Post cancer treatment fatigue

Hi Markb29,

Thanks for getting in touch. I hope you find the online community a safe and supportive space to connect with others affected by cancer.

My name is Eileen, and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists working on the Macmillan support line. 

I’m sorry to hear that your father is suffering from extreme fatigue following his cancer treatment and feels unwell.

If his GP has assessed his fatigue and other symptoms and ruled out any other contributing factors such as anaemia or other medical conditions, it is likely that your father is suffering from cancer-related fatigue.

As many as 9 out of 10 people with cancer (90%) get cancer-related fatigue (CRF). It usually improves when treatment is completed but it can continue for months or even years.

There aren’t any drug treatments currently to treat CRF but there are things that can help people to manage their fatigue. We know that being active, eating a healthy well-balanced diet and keeping a normal sleep routine can be helpful. Some people also find complimentary therapies of benefit and several studies have shown that cognitive behavioural therapy can help people to cope with fatigue.

As fatigue is a common symptom the University of Southampton in collaboration with Macmillan have designed RESTORE which provides information about how to manage fatigue and can improve confidence in coping with the condition.

I do hope this information is helpful but please know that you can call one of our nurses to discuss things further.

Take care and best wishes,

 Eileen

(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 send us an email. 

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