Managing fatigue during the holidays

Do you have any advice for managing fatigue when you have young children?

So managing fatigue with young ones around! Remember having young kids is tiring for everyone not just those with a diagnosis. You need to prioritise the things that are most important to YOU. Sleep when they sleep is reasonable advice, but it can make you feel that you are missing out on your adult time after they’ve gone to bed, so maybe pick one special night a week when you take short cuts during the day, or even nap in the afternoon, then you can leave yourself enough energy to have a grown up evening. Make sure you plan properly and let any partners or family know.

I’m finding cooking for my family very tiring. Do you have any suggestions to make this easier?

FROZEN VEG – it’s great. Easier to carry home, always there in the freezer and good for them. Prep food in advance where you can and sit down rather than standing up – where possible. Plus BATCH COOK and freeze.

How long does fatigue normally last after surgery and what can I do if it’s not improving?

Fatigue is so unique, there’s no set time after treatment when it will resolve. For some people 6 months post surgery (with no further treatment) is realistic, but for others it does carry on. The best advice is gentle exercise within your own limits. Do things that make you feel good inside and spend at least some time with fresh air, or at least where you can see the outside and some nature around you.

I was always active before my recent surgery, but am still struggling to do anything. What can I do?

Being previously active will serve you well in the coming weeks and months. Exercise in the house may help if going out is too much and maybe just go out with friends and family to start with. Post-op sometimes even thinking and problem solving can be tiring, so going out alone, crossing roads or going to the local shop can take up an overwhelming amount of energy. Everyone is different, be patient with yourself.

How can I explain my fatigue to my friends and my family to help them understand how my fatigue affects me?

I think this is a really tricky one. You could start by asking them to imagine driving a car with a faulty fuel gauge and a leak in the fuel tank – and then ask them how would they drive? Most would say, slower, more economically, not speeding up and slowing down too much. That might help people understand how you feel.

If you are concerned about your health

Please contact your GP immediately, who may direct you to an out-of-hours service. Alternatively if you need to speak to someone urgently, please contact:

• NHS (England) – 111
• NHS Direct (Wales) – 0845 46 47 or 111 if available in your area (Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Carmarthenshire or Ystradgynlais in Powys). Calls to 0845 46 47 from landlines are charged at a local rate, but can be significantly more from a mobile phone; calls to 111 are free.
• NHS 24 (Scotland) – 111
• If you live in Northern Ireland, please dial 999 or your out-of-hours GP service.
  To find the out-of-hours number for your area, visit nidirect.gov.uk/out-of-hours
• Or in an emergency, visit A&E or dial 999

If you need emotional support

Please phone one of these FREE helplines:

• Samaritans (UK wide) Call: 116 123 anytime
• Childline (UK wide) – for children and young people under 19 – 0800 1111 anytime
• HopelineUK (UK wide) – for children and young people up to the age of 35 – 0800 068 4141. Mon – Fri 10am-10pm, weekends and bank holidays 2pm-10pm
• The Silver Line (UK wide) – for older people aged 55 or over – 0800 4 70 80 90 anytime
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) (UK wide) – for men. 0800 58 58 58. 5pm – midnight, every day