Coping with Fatigue





		Living with Hepatitis
			Eating Well
			The Key to a Healthy Diet
			What You Should Drink and How Much
			Vitamins and Your Liver
			Overcoming Obstacles to Good Nutrition
			Taking Steps to Slow Disease Progression
			Coping with Fatigue

Coping with Fatigue

Fatigue is common among people with all types of liver disease, including hepatitis. You may find it to be one of the most challenging symptoms of your disease. Finding the right combination of exercise and rest may help you cope with fatigue.

Staying Active

One action you can take to decrease the feeling of tiredness is exercise. Although it may sometimes be difficult to get started when you are tired, exercise can actually boost your energy level.

Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.

Consult your health care professional if exercise causes chest pain, irregular heartbeat, excessive fatigue, nausea, unexpected breathlessness, or lightheadedness.

Physical activity can benefit nearly everyone who can participate, and people with hepatitis are encouraged to exercise. It can be an important, fulfilling part of coping with a chronic disease.

Try to exercise regularly, even though you may not always feel like doing it. In addition to boosting your energy level exercise can help you to control your weight, which is important if you have hepatitis.

Choose the type and level of activity based on how physically fit you were before you became ill and on how much activity you can tolerate. If, for example, you played tennis before, you can do so now, if you feel up to it. But if you find that tennis has become too difficult, try another form of exercise that is less demanding.

Even if you didn't exercise before, you can start now. Remember to take it slowly at first.

Good exercise options include:

Walking
Swimming
Riding an exercise bike
Yoga or T'ai Chi
Low-impact aerobics classes or videos

Walking may be the best choice. You can do it just about anywhere, and walking is a good activity to enjoy with friends or family members. Over time you may gradually increase your pace and the distance that you cover. The only special "equipment" you'll need is a pair of supportive walking shoes. If you are walking outdoors, use sunscreen; wear light-colored clothing in hot weather and layered clothing in cooler weather.

Exercise Essentials

Warm up slowly for 5 to 10 minutes with low-level aerobic activity (eg, walking briskly, swinging your arms, jogging in place)
Drink at least a cup of water (4 to 10 oz.) every 15 minutes during exercise, and be sure to drink enough before and after an exercise session
As you finish exercising, cool down slowly for at least 3 minutes to allow your heart rate to return to normal

Benefits of Exercise

Decreases fatigue
Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and to sleep well
Improves endurance
Increases muscular strength for accomplishing everyday tasks
Relieves stress
Reduces feeling of depression and anxiety
Enhances feeling of well being

Getting Enough Rest

Getting proper rest is another way to cope with fatigue. The best way to achieve this is to maintain a regular schedule that allows you to get a full night's sleep every night. You may also find that taking a short daytime nap (30 to 45 minutes) between activities or outings may prevent you from feeling overwhelmingly fatigued at the end of the day.

Making some adjustments to your work and home life may also help you to reserve your energy. If your job is very demanding, consider how you might lessen your workload. At home, you may need to ask family members to share or take on some of your responsibilities.