Why am i so tired after chemo?

If you have undergone chemotherapy, chances are you are constantly asking yourself this question. It seems like no matter how much rest you get or how well you eat, fatigue just keeps creeping back into your life. But what exactly causes this exhaustion? And is there anything that can be done to alleviate it? Here are some potential answers:

Breaking down the science

Before we delve into why chemo makes us feel like zombies, let’s first examine what happens to our bodies during treatment.

Cellular changes

Chemotherapy drugs work by targeting rapidly dividing cells in the body – which unfortunately includes not only cancer cells, but also healthy ones. The drugs essentially tell these cells to stop reproducing and/or die off altogether.

Immune system suppression

In addition to impacting cell growth and division, chemotherapy can also suppress immune system function- leaving us more vulnerable to infections.

Hormonal shifts

Certain types of chemotherapy may cause hormonal imbalances in both women and men

Exploring fatigue as a symptom

Now that we’ve covered the mechanisms behind how chemo works (or doesn’t work) let’s dive deeper into one particular symptom: fatigue!

Feeling run-down

Fatigue often describes a feeling of deep exhaustion – as if just getting up from bed sapped all your remaining energy away for the day.

Mental drain

Beyond physical symptoms keeping pace with everyday activities once easy might seem taxing on mental abilities too!

Sleeping on and on (and still being exhausted)

No matter how many hours slept at night/ during treatments or even naps taken through days patients will still wake up feeling lifeless.

Reducing fatigue: Tips & tricks

But don’t worry folks…not all of hope should be lost in recovery process! below listed actionable tips could help ease out some portion of above discussed aspects.

1) Exercise : Keeping the body active will help control hormone imbalances, such as excess cortisol levels (our stress hormone!) which ultimately can lead to more energy.

2) Prioritize Rest : We need both high quality sleep and relaxation in general. Try setting aside a specific block of time for regular naps or wind-down activities before bed!

3) Stay hydrated

By drinking sufficient water not only helps keep the mind alert but also controls immune function shifting the slowness due to dehydration that one may be feeling.

4)Lean on caffeine:

Little bit caffeine intake could elevate energy level quite some times so why waste money on Redbull when simple cup of brew gets he job done?

5) Enlist Support System

You would crave social interaction during these harsh days so why not connect with someone battling the same and share your coping strategies!

6) Mindfulness & Meditation

Some studies have shown these practices can greatly reduce fatigue symptom by just taking out as little time from day’s routine.

7) Proper dieting & Nutrition

Eating a well balanced meal – focusing intently on low glycemic index foods- seeweeds , oatmeals, nuts full if folic acid-vitamin stimulating growth hormones release.

8)Vitamins & supplements

Including multivitamins Vit C / B12/ Folate in particular that largely help against muscle pain or protein required after tissue damage

Fight through Crap :

Don’t let this phase define/start bothering you! Keep pushing until recovery is accomplished aided with following above steps slowly.

Conclusion…Be wary however don’t despair!

While it’s true that chemotherapy-related fatigue can feel absolutely soul-crushing at times, hope still exists. By taking care of ourselves mentally and physically- prioritizing rest; eating better etc we are ensuring best possible outcome whilst working alongside medical experts towards cancer beatdown once for all !

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