As many as nine out of ten people experience cancer related fatigue (CRF) either before, during or after diagnosis and/or treatment.
Unlike being tired, CRF is not usually related to the amount of rest or sleep, activity levels, or exertion. It is a severe state of exhaustion that can come on quite unexpectedly and can affect all aspects of a patient’s quality of life.
The causes of CRF are not fully understood. It may be caused by the cancer itself, the symptoms or be a side effect of treatment.
It is important to remember that your feelings of fatigue are unique and personal to you and managing it can be greatly helped by gaining a better understanding of what has a positive or negative effect on your energy levels.
What are the signs of CRF?
- Feeling tired and it does not get better with sleep or rest – it keeps coming back, or it becomes more severe.
- Feeling more tired than usual during or after activity
- Feeling tired and it is not related to an activity
- Arms and legs feel heavy and hard to move
- Having no energy and, or feeling weak
- Spending more time in bed and, or sleeping more and/or having trouble sleeping
- Having trouble concentrating or becoming confused
- Experiencing tiredness that disrupts work, social life or daily routine