Tag: fatigue

Awareness of leukaemia symptoms ‘non-existent’, say charities

  • Non-existent awareness of leukaemia symptoms “extremely worrying” – as new figures show people in Scotland don’t know bleeding, bruising, fatigue and infections are a sign of the blood cancer
  • Leading UK leukaemia charities launch memorable new campaign to get people “parroting on” about the symptoms for Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September

People in the Scotland are being urged to take notice of the symptoms of leukaemia, as new research published today shows that only 1% of those surveyed in the region were able to identify ALL four of most widely reported symptoms – fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections.

Leukaemia is a form of blood cancer affects people of all ages and 28 people receive a leukaemia diagnosis every day in the UK – that’s over 10,000 every year. Overall survival for leukaemia stands at just over 50% – making it one of the most deadly forms of cancer.

Early diagnosis could saves lives yet the recent public survey by leukaemia charities Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care, found that over that nearly half (48%) of respondents from Scotland could not recognise ANY amongst the four most widely reported symptoms of the disease, which kills 5,000 people a year in the UK, and which is often diagnosed too late.

The two charities are collaborating on an important campaign, #SpotLeukaemia, to raise awareness of the symptoms ahead of Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September. Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer and third deadliest.

In a new film released today Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have called on the expertise of ‘Henry’, a talented Macaw parrot, to try to make the symptoms of leukaemia memorable.

The ad sees Henry using a range of objects to create a catchy and repetitive ‘Spot Leukaemia rap’ featuring the symptoms of leukaemia.

People who are concerned about any of these symptoms – fatigue, bruising, unusual bleeding and repeated infections – are being strongly urged by the charities to contact their GP and request a blood test. More information is available on the Spot Leukaemia website at www.spotleukaemia.org.uk.

The ad focuses on the top four symptoms. Other symptoms of leukaemia include fever or night sweats, bone or joint pain and swollen lymph nodes.

The charities are now calling on people to start “parroting on” about leukaemia and its symptoms, share the video (https://youtu.be/UMRTMKVvYhQ) with friends and family, and visit the Spot Leukaemia website for more help and advice.

Awareness of the symptoms of leukaemia is low in Scotland

Only 9% of respondents across Scotland recognised that repeated infections – one of the most common symptoms of leukaemia – are a symptom, only 31% said unusual bruising is a symptom and only 17% said unusual bleeding is a symptom. Only 39% of respondents were not able to recognise fatigue as a symptom – which is often the most likely symptom to be identified by those later diagnosed with leukaemia.

Case study:

Melissa McNaughton, 33, from Bridgeton, Glasgow, felt tired, something she attributed to working too hard. So, it came as a shock to Melissa when she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia. Here, she talks about her diagnosis and her life since.

“I was diagnosed 12th June 2018 and I am not yet in remission. I am now on my fourth chemotherapy drug. Looking back to just before my diagnosis, I felt tired, but other than that, nothing.

“I have had quite bad health most of my adult life, so I am in and out of the doctors a few times per year. I just put the tiredness down to working too much as I run my own business.

“I popped into the doctors for my blood test (every few months) to check my iron levels. My GP told me to go to hospital the following day – I knew what hospital and what ward I was heading to. My GP is absolutely amazing and has been very supportive throughout the journey.

“So, I arrived at the hospital, headed to the second floor and walked through the doors. I was surrounded by posters that were all about cancer and effects of chemo, support groups, giving blood, wig makers, etc. I felt ill with fear, and I had no clue what I was going into.

“I sat down and one of the nurses came up to me and said, “Are you here for chemo today?” I said, “I have no idea why I’m here.” And ran away into the toilet and had a panic attack. I was meant to see a consultant first. I then went in and they said there was a 99 per cent chance I had chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).

“Sitting in the consultant’s room with my mum, dad and husband, I was in my own little world. I heard a few words and could see the consultant’s mouth moving but nothing coming out. I just heard the words “cancer” and “leukaemia”. A million questions were going through my head: what’s going to happen to me? What will my life be like? Am I going to die? How long will I live? Can I have children?

