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Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
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Fatigue in Myeloma
One of the most common questions asked in online MM groups is about fatigue in myeloma survivors. This makes sense because, according to research below, 80% of cancer patients experience fatigue.
I will link to some of the blog posts that I’ve written previously about cancer-related fatigue and its various therapies.
According to the study below, Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qui) “helps to alleviate fatigue and improve the QoL in CRF patients with few adverse effects.”
- Reduce Myeloma Fatigue
- Cancer-Related Fatigue in Myeloma
- Yoga For Fatigue, Insomnia Among Myeloma Survivors
- Myeloma-related Fatigue Therapies
- Sleep quality = Fatigue for Myeloma Patients
- Myeloma – Myelosuppression, Extreme Fatigue?
The video linked below is the most thorough explanation of fatigue that I’ve seen.
Fatigue and myeloma
I am a long-term MM survivor. I believe that my energy has never fully recovered following my active conventional therapies in ’94,’95, and ’96. At the same time, I have to admit that I’m older now and shouldn’t expect the energy levels of a younger person.
Having said that, I have combined many of the fatigue therapies discussed in the research of cancer-related fatigue. To combat daily fatigue, I:
- Sleep 8 hours each night-
- CBD before bed (no THC, cannabinoids only)
- Moderate exercise every morning
- Short nap after lunch (20 mins.)
Email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com with your questions, comments about how you manage your fatigue.
Thanks,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Efficacy of Astragalus Membranaceus (Huang Qi) for Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies
Background: Cancer-related fatigue is the most common complication in patients. Astragalus membranaceus is widely used in many countries to treat cancer, but its efficacy and safety is uncertain.
Objectives: This study aimed to summarize the evidence on Astragalus membranaceus on cancer-related fatigue and quality of life in patients with cancer…
Results: Eight studies were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the addition of Astragalus membranaceus to the control group was effective in reducing cancer-related fatigue (SMD = −1.63, 95% CI [−1.90, −1.36], P < .00001) and (RR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.19, 2.02], P = 0.001) in patients with cancer and improving quality of life (SMD = 0.86, 95% CI [0.17, 1.55], P = 0.01) and (RR = 1.57, 95% CI [1.10, 2.23], P = 0.01).
Conclusion: The current evidence is supportive of the efficacy of Astragalus membranaceus in patients with cancer-related fatigue and their quality of life, but due to the small and low quality of the included literature and the lack of uniformity in terms of cancer type as well as treatment modalities, there is currently insufficient evidence to provide strong support for the clinical use of Astragalus membranaceus in the treatment of cancer-related fatigue…
…The prevalence of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) among different cancer patient populations is estimated to range from 50% to 92%, possibly reaching as high as 100%,2 which has been identified as the most common and distressing complication compared to other symptoms and continues throughout the cancer patient’s life cycle.3 At the same time, insomnia, pain and depression are significantly associated with CRF, seriously affecting patients’ treatment compliance, recovery process and their quality of life (QoL).3,4…
Due to the complexity of the pathogenesis of the disease, there is no clear drug treatment option. The United States National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Guidelines for the treatment of CRF recommends non-pharmacological treatments, such as
- exercise interventions,
- sleep therapy,
- and nutritional supplementation support
as the first-choice recommendations for the intervention of patients with CRF.6…
Discussion
The evidence of this systematic review showed that A. membranaceus or A. membranaceus extracts could alleviate fatigue and improve the QoL of CRF patients with mild adverse effects.
CRF is one of the most common (70%-80%) symptoms in cancer patients throughout their disease, with the majority (approximately 60%) of CRF occurring during anti-tumor treatment, and is an important factor in preventing cancer patients from actively receiving treatment and affecting their QoL.27…
Conclusion
In conclusion, this systematic review of A. membranaceus helps to alleviate fatigue and improve the QoL in CRF patients with few adverse effects and is safe to be recommended in clinical practice. However, the evidence is not yet adequate to provide strong support for the use of A. membranaceus in the management of cancer-related fatigue…”