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      • Taste and smell changes
      • Hair loss
      • Pain and cancer
      • Peripheral neuropathy
      • Changes in thinking and memory
      • Lymphoedema
      • Mouth health
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      • Breast prostheses and reconstruction
      • Fertility
      • Sexuality
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      • Caring for someone with cancer
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    Our cancer helpline consultants are ready for your call to support all people impacted by cancer. We may be able to assist with direct support services or by putting you in touch with other people who can support you.
    • 13 11 20 – Speak to a cancer professional
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      • Accommodation during treatment
      • Cancer Counselling
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    • Cancer podcasts
    • Meditation and relaxation podcasts
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    Discover lifestyle choices to minimise your risk of getting cancer and the importance of screening and early detection for cancer survival.
    • Healthy diet and exercise
      • Limit alcohol
      • Be a healthy weight
      • Move more, sit less
      • Healthy Made Tasty
      • Our Kids Our Call
    • Quit smoking and vaping
      • Quit smoking
      • Tackling Tobacco
      • Smoke free environments
      • Electronic cigarettes
      • Generation Vape
    • Sun protection
      • Slip on a shirt
      • Slop on sunscreen
      • Slap on a hat
      • Seek shade
      • Slide on sunglasses
      • SunSmart NSW website
      • Improve your long game
      • Outdoor workers
      • Sporting groups
      • Buy sun protection products online
    • Screening and early detection
      • Cervical screening
      • Bowel cancer screening
      • Breast cancer screening
      • Lung cancer screening
      • Testicular cancer
      • Prostate cancer
      • Ovarian cancer
      • Liver cancer and hepatitis B
      • Check for skin cancer
    • CanAct – campaigning for better policies
    • Cancer Council shops
  • Research
    Research programs save lives, improve treatments and quality of life for cancer survivors.
    • Research we conduct
      • The Daffodil Centre
      • I-PaRCS
    • Research we fund
    • Search research by cancer type or topic
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      • Fundraise your way – Do It For Cancer
      • Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
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      • 7 Bridges Walk
      • Stars Dance for Cancer
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Download or Print PDF

Fatigue

It is common to feel tired and lack energy during and after treatment, particularly if you’ve had both radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The tiredness may continue for several months, or even a year or two, after treatment has finished.

Feeling tired is not only a side effect of the treatment itself. Travelling to hospitals and clinics for treatment can be exhausting. If you work during your treatment or if you have a family to care for, this can make you feel especially tired.

It may be frustrating if other people don’t understand how you’re feeling. See more information about support services that can assist you.

For more on this, see Fatigue and cancer and Living well after cancer.


Tips for managing fatigue

  • Gentle exercise during and after treatment has been shown to boost energy levels and reduce fatigue. Ask your doctor about the amount and type of exercise that is right for you.
  • Plan your day. Do things at the time of day when you have more energy.
  • Rest regularly. Keep a journal to track your “good times” and pace your activities so you manage your energy over the day.
  • Talk with your family and friends about how you’re feeling and discuss things they can help you with (e.g. housework and shopping).
  • Limit daytime naps to 30 minutes so you don’t have trouble sleeping at night.
  • Don’t expect to be able to instantly do everything you used to do. Your body is still recovering and it will take some time for your energy levels to return.

→ READ MORE: Fertility issues


Podcast: Managing Cancer Fatigue

Listen to more of our podcast for people affected by cancer


Key resource

Download a PDF booklet on this topic.

Fatigue and Cancer cover thumbnail
Fatigue and Cancer

Download PDF168kB

More resources

  • PDF Understanding Cervical Cancer Download PDF751kB
  • PDF Living Well After Cancer Download PDF851kB
This information was last reviewed in January 2024. View who reviewed this content.

Prof Martin Oehler, Director of Gynaecological Oncology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, and Clinical Professor, University of Adelaide, SA; Dawn Bedwell, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council QLD; Gemma Busuttil, Radiation Therapist, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, NSW; Dr Antonia Jones, Gynaecological Oncologist, The Royal Women’s Hospital and Mercy Hospital for Women, VIC; Angela Keating, Senior Psychologist, Royal Hospital for Women, NSW; Anne Mellon, Clinical Nurse Consultant – Gynaecological Oncology, Hunter New England Centre for Gynaecological Cancer, NSW; Dr Inger Olesen, Medical Oncologist, Andrew Love Cancer Centre, Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC; Dr Serena Sia, Radiation Oncologist, Fiona Stanley Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital, WA; A/Prof Megan Smith, Co-lead, Cervical Cancer and HPV Stream, The Daffodil Centre, Cancer Council NSW and The University of Sydney, NSW; Emily Stevens, Gynaecology Oncology Nurse Coordinator, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Melissa Whalen, Consumer.

View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.

View all publications or call 13 11 20 for free printed copies.

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