“It’s so strange all these things go through your head that you have never thought of before. I was looking around at my mum and dad and they were asking questions; my husband was just in a daze. It wasn’t nice to see the fear in their eyes. I’m such a happy, bubbly, positive person and I snapped myself out of the daze and said, “What’s next?” completely interrupting the consultant.

“He said the next step was to do a bone marrow biopsy and he could get me in next week. I asked if I could just have it done today. I was then taken into another room and had my back injected to make it numb to do the biopsy. Then it began; it was a horrible pressure pain and I was crying.

“But the song from The Greatest Showman ‘This Is Me’ was playing in the background and I focussed on that – I feel it’s now became my theme song! I was back in the hospital on Friday. I was told the results were back and I had CML. Everything was going to change.

“Again, I tried not to let all the thoughts come into my head and I asked to start the treatment straight away; I was not waiting around. Off to the pharmacy I went and collected all my pills. I then went back to work the following week – this was not stopping me.

“The first generation of the TKIs were awful, I couldn’t get through a full day, I could only get up for about an hour or two at a time. I was sick, weak, bone pain, muscle pain. It was horrible! I’ve never cried so much. I lost so much weight, I was so weak I could hardly use a knife and fork. I tried to keep going with work, but it was all too much. I had to cut my hours right down.

“I have never felt like this in my life, it got me really down for a while. But my inner warrior was not going to let that happen for long. I tried to power through. I was then taken off these tablets and moved onto another generation. I am still on them now, but I was covered from head to toe in a rash, and my bones in my legs were so sore and weak they felt like they were going to snap.

“Fast forward to today. I have had my “cancerversary” of four years living with cancer. Every day is still a struggle and some days are worse than others. I’m getting there.

“Cancer will just have to get used to living with me because I am in no way going to let it beat me. I’m still smiling and not stopping. My blood levels are steadily going down which is great. I have not hit my target yet, but everything is moving in the right direction.

“I try to keep doing everything I would normally do weekly but just a bit slower and sometimes it’s quite difficult. I try to carry on as normal as possible, but this is my new normal! I try to pop make-up on and look a bit more like myself. I am a hair extension master and I had to close down my salon of 10 years due to the pandemic so I have started a new business from scratch, IvyHQ where I for hair extensions and I have developed my own line of hair and training.

“When I had my own salon we did a charity karaoke night to raise funds for Leukemia Care. In my spare time, myself and husband love travelling around Scotland with our new puppy, Hope.

“I have heard a few times that if you’re going to have cancer, this is the best one to have. Really? Did you actually just say that to me? Nobody will know how it feels unless they are going through it. Some other cancers you have to go through the horrible process of being injected with chemo, losing your hair and being weak, but when you come out the other side of it that can be you “fixed”. Whereas with me I will have to be on tablets for life. It’s very different.

I’ve also had, “Is that you cured now?”, because I’ve done my hair and make-up and managed to get out in high heels for an hour. Just because I look ok doesn’t mean I feel it. I try not to talk about it too much, so when someone asks me how I am I always say I’m good!

“I’m not going to go into detail with them by saying, “Oh, today’s been a bit hard, it took me two hours to get out of bed and I needed help getting out of the shower today as my legs went into a cramp.” But these are things I have daily and I just carry on with a smile on my face as I’m so lucky to be able to have this treatment.

“And hopefully, in time, these will all ease off. I have kept working as much as I can all the way through, as having my own business, if I don’t work, I don’t get paid. I have also made up my own hashtag #mycmljourneydiary online as I felt it’s good to keep a wee diary to look back on.

“Also, if someone is going through the same thing as me and if I can help in any way at all, that will make me feel good that I can help. It’s got the good, the bad and the ugly. All “keeping it real” posts. Spot Leukaemia is so important to raise awareness as I had no idea what leukaemia really was until I had it. It is so important to me as getting the word out there will hopefully make someone go along for a blood test!”

