Page 84 - LIVESTRONG Digital Guidebook
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“I still get fatigued. I do not have the energy that I once had, but the time
that I do have, I make sure it is pretty much all out. I exercise … spend
time relaxing with my wife … I take naps every day too.” —CHRIS O.
Keep track of what happens CANCER TREATMENT AND FATIGUE
between medical appointments:
Fatigue or feeling physically exhausted is a very com-
Write down dates of side effects and mon side effect of cancer treatment. You may have
symptoms as well as what you experienced. no energy to do things that are important to you.
Fatigue can also affect you mentally and emotionally.
Note how long the symptom lasted and what
did and did not help. The causes of fatigue can include physical prob-
lems such as pain, stress, anemia or the side effects
If you develop pain or other serious concerns, of treatment. Sometimes the cause is emotional
contact your doctor right away or go to the such as depression. Other times, the cause might
hospital emergency room. not be clear. Yet, fatigue can usually be successfully
medically managed.
General
• Fatigue or weakness Tell your health care provider if you are fatigued.
• Swelling and soreness Describe your level of fatigue by using terms like
• Cough or shortness of breath mild, moderate or severe. Your health care team will
• Low white blood cell counts or low levels try to find out what is causing the fatigue so they can
of platelets (rare) provide the best treatment to help relieve it.
• Emotional effects
DEALING WITH TREATMENT SIDE EFFECTS
HORMONE THERAPY It is very important to talk with your health care team
about reactions to or side effects from treatment.
Hormone therapy is a treatment that adds, blocks Ask the provider if you are unsure whether your
or removes hormones. During this type of treat- symptom is related to your treatment.
ment, surgery may be needed to remove a gland that
makes a certain hormone. In some cases, hormones Your health care team members will be able to
may be given to adjust low hormone levels. Synthetic help you with treatment and side effects by:
hormones or other drugs may be used to block the
body’s natural hormones in order to slow or stop • Telling you how to deal with a medical
the growth of certain cancers. This may be done for emergency such as a fever
prostate and breast cancer. Talk with your health care • Providing information about your
provider about the benefits and risks (such as osteo- specific cancer treatment plan
porosis) of this type of treatment. If you want to get • Describing risks of treatment
pregnant after undergoing this type of treatment, ask and possible side effects
about risks and recommended waiting periods. • Helping you manage side effects
• Managing pain medically
LIVESTRONG Fertility offers reproductive • Identifying specialized care that
information, support and hope to cancer patients may be needed
and survivors whose medical treatments present the • Referring you to other health care providers
risk of infertility. You can call 855.220.7777 or go to • Creating a plan for follow-up health care
LIVESTRONG.org/fertility. LIVESTRONG Fertil- when treatment ends
ity may be able to help reduce fertility preservation
costs for qualified patients.
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