Could Your Fatigue Be An Early Warning Sign of Mesothelioma?

• Lisa Hyde-Barrett
• Nurse's Corner, Uncategorized

One of the first things that Mrs. T noticed was that she was tired. She was not used to being tired, she had a busy life, family, work. At first she thought she was just over doing it- burning the candle at both ends- working too hard. After all, she was getting older. Mrs. T is a 65 year old wife and mother of three grown children. She had always had a lot of energy so when she started to feel tired she didn’t pay much attention to it.

Being tired can be a sign of a hectic a lifestyle, or it can be a sign of a serious health problem. One of the common signs of mesothelioma is fatigue. It is difficult when you are feeling “just tired” to pay a lot of attention to it. Experts suggest that if you are tired all the time that you make some lifestyle changes and then monitor how you feel. Eat more wholesome foods, drink more fluids, get more sleep, cut back on caffeine and alcohol, and give it two to three weeks. After this time, if you are still feeling inexplicably tired, consult your doctor. Sometimes subtle things like being tired are warning signs.

Mrs. T also started having shortness of breath and didn’t feel right. She went to her primary care physician, and after testing to rule out common causes, she was diagnosed with early stage mesothelioma. In retrospect, Mrs. T remembers just “feeling tired all the time.”  Luckily for Mrs. T, she did not ignore how she felt and went to her doctor who ran the appropriate tests.

Diagnosing mesothelioma can be a clinical challenge as the symptoms can be vague and often follows the diagnosis of pneumonia or a recurrent issue. The most common symptoms of mesothelioma can be chest pain, painful cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and weight loss. All of these symptoms are much more common in other conditions. Diagnosis can be a challenge.

If you have been feeling tired for an extended period of time don’t ignore it. Pay attention and visit a medical professional –  it could help to save your life.

If you have any questions about any aspect of your mesothelioma care, please email me at [email protected].