PINC & STEEL International - Lou James (Physiotherapist ) for the diagram

Advanced Cancer

By Elle Woodford • 13 May, 2021

Receiving the news that you (or someone close to you) has advanced or palliative cancer:

A: Is devastating

B: Hard to comprehend

C: Earth shattering

D: Comes with a wide range of emotions and thoughts (for you and your family/friends)

E: All of the above + more

Let’s just acknowledge for a moment that no-one else can understand exactly what you are feeling in a time that words can often not do enough to describe, especially in the short term just after you have learnt of disease progression. Now tough question – what are the things you would like to be able to continue to be able to do, for as long as possible, and hopefully right through to the end? Could it perhaps be being able to spend time with family - children or grandchildren? Being able to walk around the lake or along the beach? To continue working full time or travel? Or perhaps to get out for coffee regularly with a close friend?

Is there anything you can do to help maintain your ability to do these things that mean the most to you to improve your quality of life?

The answer is YES – and one of those things is EXERCISE!

I’m sure that’s just what you thought you would love to do right now. So how can it help, and why should you spend any valuable time exercising?

Exercise rehabilitation has been shown to be effective in improving:

-        Strength

-        Physical and daily functioning

-        Social functioning

-        Independence

-        Emotional wellbeing

-        Quality of life

-        Reducing fatigue!

-        A sense of meaning

-        Positive involvement in your own health/reclaiming some control

A third of cancer patient’s reduction in physical functioning is due to physical inactivity – the less you do, the less you are capable of doing. Muscles can waste very quickly due to cancer and it really is much easier to maintain your strength and function that it is to try to regain it once lost so it is worth doing even before you notice any physical decline.

Exercise rehabilitation with your physiotherapist could involve tailored physical exercise (which could start from as little as 5 minutes per day) such as going for a walk, gentle Pilates based exercises, getting into the gym – whatever level you are at, there will be something you can do. It could even be down to things like working on your leg muscles to help you get out of a chair, balance exercises to help walking to the bathroom or kitchen, or even just prescribed range of motion exercises like lifting your arms or tensing your leg muscles if you are bedridden. 

If you have bone metastases, you may need to avoid high intensity aerobic and resistance training but exercise is still beneficial and there is still plenty of exercises your physio will be able to help you with, under the guidance of restrictions from your medical team. Resting only quickens your decline and reduces survival. 

Your physiotherapist could also help with relaxation strategies and breathlessness management. See our next blog on the importance of breathing for more info on this.

So, there are things you can do to improve your wellbeing and quality of life! Exercise is worth your valuable time and even though it may feel scary and risky exercising, inactivity and not moving much is a risk too and is more detrimental to you and your health! So get moving, and get your cancer physio on board to help you along in the process. 

Lymphoedema - What Can You Do?

By Elle Woodford • 07 May, 2019
From minor swelling that is barely noticeable to lymphoedema that is really getting you down, there are options to treat and manage to suit you. _min read
Share by: