21. Fatigue
Extreme tiredness or generalized fatigue resulting from pancreatic cancer and its symptoms can affect a patient both physically and mentally. Many people most of the time dismiss their feeling tired, often thinking it as a result of poor sleep or overwork. What they don’t know is that it can be a sign of serious underlying problems, pancreatic cancer being one of them.
When the pancreas fails to perform its functions the way it should, body processes become affected in many ways. Digestion can be impaired due to the lack of enzymes and hormones needed to break food down, causing nutritional imbalance. Blood sugar levels can go haywire due to the insufficient levels of insulin and glucagon coming from the pancreas, causing cell starvation. Dehydration can result from polyuria. Anemia can result from overworked kidneys.
All of these cause fatigue, which can lead to sleeping problems and anxiety; and since one can only take too much, many patients fall into depression as a result of feeling trapped by the disease. Since depression too can cause fatigue, the dangerous cycle continues.
When you feel that you are in a state of hopelessness, accompanied by symptoms found on this list, consult a healthcare professional immediately. It might not be due to pancreatic cancer, but knowing what’s causing it puts you in a better spot than being in the dark about your disease.
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