Health Chat Club

Although fatigue is very common among patients who have undergone cancer treatment, patients should not be left alone to “sleep it off.” That’s not going to work in most instances. The trouble is that they often simply feel too tired to move or make any attempt at physical activities. After spending a long time in bed during treatment, it is normal that endurance and muscle strength decline.
 
Prostate cancer treatments often leave the patient drained and very tired. Most often this kind of fatigue is not just the everyday tiredness that one feels but rather that “bone-weary” exhaustion that leaves the patient depressed and irritable. Rest does not always make the patient feel better but would rather make the depression even worst.
 
What these people really need is some exercise to brighten up their spirit. At first, a lot of prostate cancer patients would try to fight off any attempt to get them out of bed. The patient should be made to understand at this point that he needs to move around a little to regain his strength and not just spend all day in bed and do nothing.

However, if the muscles of the patient have declined severely after the treatment, it would be advisable to get a physical therapist to help him maintain strength by helping him do several muscle motions. The therapy can be done in bed at the start and would eventually progress outdoors. It is very important that the patient should venture outdoors even for just a few minutes. The change in scenery could do wonders to lift his spirits and fight that fatigue and the sense of depression.
 
There are many health benefits if a prostate cancer patient starts exercising. First, his vascular (heart and circulation) fitness would improve, second, it lowers anxiety and depression, third, it helps recover lost muscular strength and fourth, it makes a person generally happier.
 
According to the American Cancer Society, exercise prevents recurrence of cancer and would prevent some cancers from evading the body in the first place. For adults it is recommended that they should have at least 30 minutes of physical per day. As for children and teens, 60 minutes of energetic physical activities should be conducted at least 5 times a week to maintain overall good health.

While exercising, it is also important for a prostate cancer patient to socialize. It would be a good idea to accept visitors outside of the patient’s bedroom or outdoors where the patient can have the chance to walk a little while talking. Children generally have some wonderful effects in adults so it is okay to bring the kids along if you visit a family member who is suffering with prostate cancer.

For some people, going to church and places of worship could also give them strength. Thus, if the patient belongs to a church or religious organization, it is best to bring him along during religious services. If the patient does not want to come out of the car in the first visits to make, there is no reason to be alarmed.
 
Remember though that some people do not like changes. Having been confined for too long during the treatment process often have some effect on the patient and opening up to world and doing the things he normally did before he got ill may not come naturally to him. Just give him time to adjust. Be glad that you are able to convince him to get out the bed and out of the house for the day.

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