Ask the expert: How can I get my stamina back after treatment?

"Often people try to push themselves too early and too soon. When people are finishing treatment there is an expectation of recovery and an assumption that they will get back to the same condition as before their diagnosis. Of course, a lot depends on their fitness before lymphoma, their age and so on. As a result, they are often desperate to get back to normality and don't allow time to deal with the enormous amount their body has gone through.

It is important to try to set a reasonable level of expectation on recovery, allowing yourself time, particularly if you have had intensive treatment. Talk to those around you about how you are struggling with fatigue and also to your medical team, who may be able to offer some suggestions on strategies for coping.

If you are struggling because you have a lot of things you need to do at home or at work, try to avoid putting too much on yourself in the early days after treatment. It may be difficult to ask for help, but talk to the people around you and see if they can help with some of these demands." 

Cathy Burton, consultant haematologist, Leeds Teaching Hospital