Drinking lots of fluids and eating well can help keep your energy reserves up. If nausea and vomiting make it hard to eat, talk to your doctor about these side effects. Get moving. Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, riding a bike and swimming, throughout the week may help you preserve your energy level.
Exercise, yoga, massage therapy, counseling, and dietary or nutritional counseling are all used to help treat fatigue and weakness. If you're having problems sleeping or sleeping too much, your doctor or nurse may suggest sleep therapy.
Eating small meals or a snack every three to four hours will help keep your energy level constant. Try 1/4 cup of nuts or seeds, whole grain crackers topped with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, or 2 tablespoons of hummus as a dip with baby carrots to boost energy. Eat more when you're feeling well. Cut the Caffeine.
Start slowly and build up the amount of physical activity over time. Build up to 150-300 minutes of moderate (or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity) activity each week. Exercise several times a week for at least 10 minutes at a time. Include resistance training exercise at least 2 days per week.
Nearly everyone who has chemotherapy has some fatigue. This is because most chemotherapy drugs affect your red blood cell count. It can cause the levels to drop between treatments, this is called anaemia. Many people feel very fatigued during this time.
Cancer and cancer treatment can change normal protein and hormone levels that are linked to inflammatory processes which can cause or worsen fatigue. Treatments kill normal cells and cancer cells, which leads to a build-up of cell waste. Your body uses extra energy to clean up and repair damaged tissue.
If your oncologist worries that your body is not strong enough to withstand chemotherapy, they will likely recommend other treatment options. Fortunately, cancer treatments are always evolving and improving.
Fatigue often goes away after your last cancer treatment. For some people though, it can last for months after treatment ends.
Some chemotherapy drugs can damage the nerves that send signals between the central nervous system and the arms and legs. This is called peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms include tingling (“pins and needles”), numbness or pain in your hands and feet, and muscle weakness in your legs.
Short, planned delays in chemotherapy for good-risk GCT patients (less than or equal to 7 days per cycle) appear to be acceptable since they may prevent serious toxicity in this curable patient population. Delays of longer than 7 days are strongly discouraged except in extraordinary life-threatening circumstances.
In other words, antioxidants in pill form have the potential to counteract the effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Common antioxidant supplements taken by patients include vitamins A, C, and E, carotenoids (such as beta-carotene and lycopene) as well as selenium and Coenzyme Q10.
Drink 8 to 10 (8-ounce) glasses of liquids every day so you don't get dehydrated (losing more fluid from your body than usual). Water, juices diluted (mixed) with water, or liquids containing electrolytes (such as Pedialyte, Gatorade, Powerade, and other sports drinks) are good choices.
For most people the side effects were worst in the first few days after treatment, then they gradually felt better until the next treatment. Some said the effects were worse with each successive treatment. Most side effects don't persist and disappear within a few weeks after the end of treatment.
You might feel the most tired when your blood cells are at their lowest (nadir). This is usually 7 to 14 days after treatment. When the chemotherapy ends, the blood cell levels gradually go back to normal over a few weeks.
Cancer cells take up the needed space and nutrients that the healthy organs would use. As a result, the healthy organs can no longer function. For other people, complications from treatment can cause death. During the final stages of cancer, problems may occur in several parts of the body.
Supplementation with ginseng, ginger or probiotics may improve cancer survivors' energy levels.