Melissa’s only symptom of leukaemia was fatigue, but there are other signs which include:

  • Bruising
  • Bone Pain
  • Repeated infections

Are you currently experiencing similar symptoms to Melissa? Request a blood test from your GP. For more information on our Spot Leukaemia campaign, our goal and how to get involved, head over to our official Spot Leukaemia website at www.spotleukaemia.org. Early diagnosis saves lives. #SpotLeukaemia

Nationally, those who are over 55 also underestimate their risk, thinking that leukaemia is a childhood disease. Only 11% of over 55s thought that they had the greatest risk of leukaemia, whereas in reality cases rise sharply after the age of 55 and 38% of all new cases occur in the over 75s.  

Fiona Hazell, Chief Executive of Leukaemia UK said, “It’s extremely worrying that less than 1% of Brits are able to identify the most common symptoms of leukaemia, when 28 people are diagnosed each day in the UK.

“People underestimate their risk by thinking that leukaemia is a childhood disease. In reality, both incidence and mortality rates rise sharply after the age of 55. Raising awareness in this age group is critical in order to treat it early and effectively; and ultimately to improve survival rates overall.”

A lack of awareness of which age groups are most at risk from leukaemia is also concerning, with 43% of respondents thinking that leukaemia is most common in the under 24s.

Whilst it is true that leukaemia is the most common type of childhood cancer, leukaemia incidence rates rise sharply after the age of 55 and 38% of all new diagnoses occur in those over 75. The survey found that only 2% of Brits think that leukaemia is most common in those over 75. The Spot Leukaemia campaign particularly wants to increase awareness among those who are over 65, as this age group is the most likely to be diagnosed with leukaemia.

Zack Pemberton-Whiteley, Chief Executive of Leukaemia Care said, “To hear that less than 1% of the UK public are able to identify the four most common symptoms of leukaemia is extremely worrying.

“Early diagnosis of leukaemia can improve survival. With over 10,000 people being diagnosed every year with a leukaemia, this shows just how important it is to continue to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms and how much work needs to be done.

“We know that our new Spot Leukaemia video may ruffle some feathers but in order to raise awareness we needed to create something that will fly. It’s crucial that if you think you have fatigue, bruising or bleeding or repeated infections that you contact your GP and ask for a blood test. It’s as simple as that and we will continue to parrot-on about it.”

To watch the campaign video visit www.spotleukaemia.org.uk

Sign up for Step out and help spot the signs of Leukaemia

Participants across the country are being invited to sign up to the Leukaemia Care Step Out Challenge for Spot Leukaemia, which launches this September. 

The aim is to move as far as you can between 1st and 30th September and raise as much as you can – there’s no minimum limit. To take part you can walk, run, cycle or run and set whatever distance you want to. Once signed up, all you need to do is ask friends and family to sponsor whatever they can.

Chief Executive of Leukaemia Care, Zack Pemberton-Whiteley, said: “The challenge is free to sign up to and people can raise anything they can – as every penny raised makes a difference to those living to help make a difference to those living with a leukaemia, MDS or MPN diagnosis.”

Leukaemia Care is delighted to reveal this year’s medal in an eco-friendly design, to be given to anybody who reaches the £50 milestone.

There is also a fabulous new t-shirt for the 2022 event for anybody who raises over £100, while those who raise £250 or more will receive a £20 gift card for the Leukaemia Care online shop. 

This year Leukaemia Care has introduced two fantastic overall trophies – one for the fundraiser that raises the most and another for the person who covers the most distance during the challenge. 

Sign up to Step Out then join the Facebook community to get motivated for your challenge. 

Ahead of Blood Cancer Awareness Month later this year, the charity is keen to share the six most common symptoms of leukaemia which are; fatigue, shortness of breath, fever or night sweats, bruising or bleeding, bone or joint pain, and repeated infections.

Learn more about the signs and symptoms of leukaemia here.

Fatigue Wake-Up Call for Scotland’s Drivers

New campaign warns drivers: Driving Tired Kills

A powerful new campaign by The Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland* to tackle the serious issue of driver fatigue, launched today with a clear message for all drivers – Driving Tired Kills.

