Hey, I have stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and recently I have been so tired, from the moment I start the day, any tips on how to override the tiredness? My.iron levels came back normal so I don’t really get it lol
3 Likes
Hi @Leonardo1993 No matter what blood cancer we might have I think a lot of us battle with tiredness or fatigue.
I attach a link to the Blood Cancer UK website on fatigue Blood cancer and fatigue | Blood Cancer UK
I apologise if you feel that tiredness is different to fatigue, which I actually do too but the severity of your tiredness made me wonder if it was actually fatigue. .
I can be wiped out by stress, emotional, physical, medical or practical things etc.
I sometimes find fresh air and appropriate exercise actually helps.
I also find diversion tactics i.e. a coffee with friends sometimes helps me.
Perhaps it is worth talking to your specialist nurse, GP or consultant and telling them the severity of your symptom and impact on your life.
I hope others can help you as well.
Be kind to yourself and please do keep posting how you are
4 Likes
Hey there @Leonardo1993, really sorry to hear about your Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and tiredness. While I have a different blood cancer to you, Polycythaemia vera (PV), I have had terrible fatigue and found some ways to offset it. Like dear @Erica said, sounds like you might have fatigue, which to me feels bone-deep rather than a heady sort of tiredness. Stress and simply following treatment can cause horrible fatigue. Maybe do some reading on cancer-related fatigue which something like 80-100 % of us deal with. Grim, right?!
In my case, fatigue started after I’d begun chemotherapy. I had no symptoms prior to diagnosis with Polycythaemia vera (PV) so I’m pretty sure my fatigue is caused by chemotherapy and exacerbated by stress.
After finding some research about stuff that helps cancer-related fatigue, I’ve been doing regular yoga and getting bright daylight into my eyes every morning. The daylight helps regulate my circadian rhythm which improves sleep and thus energy. Seems counterintuitive but the yoga really does energise me and I can do more in a day and think more clearly after. More bendy now too! Same with hiking, especially being out in the woods, although I’m having to shorten my routes since starting chemo as I get knackered faster.
Anecdotally, I’ve found mostly cutting out alcohol benefits my energy and moods. Resting when a bout of fatigue comes on helps, otherwise my thinking stalls and it’s like I’m glitching. Eating smaller meals and foods that are easier to digest means less energy spent with food coma fatigue. And like @Erica says, get out to see loved ones for coffee and there’s your daylight, exercise and caffeine-boost all in one!
Others on the forum who live with blood disorders, like dear @Rammie18, have noted that fatigue can be worsened by having low iron, but that’s something to check with your specialists if yours ever gets too low.
Hope this helps, even a little! Let us know how it goes.
2 Likes