Fatigue Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

Pancreatic cancer is one of the least common forms of cancer although it still affects around 7800 people a year in the UK. It does not have a high survival rate due to the advanced stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. However there are plenty of success stories out there told by people who understood the symptoms of pancreatic cancer enabling them to be diagnosed and treated whilst the cancer was still in an early stage. Fatigue is one of these symptoms.

What is Fatigue?

Fatigue is often wrongly confused with tiredness. Tiredness is experienced by everyone and usually a good night’s sleep is all it takes to get back to normal. Fatigue is much more than just a general feeling of being tired, and is defined as being a daily lack of energy. It is a feeling in which the whole body has no energy and this happens on a reoccurring basis. A person suffering from fatigue will struggle to function normally and will be unable to do the things they used to perform with no trouble at all.

How does Fatigue relate to Pancreatic Cancer?

Fatigue is the most common symptom related to all kinds of cancer. The amount of fatigue experienced will depend on the patient although most people struggle to continue with the activities associated with day to day life. Fatigue can be unbelievably debilitating for a cancer patient and sometimes the journey from the bed to the couch can leave them feeling completely exhausted.

Fatigue can be a symptom of pancreatic cancer and it can be a side effect of cancer treatment – most notably chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

What are the Fatigue Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms?

There are a number of fatigue pancreatic cancer symptoms that may be experienced by a patient. These include:

Insomnia
Depression
Loss of Appetite
Whole body tiredness
A lack of motivation or boredom
Anxiety or nervousness
Increased irritability or impatience

Remedies for Fatigue Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms

It is very hard to treat fatigue as a pancreatic cancer symptom. Most doctors will focus on correcting the adjacent feelings like insomnia and depression, whilst hoping this will combat fatigue too. However, there are a few things that you can do to help you to cope with fatigue. These include:

Eliminating long hot baths or showers from your routine
Wearing comfortable clothes that allow for easy breathing
Pacing yourself
Resting before you feel overwhelmed with fatigue
Placing items in places that are easy to reach
Avoiding extreme temperatures

Although fatigue is a symptom related to many different diseases it is still a good idea to speak to your GP if you recognise feeling any of the symptoms listed above. Fatigue is a general sign of your body feeling run down and it is always worth getting checked out. Remember that if pancreatic cancer is caught in its early stages the success rate is high. The sooner you are diagnosed, the higher chance you have of survival.