Discovering that a loved one has cancer is a scary and heartbreaking time. There can be a lot of fear for both you and your loved one as you look to his future and what it will be like. Luckily, cancer treatments have come a long way in the past few decades, and many cancers, if caught early enough, can either be cured or put into remission with treatment.
The treatment your loved one’s doctor prescribes is often not easy either. While treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery aim to eliminate the cancerous cells within the body, they often affect other areas of a person’s overall health as well. Your loved one may need some substantial cancer care at home, support, and help with daily living activities as he goes through his treatment regimen.
Fatigue and Cancer Treatment
One of the most common side effects of cancer treatment is fatigue. The most common treatments that lead to extreme fatigue are:
- Chemotherapy: Patients who have chemotherapy often experience extreme fatigue in the days immediately following the treatment.
- Immunotherapy: Fatigue often builds during the first weeks of treatment, but can appear at any time.
- Radiation: Fatigue starts after the first couple of weeks and continues to get worse throughout radiation therapy, with relief coming after radiation is complete.
- Surgery: Fatigue is common after any surgery as the body recovers.
Managing Fatigue
If your loved one is living on his own during his cancer treatments, helping him manage and cope with the extreme fatigue he may feel is a great way to provide the support he needs during this part of his cancer journey. Cancer care at home providers can help, and there are several steps that your loved one can take to help reduce the fatigue that they’ll be feeling.
- Eat well and stay hydrated. Both of these look easy on paper, but can be very difficult for someone having adverse reactions to the chemotherapy or other cancer treatments being received. Chemotherapy often causes a person to become very nauseous and/or may cause diarrhea. Talk to your loved one about eating small amounts of bland food and drinking plenty of water throughout the day to avoid the fatigue that comes with being undernourished.
- Sleep well. Again, easier said than done. Sleeping can be difficult for patients who are experiencing pain or discomfort. Your loved one can take steps to promote better nighttime sleep, such as avoiding extremely long naps during the day and eliminating caffeine before bed.
- Be physically active. While your loved one needs to take it easy and not overextend himself, adding daily exercise will help him build up his energy levels and keep his muscles in shape.
- Don’t overdo it. While exercise is good, getting too much can backfire. Have someone help with your loved one’s cancer care at home by helping with home chores or yard work. A cancer care at home team will step in and assist your loved one where he needs it.
Signs of Dangerous Fatigue & Cancer Care at Home
While fatigue is normal, if your loved one or his cancer care at home team notices these symptoms, he should visit his doctor right away for an evaluation.
- An inability to get out of bed for 24 hours.
- Not able to fully wake up from sleep.
- Problems with breathing during physical movements.
- Fatigue that is getting worse when it should be improving.
It’s a long and tiring road, but your loved one will soon be experiencing brighter days ahead.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Cancer Care at Home in Fresno, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
