Fatigue

What is fatigue?

Fatigue is a feeling of extreme tiredness. It’s different from normal tiredness, which you might feel after working hard, exercising, or not had enough sleep. Normal tiredness usually gets better once you’ve rested. But for people with cancer, fatigue can come out of nowhere and often doesn’t go away after you rest.

Fatigue is very common in men with prostate cancer. There is support available and things you can do to help manage your fatigue and give you more energy.

Download or order our fatigue and prostate cancer fact sheet

How might fatigue make me feel?

Fatigue can affect you physically and emotionally. You might use some of these words to describe how fatigue makes you feel: tired, exhausted, weak, lethargic, drained, knackered, shattered, whacked, beat, spent, weary, drowsy, weighed down, done in.

Fatigue can make it hard to carry out your daily activities. It can make it difficult to do some things, such as:

• everyday tasks, such as getting dressed, having a shower or preparing food
• social activities, such as seeing friends and family
• sleeping (insomnia)
• concentrating
• remembering things
• understanding new information and making decisions.

Because fatigue can affect your concentration, you might find it hard to understand new information about your prostate cancer. You might feel stressed about having to make decisions about your treatment. Talk to your doctor or nurse and take your time to make sure you have all the information you need before making any big decisions.

Some men find that they suddenly feel very tired. This means you need to be careful in certain situations – for example, when you are driving.

Fatigue can also affect how you think and feel, including the following.

• It can affect your mood. It might make you feel sad, depressed, or anxious. And you may feel guilty that you can’t do the things you normally do.
• It can also have an impact on your relationships. You may start to depend more on others. You might not feel able to go to work or see your friends and family as much as usual. This can make you feel lonely or isolated.
• Fatigue can also affect your sex life, as you may not have enough energy for sex.

Many men are surprised by how tired they feel and by the impact it has on their lives. Some men tell us that fatigue is one of the hardest parts of having prostate cancer. It can be very frustrating, especially if you are used to being active. Every man’s experience is different. You might have some or all of these effects of fatigue. And your feelings might change over time.

Why might I get fatigue?

We don’t know exactly why men with prostate cancer commonly get fatigue. It’s likely that lots of different things are involved, including:

• prostate cancer itself
• treatments for prostate cancer - fatigue is likely to be worse if you have hormone therapy, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or more than one treatment at the same time
• stress, anxiety or depression
• travelling to appointments
• symptoms of advanced prostate cancer such as pain or anaemia, can cause fatigue
• pain caused by your cancer, treatment or another health problem can make your fatigue worse
• some medicines, such as pain-relieving drugs, can also cause fatigue
• health problems, such as kidney disease or arthritis, can cause fatigue
• not sleeping well
• lack of physical activity
• other things like going to work, caring for other people, or meeting up with friends or family. 

How long will my fatigue last?

How long fatigue lasts varies from person to person, and depends on many things, including:

• the cause of your fatigue
• the type of treatment you’ve had
• how long your treatment lasts.

It may get better or worse over time. Fatigue caused by your treatment may improve when you finish treatment. But some men have fatigue for months, or sometimes years. And life-long treatment can cause long-term fatigue.

Surgery (radical prostatectomy)

Some men get fatigue for a few weeks or months after surgery. For most men, energy levels get better one to three months after surgery. But others have fatigue for longer.

Radiotherapy

Most men having external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy experience fatigue. For some, fatigue gets worse over time. It usually improves a few weeks after treatment ends. But it can take up to a year to get better.

Hormone therapy

Some men on hormone therapy find that their fatigue gets better over time, while others find it gets worse. If you’re on long-term hormone therapy and are finding your fatigue difficult to deal with, you may be able to have a break from treatment if tests suggest the cancer isn’t growing. This is called intermittent hormone therapy. This may improve your fatigue, but it can take several months. And some men never notice any improvement. Depending on the type of hormone therapy you are on, it may be possible to switch to another hormone therapy.

Chemotherapy

Each course of chemotherapy is given as a number of sessions, each three weeks apart. During a course of chemotherapy, your energy levels may go up and down. Fatigue is usually worse during the week after each treatment session but then gradually improves. It is also common for fatigue to get worse, the more sessions you have. After finishing a course of chemotherapy, most men find their energy levels improve. But for some, fatigue can be long-lasting.

HIFU and cryotherapy

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and cryotherapy treatments can both cause fatigue but we don’t know how long it might last for. This is because they are newer and less common than some of the other treatments for prostate cancer.

How can I manage fatigue?

Lots of things can cause fatigue, so there’s no one treatment that can get rid of it completely. But there are lots of things you can do to improve or manage your fatigue. Small changes to your life can make a big difference. 

Ask for help

Asking for help can be difficult if you’re used to being independent. Partners, family and friends usually want to help, but won’t know what you need. Try to think about what activities you want to do for yourself, and let other people know what you would like them to help you with.

Talk to your healthcare team 

It’s important to talk to your healthcare team if you think you have fatigue. They can help you understand what might be making your fatigue worse and help you find ways to manage your fatigue. They can also check for any other health problems that might be causing your fatigue or making it worse.

You can also speak to our Specialist Nurses for information and help to better manage your fatigue. 

Get help with for the emotional challenges 

Fatigue can affect your energy levels, mood and emotions. You might feel low, anxious, or notice that you get upset more easily than usual. These feelings can make it harder to sleep, which can make your fatigue worse or more difficult to manage.

Fatigue can also leave you not wanting to do things you normally enjoy, like seeing friends, spending time with family or doing hobbies. This can make you feel lonely or distant from those close to you. Getting the right support to help manage your fatigue can make you feel like you have more control over your daily life and how you feel.

