7. The Invisible Handicap – Persistent Fatigue
The seventh symptom on our list is persistent fatigue. Now, we’re not talking about the occasional tiredness that we all experience after a long day or a sleepless night. This fatigue is a relentless, ongoing, and unshakeable sense of exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest and isn’t proportional to recent activity.
For someone dealing with persistent fatigue, the mere act of getting out of bed can feel like running a marathon. It’s a sense of weariness that penetrates into every muscle, making even the most mundane task feel like an uphill battle. It can affect your physical capacities, cognitive functions, and emotional well-being, disrupting all aspects of life.
But why does fatigue occur in PTC? Well, our thyroid gland is like the control center of the body’s metabolism. So when a malignant tumor invades this control center, it can cause fluctuations in thyroid hormone levels, which play a crucial role in energy utilization. Besides, our bodies spend significant energy battling the cancerous cells, which can also contribute to fatigue.
Remember, this isn’t ordinary tiredness that a good night’s sleep can fix. If you’re constantly feeling drained, unable to shake off the tiredness, and you’re experiencing other symptoms such as a neck lump, it’s time to have a conversation with your doctor. It’s easy to dismiss fatigue, given how common it is. But it’s essential to listen to what your body is telling you. (7)
