AFTER CANCER: POSTCANCER FATIGUE: RELATION TO DEPRESSION. REAL FATIGUE FOLLOWING CANCER TREATMENT
How Is Postcancer Fatigue Related to Depression?
As is discussed in the section on depression, dealing with the consequences of postcancer fatigue can increase your risk of developing depression. Depression may have been ruled out when you were first evaluated, and you may be coping as well as humanly possible. You believe that you cannot always choose your circumstances, but you can choose how you deal with them. Yet, despite your positive attitude, wonderful support, and deep faith, the physical changes caused by the chronic stress of dealing with postcancer fatigue can increase the risk of becoming depressed.
Depression is usually associated with such symptoms as lack of interest in activities that usually bring pleasure, significant weight loss or gain, changed sleep patterns, decreased ability to concentrate, and morbid thoughts. However, depression can also manifest itself solely as fatigue. Treating the depression will take care of this fatigue.
When being evaluated for postcancer fatigue, you will be assessed for any component of depression that might benefit from counseling and/or medication. When depression is misdiagnosed as postcancer fatigue, you are denied the benefit of effective treatment.
Take steps to minimize the development of depression in the setting of postcancer fatigue:
• Learn about postcancer fatigue.
•Learn to accept the changes and losses necessary to deal with your fatigue.
•Allow yourself to grieve the loss of energy.
•Develop new sources of enjoyment and relaxation to replace those no longer available. A variation of the same activity, such as playing competitive table tennis instead of full-court tennis, or working part-time instead of full-time, may help. On the other hand, this approach may be counterproductive because of the constant reminders of what has been lost. In this case an activity unlike the favored one is more therapeutic.
Postcancer fatigue is a medical problem like other medical problems. Proper evaluation and treatment allow you to minimize its effect on your new life.
What If My Doctors and Nurses Say There Is No Such Thing as Postcancer Fatigue?
Since “postcancer fatigue” is a newly coined term, time will tell whether it becomes widely accepted. However, no matter what it is called, the fatigue following cancer treatment is real. All of the information provided about the causes, course, evaluation, and treatment of postcancer fatigue applies to the cancer survivor with persistent fatigue after all treatable causes of fatigue are resolved. Work with your health care team to prevent, minimize, and treat all of your symptoms, including fatigue. Learn how to adjust so as to minimize the pain, debility, and loss following successful treatment.
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