Coping with fatigue.

[Farni]

I have recently been diagnosed withCLL and am finding it challenging coping with the constant tiredness and lethargy.Any tips?

[SofiaDeo]

Plan on some things taking 2-3 times longer than usual, and figure out what you are willing to give up re: daily chores, things you don't really NEED or HAVE to do. I find it frustrating to try to do too much & not finish. Delegate more when you can; let others drive, or bring in the groceries, or carry laundry, etc. It doesn't seem like much, but it adds up. Stay hydrated, eat well. Make sure you have the nutrient balance to make Red Blood Cells, Neutrophils, etc. to avoid any drops in them due to lack of iron, protein, etc. I find my major expenditure now is food....and I can tell, physically, if I'm not eating well. You may find that like me, your protein need will go up, the cancer cells are pulling nutrients & you may need extra other nutrients to continue to make normal blood cells, healthy skin, & muscle. Avoid sugary junk stuff & too much caffeine...the boost isn't worth the crash. Nap if you can, turn off TV/devices that emit blue light very early in the evening. Go to bed early if you can, even if it seems ridiculous (sometimes I go to bed 6pm & get up 9am, when my night sweats are really bad & I wake 3+ times a night). Good Luck!

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

Welcome Farni. And my goodness you have to be tired from the caring support you are providing your husband and now your father and mother. Your stress levels have to be way too high for anything but fatigue.

I am so sorry for you mother's recent diagnosis that is concerning to you and your father and for your husband's illnesses.

Sometimes it is true what is said about "when it rains it pours".

With your CLL tests, you may find you are anemic which can add to the tiredness. Also, sometimes the thyroid levels can be very low or very high and indicate a need for attention. The thyroid levels can cause us to feel wiped out like anemia does.

I know it must be difficult for you to have time for your own health situation, but I hope you are able to explore with your Dr. the possibilities of anemia and have some tests to see the cause if that is found. There are several reasons for having anemia, and while CLL may be one reason (not everyone with CLL in early stages has anemia) low iron and/or low vitamin B12 can be causes. Please do not take either of those as supplements without your Dr. testing for them as cause and prescribing a level.

Best wishes for getting yourself seen to as possible. And many blessings for your caring for your husband and parents. If at all possible, get some help for a couple days a week at least.

Thinking of you in this trying time.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

There are over 1,200 posts mentioning fatigue in our community, so you have plenty of exhausted company: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

Accept the need for an afternoon, or even a morning sleep to get you through the day. (Easier if you are working from home if you are in paid employment). Ironically, if you are not too tired so that you need to drag yourself to bed, try exercising. I found that going for a walk reduced my fatigue levels sufficiently so that I could stay awake enough to concentrate on what was previously too mentally taxing in my fatigued state.

Neil

[CBeauty]

The only way I can fight fatigue is to keep walking. I go out and walk nearly every day. Sometimes I do it when I really hate the thought of it and feel exhausted. It really helps.

[Wbmason1]

I am on Adderall, excercise isn't an option for me. I work full time at a mostly desk job so staying awake was important! I move when I can but I put my body through the wringer when I was younger so physical activity isn't a real option for me anyway. Talk to your Dr, there are several reason for fatigue I agree. But I can tell you the Adderall has completely changed my life back to almost a normal level for the most part!! Good luck and take care of yourself,

WBMason

[michaeledward]

I recently started taking 1000 I.U. of Vitamin D3. My Vitamin D level was 31 which is borderline satisfactory. I mainly took the D3 supplements because I heard that Vitamin D has a protective effect against covid 19. Other than that, I really wasn't expecting anything, but I have noticed that my constant fatigue dissipated somewhat. Previously, it wasn't unusual for me to feel a need to take a nap nearly every afternoon, but since I began taking the D3 two weeks ago, the need for a nap has practically disappeared. Also, one other benefit I experienced is I no longer regularly wake up in the middle of the night needing to urinate (I am 72 years old). I still occasionally feel a need to take a nap and occasionally wake up in the middle of the night, but not nearly as often as before. Like I said, I've only been taking D3 for about 2 weeks and I hope that these apparent benefits continue.

[SofiaDeo in reply to michaeledward]

A perfect example of how one body needs more of a particular nutrient for optimum health! When my vit D levels were low & I started the supplements, I was amazed how much better I felt.

[Kellyannopp]

May I ask what your pains are? My doctor told me I should not be having cramps/pains in my legs! But I DO! Maybe something else is causing it, but they are there. Working 40 hours on my feet can be a hassle some days. Thank you!

[SofiaDeo in reply to Kellyannopp]

I spent a lot of my career on my feet, and I found a thigh high support stocking (not pantyhose) like Futuro the difference between aching legs or not. I put them in the freezer when I buy them, overnight, before the first wearing, I read somewhere it strengthened the nylon somehow. They lasted years doing this (I also put in a laundry bag in washer if not hand washing), and either air dried -no heat- in dryer or drip dried. Support pantyhose was too hard to put on, and in FL especially pantyhose was too hot. If a stocking got a run, I would save it for wearing under pants. Get reinforced toe so toenails don't cause runs. When the elastic at the top of the stocking stretched to where they wouldn't stay up, I used a garter belt. After a few years, I sucked up and spent the $ so I had 10 pairs so I wasn't constantly washing stockings, it was a 2 week work supply. It seems like the batch lasted 8-10 years with the freeze after buying, cold water wash, air dry, garter belt. When I was consulting and worked in really cold places, I would put socks or tights over them. And I didn't get varicose veins over the years! This tip was the #1 thing I told my students; I even recommended men with achy legs use them too. My second hematologist told me "CLL patients don't get pain." But my thigh bones/hips have ached since diagnosis. Not so much in remission, def more when active. Everyone is different. I am now thinking these random sharp pains I have been having in the occipital region of my head are lymph nodes there reacting, since muscle relaxants don't seem to help at all.