What does cancer fatigue feel like?

People with cancer often describe the fatigue as making them feel tired, weak or exhausted. The fatigue can be physical or emotional. It often isn't helped by usual measures, such as resting or getting a good night of sleep. The level of cancer fatigue may vary from feeling tired to feeling completely drained of energy.

Fatigue may start even before your cancer diagnosis. Sometimes it's a symptom of cancer. For some people, the fatigue starts after a diagnosis. Others aren't hit with cancer fatigue until treatment starts. Some people have cancer fatigue that lasts long after treatment ends.