Fatigue is a contributory factor in crashes which kill or seriously injure around 50 people every year in Scotland.1

In 2018, 14 people died on Scotland’s roads due to fatigue (nine per cent of all road deaths),2 however experts estimate that the real figure is much higher, with up to 30 per cent of all collisions involving driver fatigue.3

Sleep related collisions are around 50 per cent more likely to result in death or serious injury as they tend to be high speed impacts.4

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson said: “We are committed to achieving safer road travel in Scotland for everyone. Driver fatigue is a severe problem that causes too many serious and fatal road collisions each year.

“Drivers should plan their journeys well in advance, ensure they are well rested before setting out and take breaks every two hours. It’s simple yet powerful advice which can help save many lives on Scotland’s roads.”

Many of the counter measures drivers use (opening a window, turning up the radio) have been shown to be ineffective. A two second micro-sleep at 30 mph can result in complete transition from one lane to the next and you will be unable to notice or react to a child stepping out on the road5. 

Sleep expert Christine Poulter, honorary strategic clinical advisor, Society of Occupational Medicine said: “Fatigue is a major safety issue on our roads. Sleep deprivation can result in micro-sleeps at the wheel causing fatalities for the driver, passengers and other unsuspecting road users or pedestrians.

“Most adults require between seven to nine hours sleep every night; five hours sleep is not enough to function safely. It’s important to keep regular sleep patterns when you can, especially if you are working shifts. Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time, will programme your body to sleep better to help combat fatigue.”

Drivers often experience early signs of feeling tired such as yawning, eyes dropping and head-nodding, and should stop for a rest as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Blair Boyd, workplace fatigue expert and chartered health and safety practitioner said: “Having felt the effects of fatigue while working shifts, I would never get behind the wheel when tired.  The consequences are just too great. 

“The effects of fatigue are comparable to driving under the influence of alcohol, which we would not accept in society.   With better education and understanding, employers can work to reduce the risk of driver fatigue by planning and managing workloads and shift patterns.”

The new multi-media marketing campaign will run on multiple channels including TV, digital, outdoor, radio, PR and social media.

The thought-provoking advertising features a striking close-up of a tired driver’s eye, with the road ahead reflected in it. After a long blink, the road reappears in the eye, however the car drifts towards the centre of the road as the eye droops further and finally remains closed, resulting in a head on collision with another car and devastating consequences.

For more information visit roadsafety.scot/fatigue or check out the Road Safety Scotland Facebook and Twitter (@roadsafetyscot) pages.

Constantly craving sleep? Here’s how to fight fatigue

Do you crave sleep? Do you drag yourself from your bed in the morning already looking towards the moment you can climb back under the duvet? Or does it sometimes feel as though you’re stuck in first gear and just can’t find the energy to shift up? If so, you’re not alone.

Unexplained tiredness is one of the most common reasons for people to see their GP. At any given time, one in five people feel unusually tired, and one in ten have prolonged fatigue, but it’s not always easy to understand why we feel this way and what, if anything, we can do about it; many of us simply accept tiredness as an unavoidable consequence of our busy lives and carry on regardless.

But feeling tired all the time can have an enormous impact on our quality of life – and could be an indication that there’s something medically wrong – so it’s something you shouldn’t ignore.

Fatigue can be caused by many factors and these often work in combination with each other. Jermaine Izukanne , physiologist at AXA PPP healthcare looks at the symptoms and causes of fatigue and offers up some top tips to get you firing on all cylinders this festive season.

What is fatigue?

Fatigue is a feeling of extreme tiredness. While there is a difference between physical and mental fatigue, they often occur together. Fatigue is most prevalent in individuals who are defined as middle aged (45 to 65 years); research also suggests that this demographic sleep the least [3], which doesn’t help matters!

Symptoms of fatigue

Feeling tired is a general – and obvious – symptom of fatigue, but there are others, including:

  • headache
  • dizziness
  • slowed response and reflexes
  • lack of concentration and poor decision-making ability
  • lack of motivation
  • aching and weak muscles
  • feeling moody and irritable

These symptoms can be a result of various causes, as listed below and some of these causes can work together in combination. 

