TIREDNESS

Hello Boo359,

I was treated for womb cancer last year but I saw your post and thought that it sounded just like me with the fatigue. I hope you don't mind me replying. 

I had chemotherapy that finished in August 2022. This was followed by 5 weeks of radiotherapy. Like you I can have some good days and then the next day I am totally wiped out. Sometimes I can be in the middle of something and the fatigue hits me like a train and I have to stop what I am doing and lie down. I am gradually trying to increase what I do each day and I feel like I am going in the right direction but sometimes the tiredness can be overwhelming. A friend of mine who was treated for breast cancer and who had chemo and radiotherapy  is still having days like you describe. She told me that with her it was a good 2 years to start feeling more herself after the chemo. It makes sense to me as it can be such an aggressive treatment physically and emotionally. 

Some days I feel fine and then another day I literally struggle to get up and get dressed and put one foot in front of the other. I have learned that I need to really pace myself and if I do too much one day, the next day I need to rest. However before Christmas (so about 6 months post chemo) I needed to lie down for an hour each day. Now it is maybe once a week. So it does improve but slowly I feel.

 Maybe mention to your BCN or GP as they can check your bloods. Mine did and I was still low in haemoglobin and a couple of other levels including magnesium. I was just told it could take a fair few months for bloods etc to recover and that chemo takes some time to get over. Something about it damaging the cancer cells but also a lot of other important cells and these can take a while to recover. I would mention it if only for a bit of reassurance.

Hope this helps a bit

Jane

I had hormone positive BC and knew it would take a good year to get over chemo However, although I did feel better and not as poisoned, the fatigue has lingered. Like you, I can have energy one day and none the next - to the point of going for a lie down at lunchtime.

I'm on hormone blocking medication which causes fatigue plus I was pre-menopausal when diagnosed and was put into a medical menopause with zoladex implants every month. The hormone blockers/menopause made it very difficult for me to sleep, which doesn't help. I think hormone blockers cause a lot of fatigue.

I'm now on a very low dose antidepressant too, which is helping with sleep and mood swings - that helps enormously. I am still fatigued though. I have to pace myself and not overdo it in any one day, or I will be tired out for a week.

I've just had my latest zoledronic acid infusion and rather than pushing through, I've listened to my body and have taken it easy for a few days. It has really wiped me out again.

It's not all bad though, I am doing things that I enjoy. I just need to make sure I don't push myself too much.

My next treatment of zoledronic acid is not til Sept thankfully. Like you I pushed through. I think I just thought. Treatment finished. Back to normal. OOHHH NO !!! so will have to start reading my body as you say.

Carol

Xx

Thank you. Its difficult when you're a get up and go person !!! I just keep going.

Carol

Xx