Fatigue and depression during chemo

You can contact our helpline staff . The nurses have a lot of experience. 0808 808 0000.

Best to get it checked out if you are at all concerned .

So sorry to hear about your husband . My mum had a tough time too and it knocks it out of them .

But if you feel you need his needs assessed I would phone NHS 111 . Sometimes you need to know what the medics think .

Take care and I am thinking of you too !

Not an easy time .

Court 

Hi, Parsia, it is possible that his brain has overloaded with everything that has happened in the last few months. Suggest, like court, that you, and your husband if he is able, speak to the helpline, they are great. Also perhaps ring the chemo hotline to get help. You should have been given a 24/7 number for just these occurrences, don't think its not bad enough. If you are worried, it is. ((Hugs))

Thanks for hugs much appreciated. I have rung 24hr helpline who advised to contact treatment centre in the morning  Just think he needs some one else to talk to other than me. 

Hi Parsia!

I can relate to what you are going through. My husband is currently going through chemo treatment (CAPOX) and is midway through his 4th cycle. He has been tolerating well so well in fact that they upped his dosage of both the Oxipalatin and Capecitabine. In this last week however, he has begun to feel really awful as he would say `like shit` (pardon the language). He is just so tired all the time and doesn't want to eat or do much of anything. We have spoken to a cancer nurse specialist at the Beatson Cancer Unit here in Glasgow and he was able to tell her how he was feeling but like that, he said it's hard to describe. He said if it was something like having toothache or an upset stomach as such, he would know what it was, but he said he just feels so weird and so weak. He doesn't have a high temperature because the nurse got me to measure his temp while I was on the phone last night and I have been measuring it regular and it's normal. He doesn't have covid because I did a covid test with him earlier this week and that's normal. It's just that this has happened now after him tolerating his treatment so well. The cancer nurse said she would ring back today to check how he is. He's not been feeling sick or anything but his joints he said feel really stiff like in his knees and ankles. The nurse said that unfortunately as the chemo goes on the effects can get worse and may just be part and parcel of the treatment. It's just so hard to see him like this considering he has done so well on this treatment. He's a big bloke and loves his food and has been eating really well through his chemo but in the last couple of days he only wants to `nibble` at his food and then just leaves it. Hope your husband gets well soon as I do mine. Take Care.

Vicky xx

Hi Vicki. Hope your husband is doing better.  Mine was just the same. He had his 4th chemo stopped  early as it really affected him badly. He could,t speak very well and he could only walk a few steps  The treatment centre said he had been given  large doses of chemo and should stop.early .7mths down line he is vastly improved but still has the occasional slow memory and still suffers from some fatigue. His eating was really well then he virtually stopped and became very picky. Now he is eating well again thank goodness. He was due to have radiotherapy but he refused as they said it would make him ill again and he was so very weak at the time. He has now had his first 3 monthly blood tests which were clear. Now waiting for visit to surgeon in December and then colonoscopy  check in January. So fingers crossed. I know it is so hard and really worrying to see all this happening to them , but you just keep going and support them as much as you can. Take care and hope all goes well  Parsia xx

Hi Parsia!

Thanks for your reply. He is just so not himself just now. an example is that we have had our wee granddaughter for a sleepover and he's not rejecting her but just can't be bothered with her and he hates this because he feels he's turning against her and doesn't want that because he thinks the world of her. He was actually sick last night this is something that hasn't been happening at all, all through his treatment and then through the night he thought it was going to happen again, but he said it was just a big burp he needed so I've put him on the anti-sickness tablets he got along with the cancer meds and see how this goes. All through his treatment he hasn't needed the anti-sickness tablets or diarrhea tablets.   He's not happy though that this is another tablet he needs to take. His mouth is really dry too and he just drinks a lot of water. His mobility is a bit limited as well this time round it's just like we're back to the beginning of the year when he left hospital from getting his tumour op where he could hardly do anything. Yes, the eating thing as well. He is a big bloke and likes his food, but as I said just in the last couple of days he has been eating very little or nothing at all. He had a jumbo king rib from the chippy last night, but I don't know if that disagreed with him n maybe caused him to be sick. This is the final week of cycle 4 we're coming into so hopefully when we see the oncologist next, they'll maybe adjust his meds. We spoke to a cancer nurse over the phone on Friday and nothing has actually been said about him stopping the tablets for now as he doesn't have a high temperature or having chills, they seem to think what he is going through is par for the course of having chemo. I really just hope he picks up in the next couple of days it's just so worrying to see him like this especially since he has been tolerating his treatment well.

Vicky

Hi Vicky my husband sailed thru op but chemo really hit him hard. Unfortunately it did change him he became bad tempered  didn,t want to be bothered with anyone or anything  not a good word to be had at all. It us gradually getting better occasional  bad tempered  bouts but nothing like it was. The cancer team also blamed the chemo as he was given very high dose  so said was suffering from chemo brain which was horrendous. Couldn t do anything at all or speak. He persevered and hopefully that is over now. He is even talking holidays which I never thought would happen. It just takes time it is upsetting and sometimes you want to give up. But just be strong he is in there honestly. Taje care  Parsia xx

Thank you so much Parsia! 

Almost in tears reading that! Yes, I know he's in there still see some flashes of the sarcastic git he can be. His wee quips and one liners are starting to surface occasionally and I haven't even had any of them over the last couple of days so hopefully he's starting to find his way back. Never thought of that `chemo brain` maybe his dosage has just been too high for him, and they will alter it again next time we see the oncologist. He says he feels ok generally but feels like shit as if it's just one big hangover he's got. His speech to me sounds as though its `slurred` or `slow` but his mouth is really dry, and I think this is what is making it difficult for him to talk he's got all his faculties about him though and his brain and memory are still as sharp as a tack.  He is drinking plenty as well water, fruit juice, pepsi, fanta etc cut back or altogether on alcohol just now he'll maybe have a couple of beers the week he has no chemo but other than that it's soft drinks- with plenty of ice he needs to forfeit those at the beginning of his cycles because of the neuropathy (pins n needles in his fingers and toes) and take cold drinks at room temperature. Thanks for your post. You Take Care too.

Vicky xx

Hi Vicky was just thinking about you and yours and wondering how things are going. Hope everything is easing now and you are okay   xx Parsia

Hi Parsia!

Well Jay got his chemo stopped the last time because his cycle 4 was making him ill as I said. Found out his cancer had spread to his pelvis which we were absolutely devastated about said his kidney function had reduced slightly too. Don't know if they'll put him back on more chemo depends if they think he is well enough to tolerate it and they took some bloods from him so we go back again next week, and they will decide if they are going to put him on more chemo different from the last lot he went through. They said if possible, they will put him on a low dose. How are you doing?

Vicky ss