Maintaining your energy when living with metastatic breast cancer
Declining invitations gracefully can help, says integrative oncologist
IN THE NEWS: Nearly 170,000 women in the United States are estimated to live with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Fatigue is one of the most common and persistent challenges of this condition. UCI Health integrative oncologist Dr. Gary Deng told Everyday Health it’s important to simplify routines and take frequent breaks to preserve energy.
Deng recommends placing stools in areas where you normally stand, such as by the stove or counter, to rest when needed.
In social settings, Deng recommends the “sandwich approach” for sharing expressing limitations and sharing appreciation. Examples include:
- “Thank you for inviting me. I don’t have the energy now, but it means a lot to be included.”
- “It’s very nice of you to think I can be helpful. I’m going through treatments these days and can’t commit. I hope someone else can be more helpful than me.”
Deng is the director of Integrative Oncology for the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, part of UCI Health. He specializes in a whole-person, integrative approach to supporting patients with cancer through all phases of treatment, survivorship and prevention. He has served as principal investigator for research studies on acupuncture, yoga and botanical agents to treat and prevent disease. His scholarly work includes developing clinical practice guidelines for integrative oncology, reviews and textbook chapters.
About UCI Health
UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The 1,461-bed system comprises its main campus UCI Health — Orange, its flagship hospital, the UCI Health — Irvine acute care hospital and medical campus, four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and a network of ambulatory care centers across the region. UCI Health — Orange provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to the only Orange County-based National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).