Causes of fatigue 

Medical causes – fatigue is a symptom commonly seen in a variety of illnesses, including sleep apnoea, diabetes and heart disease. It can be a sign of kidney disease, hypothyroidism and anaemia; and is also an early indicator of pregnancy! So, if you are experiencing frequent or prolonged periods of tiredness or any of the symptoms described above it would be advisable to see your GP to rule out a medical cause.

Workplace and screen-related causes – work-related stress and prolonged or excessive screen time during the working day have been shown to cause feelings of fatigue [4], as well as headaches, sore eyes and other unpleasant symptoms that exacerbate that feeling of tiredness. They can also make it harder for us to sleep.

Even if your brain doesn’t go into overdrive with work worries the moment they get a shoe-in, there’s the physiological effect of looking at a screen for a large part of the day.

Numerous studies have concluded that the blue light from screens can affect the amount and quality of sleep we get, because it disrupts the body’s production of melatonin. This is the hormone that regulates our circadian rhythms and which would, in our natural state, be triggered by nightfall, helping us to feel tired and fall asleep at the end of the day.

Clocking up even more screen time, watching TV or catching up on social media when we get home ramps up the effect of a day spent working at a computer, exacerbating the problem. By way of example, in one small study, participants who spent 4 hours reading e-books before bed for 5 nights produced 55% less melatonin than participants who read print books; they also reported being more alert before bed, taking longer to fall asleep and being more tired in the morning.

Lifestyle choices – excessive consumption of caffeine, alcohol and/or drugs, lack of exercise and poor dietary choices are common causes of fatigue that can quickly lead to unhelpful cycles that amplify the effects. For example, how often do we turn to coffee to kick start our day or a glass of something in the evening to perk ourselves up, when actually both are sleep disruptors that may be contributing to our fatigue in the first place?

Similarly, heavy food and a lack of fitness aren’t the greatest foundations for getting active, and if you’re not exercising your fitness is going to decrease and you may find yourself with more sedentary time when you’re inclined to snack.

We’re not saying you should stop doing the things you enjoy, or be out training every day, just that if you’ve ruled other causes out and you’re still feeling sluggish there may be elements of your lifestyle you can tweak to help tackle your tiredness.

Stress and mental fatigue – depression and grief can place a mental strain on the mind, which can affect motivation and lead to irritability. This makes perfect sense, but what may be less obvious, and is important to bear in mind, is that it’s not just the bad stuff that takes its toll.

Positive events, such as getting married, moving house – even going on holiday – can be similarly stressful and draining, but it can be harder to accept that we may be struggling when we’re ‘supposed’ to be happy. The solution? Try to accept it, get a little perspective, delegate if you can, and focus on the destination, not the getting there.

What else can I do prevent and overcome fatigue?

The good news is that for most of us fatigue doesn’t have to be a fact of life and there are plenty of simple everyday things you can do help boost your energy and banish long-term tiredness for good.

Nutrition

Adequate nutrition is essential for a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet, and can help boost your energy. Be sure to always eat breakfast: a healthy breakfast such as rolled oats topped with banana and blueberries provides you with vitamins and minerals that stimulate the process of energy production.

Some examples of energy boosting foods include:

  • Rolled oats
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Hummus
  • Edamame
  • Chickpeas
  • Brown rice
  • Nuts and seeds (flax, chia and pumpkin seeds)

Feeling fatigued could also be the result of having an iron deficiency. Consider eating adequate amounts of iron rich foods, such as:

  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Beans
  • Lentils
  • Iron fortified cereals
  • Whole grains like quinoa and amaranth
  • Leafy greens
  • Baked potatoes

Ensure that you’re also drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration, as this is known to decrease energy.

Take a look at our article for more nutrition tips to help increase your energy levels from AXA PPP healthcare registered nutritionist, Georgina Camfield.

