Just go with the flow: a qualitative study of fatigue in biotherapy

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and explore the experience of fatigue in patients who had received biotherapy or biochemotherapy. A one-time face-to-face interview was conducted with 10 patients who had consented to be in a larger quantitative study of fatigue. Seven were men and all but two were currently receiving treatment. The study took place at a midwestern cancer centre in the USA. A content analysis of the transcribed interviews was undertaken. The two investigators coded the transcripts independently and then compared and discussed the codes and themes until consensus was reached. Four themes emerged: (i) life-disrupting severity of the fatigue, (ii) altered sleep patterns, (iii) informational needs met, and (iv) advice for other patients. The strongest theme was the advice to 'be strong and go with the flow' was meaningful for these patients and the only wisdom they could pass on to future patients. Boredom associated with cognitive fatigue and the inability to accomplish work and other tasks was also revealed. Conclusions drawn from this study relate to the degree of suffering patients experienced in undergoing biotherapy as they reported fatigue and other problems and also the strong desire to complete treatment despite the difficulties that they experienced.