If you feel down or anxious, it’s important to talk to someone and get the support you need. It may help to speak to your GP – they support can check if you have depression or anxiety and suggest things that may help. Read more about mental and emotional wellbeing on our Wellbeing Hub. 

Keep active

Physical activity can help to improve fatigue. Read more about physical activity to improve fatigue.

Plan ahead and take things slowly

You might not have enough energy to do everything you used to do. And you may need to do some things a little differently. But if you plan ahead, you can try to do the things that are most important to you.

Keeping a diary can help you plan your activities and track your fatigue. Writing down what you do each day, along with how you're feeling, can help you notice patterns. For example, when you feel more tired or when certain activities make you feel better or worse. This can make it easier to manage your energy, avoid doing too much, and find a balance that works for you. Download our fatigue diary.

The five Ps

Some men find thinking about ‘the five Ps’ helpful when planning their time.

• Plan. Write a list of all the things you have to do.
• Prioritise. Work out what’s most important to you each day and put that at the top of your list.
• Pace. Allow extra time to get things done. Stop before you get too tired.
• Permission. Give yourself permission to do things differently and take things easy for a while.
• Position. Make the task easier. Could you sit down instead of standing?

Make time to relax

Taking time to relax is really important. It can help with the stress of having cancer treatment and with fatigue. Try to prioritise some time every day for the things you enjoy doing and make you feel relaxed. This could be meditating, breathing exercises, painting, or listening to music or a podcast. The Mental Health Foundation have a number of relaxation exercises that you can follow.

Eat and drink well

Eating a healthy diet can boost your energy levels. If you have problems with your diet, ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian. Read more about healthy eating.

If you don’t have the energy to prepare food for yourself, you could ask a friend or family member to help. Or you can order healthy, cooked meals to be delivered to your home, from your local authority or a private company. 

Drinking plenty of fluids can improve your energy levels. Try to drink around 1.5 to 2 litres (3 to 4 pints) of water a day - or a little more in hot weather or if you’re physically active. 

Improve your sleep

Although fatigue doesn’t always improve when you rest, sleeping well can help to improve your fatigue. The following tips may help you get a proper rest at night.

Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies may be used alongside medical treatment. Small studies have found that yoga, acupuncture, meditation and massage can improve fatigue in people who have cancer.

Some complementary therapies may have side effects or may interfere with your cancer treatment. So make sure your doctor or nurse knows about any complementary therapies you’re using or thinking of trying. And make sure that any complementary therapist you see knows about your cancer and treatments.

 You can get advice on finding a properly qualified therapist from the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. For more information about different complementary therapies and important safety issues to think about when choosing a therapy, visit Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK. 

Dealing with fatigue at work

Living with fatigue and work can feel overwhelming. Knowing your rights and understanding what support is available at work can help you feel more understood and supported. 

What can help?

• If your employer learns more about prostate cancer and its treatment, they might be more understanding. You could show them this website or order our fact sheet, Fatigue and prostate cancer.
• Take a look at your company policies and employee handbook. Talk to your occupational health service for advice.
• Go to your employer with suggestions about what would help you. For example, taking extra breaks, working from home, flexible hours, or changing your job role or duties for a while.
• Know your legal rights. Find out more about the law and make sure your boss or company is aware of it. Contact your union if you are part of one. Citizens Advice can also help.
• If you are self-employed or looking for work, you can get more specific information from Macmillan Cancer Support or Disability Rights UK.

Fatigue and relationships

Prostate cancer can change the normal pattern of your life, and affect relationships, friendships and roles within your family. It can bring challenges, but can also bring some couples and families closer together.

If you have fatigue, you might feel too tired to do the things you normally do to look after yourself. You might become more dependent on your partner, family and friends. This can feel frustrating. You might also feel guilty or embarrassed that you can’t do as much as you used to. This can put stress on your relationships. But there are things that you can do to help.

You might find it helpful to:

• learn more about fatigue together
• talk about how you feel
• get support as a family
• get help with practical matters such as work, money or household tasks
• develop a wider support network including other family members, friends or health professionals.

Try to make time for family activities, such as holidays and enjoying time together. You may not feel up to some activities that you have done together in the past. But it could be a chance to try something new.

Fatigue and sex

You may not have enough energy for sex. Prostate cancer and treatments for prostate cancer can also cause sexual problems, such as difficulty getting or keeping an erection (erectile dysfunction).

Supporting someone with fatigue

Supporting a partner, friend or family member with fatigue can be very difficult. There are things that might help.

• Ask your loved one what he feels able to do and support him to do those things.
• Ask what he doesn’t feel able to do and look into ways you or other people could help with those things.
• Ask if your loved one would like you to go to hospital appointments with him.
• Learn more about fatigue so you understand what your loved one is going through.
• Look into ways to deal with any feelings you might have about your loved one’s fatigue, like feeling frustrated or upset.
• Make sure you get enough rest so that you have enough energy to support him.
• Ask friends and family for help.
• Talk to your doctor for support.

Read more about supporting someone with prostate cancer.

Questions to ask your doctor or nurse

You may find it helpful to keep a note of any questions you have to take to your next appointment.

• Is my prostate cancer treatment likely to cause fatigue?
• How long might my fatigue last?
• What can I do to improve or manage my fatigue?
• What physical activity is suitable for me?
• Is there a local support group for men with prostate cancer-related fatigue?
• How can I access a local exercise programme?
• What other support is available to me?
• Who can I speak to for advice about work?

References and reviewers

Updated: September 2025 | Due for Review: September 2028