Why Am I Suddenly So Tired? Oh, Yeah, That Rash

Many people do not realize the importance of our skin, or the prominent role it plays in maintaining our overall health. As the body's largest organ, it deserves a little attention. I know this, in part because I slather lotion on from head to toe most recent days (often multiple times). And yet, it still was not my first thought when I began wondering why I was suddenly so exhausted in the middle of my morning.

My morning routine

I had begun chugging coffee. After all, the previous night's sleep had not been all that great. I probably just needed to "perk up" a bit. But my energy was fading quickly when all I really needed to do were a couple loads of laundry and sit at my desk. The laundry was already in the machine. My computer was open on my desk. The coffee was hot in my cup. But my eyelids were struggling to remain open.

Knowing that exercise will often be the perfect cure for lethargy, I strode through the house. I paced in the kitchen and made a sandwich. I watered the garden. It may not sound like much, but my metastatic cancer treatment has left me without a lot of stamina and a whole lot less muscle mass. Besides, I had to make quick work with the garden hose, because I am not supposed to spend any time in the sun with my current targeted medication.

Because of my rash

The wheels in my brain started clicking. I had been off my medication for two weeks to let my rash subside, then back on it for the last week. I had even talked about how tired I had been when I was on the medication before -- because of the rash. I had not been gaining weight because of the rash, though I had just put on a pound or two quickly while I was more or less drug-free. But the rash was back again. It stood to reason that my body would be going into defensive overdrive. It needed to protect its skin.

Why skin matters

In addition to holding all the gooey parts of our bodies in a nice, clean package, the skin is also our first line of defense against pathogens. It might seem tender, but it is actually a resilient outer shield that withstands bumps and scuffs and scrapes, and protects against the sun, and protects against chemicals; for those things it does not entirely protect against it has a unique built-in ability to patch itself up from. In fact, the skin regenerates like crazy every day, losing and replacing millions of cells.

Skin accounts for somewhere around 15% of total body weight, coming in at the average of 8-ish pounds (as much as the weight of a human brain, according to that kid from Jerry Maguire). It is filled with 11 miles-worth of blood vessels. And stretched out, it would cover 2 square meters.

The largest organ in the body (actually called the integumentary system), it is an active waterproof covering that allows for controlled evaporation and temperature regulation. When not manufacturing Vitamin D for the body, it is acting as the largest sensory organ, sending constant messages to the brain.

Read Why Am I Suddenly So Tired? Oh, Yeah, That Rash (Part II) for the explanation of what the integumentary system does, how it is affected by EGFR mutation-targeted cancer drugs and the effects of the rash.

Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on October 21, 2018, Jeffrey Poehlmann passed away. Jeffrey’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. He will be deeply missed.