Sleep

Sleep is arguably the most important contributing factor affecting our energy levels, but something that’s frequently sacrificed thanks to a busy lifestyle. The Sleep Council’s latest survey found that almost three quarters (74%) of people in the UK sleep for less than 7 hours a night.

Much of how you feel when you are awake is impacted by the quality of your sleep, so getting long-lasting, good quality sleep is essential for our body to rejuvenate, build muscle and grow, as well as to resynthesize hormones and maintain energy levels.

When it comes to how much sleep we need, that’s very much down to the individual, but experts typically recommend aiming for around 7-9 hours a night.

Some tips for improving sleep:

  • Avoid bright lights, especially those coming from TV’s, laptops and e-readers; as we’ve seen this restricts the release of the chemical melatonin, which helps us fell sleepy and ready for bed.
  • Set a regular time for going to sleep and waking up to help your body get into a routine.
  • Refrain from doing work tasks late at night, as they can be stressful and keep you up awake.
  • Try taking time before bed to do something you find relaxing to clear your mind, reduce stress and prepare the body for sleep.
  • Refrain from eating heavy meals late at night and foods such as chocolate, fatty or spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol, all of which can disrupt sleep.
  • Try keeping track of sleep duration and quality using a Fitbit, or sleep trackers such as Sleep Cycle, Sleep Better or Calm. These can give you a better idea of your sleep patterns and help monitor whether any changes you make to your lifestyle or your routine have the desired effect.

You can find more tips and information from our clinical experts on our sleep hub. Or take a look at this recent article, where guest author and fitness expert Shona Vertue shares her tips for a better night’s sleep.

Exercise

While it might seem ironic that, when feeling exhausted, one way to tackle this is to do more physical activity, the relationship between exercise and an increase in energy levels is a well-established one. Regularly getting active has been found to decrease fatigue, increase physical health and good strength; it can also build up your resilience to stress.

Furthermore, physical activity can help to reduce fatigue by improving your quality of sleep. The better the quality of sleep you have, the easier it is for your body to regulate the necessary processes needed for day-to-day life.

By contrast, a lack of activity can lead to weight gain and deconditioning, making it more difficult to carry out tasks that require physicality, such walking up the stairs. If this is something you struggle with, it’s really worth trying to increase your activity levels.

It may feel difficult at first, but it’s one of the most effective ways of boosting your overall health and wellbeing and the more exercise you do, the more energised you’ll feel. This is because your body will start to create more mitochondria, which are the ‘powerhouses’ of your cells; with increased mitochondria, your body can produce energy more efficiently.

Regarding mental fatigue and stress, exercise promotes the release of ‘feel good’ hormones called endorphins. This can help to create a ‘buzz’ within the body that makes you feel better about yourself, and motivated to exercise more regularly.

Some top tips for increasing your activity levels include:

  • Aim to do regular moderate intensity exercise for a minimum of 30 mins a day, five days a week
  • If time to exercise is minimal, try to fit something into your day at work e.g. a 15-minute jog/brisk walk during your lunch break
  • Set goals for yourself so that you have something to work towards and increase motivation
  • Pay attention to how your body and mind react to exercise: did you sleep better? Did you feel better the next day?

For more tips, information and inspiration to get you moving more and keep you motivated, from our team of physiologists, personal trainers and wellbeing programme managers, visit our fitness and exercise hub. 

Next steps

Fatigue affects us all at some point in our daily lives, whether it be from a long day at work, an illness or stress. And while in the short term you my feel like relaxing on the sofa with some snacks, catching up on your favourite box set, try to consider more effective ways of fighting long term fatigue, like those listed in this article, and see how it makes you feel.

It’s important to see your GP if your fatigue persists, as this could be the result of an underlying medical condition.

Finally, if you have a specific question or concern about any aspect of your or your family’s health, why not try our Ask the Expert service. Available around the clock, 365 days a year, this free information service allows you to ask the team of friendly and experienced nurses, midwives and pharmacists about any health concerns you may have. Simply submit your question online and we’ll get back to you with an answer as soon as we can – usually within a couple of hours.

For more information, please visit AXA PPP healthcare.