Exhaustion

Hi Maci

Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to the Online Community.  I can see you have already joined our very supportive Prostate and Bladder cancer group forums.   I hope you find the support from others helpful.

My name is Susan and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

I’m sorry to hear that you are experiencing bouts of exhaustion and I can appreciate that this is distressing for you.

It can take up to 3 months after surgery for most people to start to feel like themselves again. And that’s for those that don’t have any post-operative complications.

Fatigue is very common and can be caused by cancer itself or the side effects of treatments. It’s important to tell your GP and hospital team about your fatigue and how it makes you feel, without playing it down. There are ways they may be able to help, so please do give your GP a call.

Keeping a fatigue diary can help you understand your triggers and see any patterns in your energy levels. Planning ahead and pacing yourself is key. Listening to your body and resting between activities is important too. It can be difficult to find the right balance between activity and rest, which is where the diary can help.

Never underestimate the psychological effects that having a cancer diagnosis can have too.

I hope this information is helpful but if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to get back in touch.

Best wishes,

Susan

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us.

Ref: SM/HC