Though chemotherapy is effective in treating cancer, it causes some side effects including nausea, vomiting, fatigue, low appetite, sickness, and hair loss. Among them, fatigue is common chemotherapy side effect. One may feel tired and low in energy due to this. Other reasons that cause chemotherapy fatigue may be change of sleep patterns and eating habits.
Causes of Fatigue:

• The lowering of red blood cell counts is due to the fact that chemotherapy causes anemia; and fatigue can be caused by anemia.
• If the patient is undergoing more than one treatment at a time, like chemotherapy and radiation, he can suffer from fatigue.
• Chemotherapy treatment can cause loss of appetite, which may result into fatigue. Stress or depression regarding cancer and chemotherapy  may lead to fatigue. Age as well as energy level of the patient also matters.
• During chemotherapy, some patients continue to work full or part-time while others are unable to work or do not work. Whether the patient is working or not, he still experiences some degree of chemotherapy related fatigue.

Though fatigue related to cancer or chemotherapy is common, treating fatigue problem is not much difficult.
Dealing with Chemotherapy Related Fatigue

• Plan your day in advance so that you can include short rest periods, like naps and lying down
• There are a lot of benefits of exercise during chemotherapy. Exercises like short walk, use a stationary bike, or even doing yoga meditation, prayer; guided imagery, visualization, etc. can raise your energy level. You may find this helps with fatigue. Consult  your doctor before doing any exercise.
• Eat as much as you can and drink plenty of fluids. Eat small amounts at a time, if that is helpful. Try to limit the amount of caffeine and alcohol you drink.
• Allow your family members to do things like cleaning the kitchen or taking out the trash to save your energy for the most important things.
• Do join a support group. It will help you share your feelings with others. You can learn how others deal with their fatigue.
• Try to find out the source or the reason of fatigue, as it will help you  combat it in the best possible way. A simple blood test can find if you are suffering from anemia or a thyroid disorder. These are both common conditions found in cancer patients and cause fatigue.

Note down how you feel each day in a diary. Plan your daily activities. If there are any changes in your energy level, report to your doctor or the medical team. Consult your health care provider about various ways to save your energy and treat your chemotherapy fatigue.