What is fatigue?
Generally, fatigue is defined as a lack of energy or motivation. In America, fatigue is fairly common, with 20 percent of the population claiming fatigue debilitating enough to interfere with daily activities at one time or another. Signs of fatigue include persistent fatigue and a lingering tiredness that is constant, limiting and unexplained. Excessive tiredness is also a symptom of depression with its accompanying loss of motivation.
When fatigue isn’t relieved by good sleep, proper nutrition and a low-stress environment, it is time to see your doctor for possible causes and solutions. There are many classes of common medications that could give you unusually low energy levels.
7 Meds that Could Drag You Down
- Cancer drugs. “Cancer fatigue” from various drug therapies is the most common side effect of treatment. It affects 70 to 90 percent of patients. Chemotherapy drugs, hormone therapy, biologic therapy and painkillers are all possible causes of fatigue. Some chemo meds affect red and white blood cell production. Falling red blood cell counts can mean breathlessness while doing easy tasks or a very tired feeling. White blood cells, responsible for the immune response, can be decimated by chemo or other cancer drug therapies. Cancer fatigue often worsens for the patient who is subject to a combination of treatments.