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A campaign run by
#SpotLeukaemia
Fatigue: a leukaemia symptom
​Feeling Very Tired? It Could Be a Sign of Leukaemia
Fatigue means feeling very tired all the time. It’s the most common sign of leukaemia. More than half of people with leukaemia feel this way before they are diagnosed.
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What does leukaemia fatigue feel like?
This tiredness is not like normal tiredness. Rest or sleep doesn’t make it go away. It can feel like:
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Being very weak or worn out for over two weeks
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Feeling tired even after resting or sleeping
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Feeling out of breath easily
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Sleeping a lot more than usual
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Finding it hard to think clearly or focus
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Losing weight without trying
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Having other signs of leukaemia, like pale skin or bruising easily
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If you have these symptoms, talk to your doctor.
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I'm experiencing fatigue - what do I do?
If you are experiencing fatigue, you need to contact your GP and ask for a blood test. It might not be leukaemia but it could be something else so it's important you get it checked out.
Martin’s Story: From misdiagnosis to survival
When Martin Anderton began experiencing extreme tiredness, night sweats, and mouth ulcers, he was simply told to take vitamins. But he knew something wasn’t right. A trip to A&E and a simple blood test revealed the shocking truth—Martin had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
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Leukaemia is often diagnosed too late, with 37% of cases only discovered in emergency settings.
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Know the signs:
✔ Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
✔ Unusual bruising or bleeding
✔ Repeated infections
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Early diagnosis saves lives. If you’re experiencing symptoms, ask your doctor for a blood test.
Martin Anderton, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) patient
When should I be concerned?
It is important to remember that many different things can cause fatigue, and more commonly it can be explained by lack of sleep, long hours at work, hormone imbalances, anxiety, depression or dietary deficiencies. However, for this reason, leukaemia can be hard to spot because the signs and symptoms are common to other unrelated problems.
As a general rule, if your level of tiredness is affecting your ability to function properly and is persisting for an unusual length of time, visit your GP to gain a professional opinion and rule out any underlying problem.​
