3 years since chemo struggling with work

Hi Kamra,

Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to the Online Community. I’m Heidi one of the Cancer Information Nurses here on the Macmillan Support Line.

I am so sorry to hear about the overwhelming fatigue you have been experiencing since completing your treatment. It is understandable this is affecting your mental health and wellbeing.

Firstly we would always advise with any new, continuing, or worsening symptoms that you contact your GP, NHS 111, or specialist team to be assessed urgently.

We would always advise talking with your specialist team or GP about how you are feeling. As we are not part of the NHS and do not have access to any medical records your hospital team will always be best placed to assess your symptoms. It is important they give you individual advice and support. If you have a specialist nurse you could contact them to talk through.

Fatigue affects everyone differently. It can vary throughout the day, and each day may be different. For most people, fatigue gets better after treatment finishes. But for some it may continue for months or sometimes years. Many people feel more tired than usual for a long time after chemotherapy treatment. It is most likely to happen after a lot of treatment, or very intensive treatment.

Understanding the cause of your fatigue and ruling out anything that might be contributing is important. Your specialist team or GP may want to do some tests, such as a blood test, to assess if anything else might be affecting your energy levels.

There are things you can do to boost your energy levels and supportive services to help you with how you are feeling. Macmillan Cancer Support has a coping with fatigue booklet that you can download or order which you might find useful.

Regular exercise or activity can help boost your energy levels, but I can appreciate that this might feel very difficult following a day at work. It is not always easy to pace yourself whilst at work, but you could speak to your employer about making adjustments or giving you more rest or break time. Our work support service may be able to help advise if you are struggling at work. Pacing activities at home can help to preserve energy levels.

Keeping a fatigue or symptom diary can provide valuable information to your hospital team or GP in understanding your symptoms on a day to day basis and finding the most appropriate way of managing them.

Eating well and keeping active can help you to keep up your strength, increase your energy levels and improve your sense of well-being.

Lymphoma Action has a compilation of members top tips for coping with fatigue that you might find helpful. You might also like Penny Brohn UK’s resources for self-care and wellbeing, although not lymphoma specific they aim to help people feel better in mind, body and spirit and have some gentle but empowering self-care resources.

You mentioned that everything thing feels like a struggle, and this is affecting your mental health big time. You have done amazingly well in getting through such tough treatment, please do reach out for support with how you are feeling.

Through Bupa, Macmillan are offering up to 4 free remotely-delivered counselling sessions, if eligible you can sign up online or via the support line and there are usually appointments available within days. Dealing with the long term effects of cancer and treatment can be challenging and you might also find it helpful to read our web pages about getting emotional support. 

We have a very welcoming Hodgkin lymphoma forum.  Sometimes talking to others that understand can be really supportive. You can also check our webpage to find details of support and information organisations in your area.

It can help to talk things through so please don’t hesitate to speak to one of the nurses on the Macmillan Support Line, we are available 8am to 8pm and would always welcome your call.

I hope the information provides a starting point, please don’t hesitate to get in touch again if we can support you further.

Take care for now. 

With best wishes

Heidi

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us. 

Ref/ FP/HC