After Treatment

Hello....

I am hoping Happyfeet2023 might see this. She would be a good person to chat with because I know she found herself in a similar situation. I don't know how to tag her directly but people sometimes get a notification if their name is mentioned.

I understand your difficulty with fatigue because I had it too after my treatment had finished.....no comparison with tiredness. You know the difference if unfortunately you develop it......However, I had already retired so I had time to deal with it .

I hope you start to feel more energised soon but do let your body dictate how much you should rest and how much keep going.

Take care. Karen

Good advice from Lacomtekp  I can also add that I think you need to take as much time as you can afford to in order to recover from what your body has been through, physically and mentally. It’s worth noting that it is illegal for you manager to pressure you to return, they are allowed to contact you to check on your well being or for business critical information but otherwise they have to respect medical professionals that you aren’t fit for work. You will do yourself and them a disservice if you go back too soon. And of course you are not lazy and anyone who has any life experience will know that. Your treatment was gruelling. Don’t beat yourself up for not being ready, take your time to recover. Talk to Macmillan for advice on how to tackle your employer. In my area, the local hospice offers lots of things to help people after treatment including counselling, support groups, massages, scar therapies, all can be helpful. Be kind to yourself and trust yourself to make the right decision for you. All the best xx

Thank you. I agree that there is a big difference, but getting people who are lucky enough to not have experienced it is very hard. Happy to hear that you finished treatment too. Always have to stay positive

Thank you for taking the time. Unfortunately I'm not very good at reaching out, and I've not had much support offered. Not even from my Macmillan nurses, even regarding scar management. I've received minimal contact. But maybe that's because I haven't reached out. My manager has started the stages regarding sick leave, so I'm unsure if they can push me out or not. I just feel a little lost at the moment, so thank you for your suggestions. I hope everything is going well for you also, and wish you all the best too

Hi Carannlyn. You don't say what you do so I am not sure who else can help. I was in a Union. They are not always helpful but they do know about employment law and can give you information about what can be done. I imagine Citizens Advice will have someone too.

Now is the time to ask for that help and support. Your Healthcare team are there to back you up.Your recovery physically and mentally depends on them.keep asking till you get what you need. At times we are all too passive tending to follow the path set out. Macmillan are not the only charity out there offering support so seek them out too.

Meanwhile listen to people who love you but most importantly list to your body.

I dont know if this is a possibility for you, but if necessary go directly to HR rather than working through your boss. It is absolutely inappropriate that they are pressuring you to go back to work when you have just finished such an intensive course of treatment.

Get some guidance about what an appropriate interval would be from your BC care team or MacMillan but i would have though it would be another month at the absolute minimum before you start to get your energy back

Very best wishes

Hi Carannlyn 

I think Lacomtekp 

may have meant me (I’m a different HappyFeet, popular username!). Anyway doesn’t matter, I saw your post and it definitely resonated. You can read my background on my profile (click on username). My situation was a bit different in that I had less treatment and a very supportive employer (was a teacher in a special school). But I struggled hugely with my job when I went back, even though I had an ‘extra’ 4 weeks off sick after radiotherapy finished and went back on a phased return. My job was very hands on, physically and mentally demanding, and many of my students had unpredictable behaviour and movements. I managed 10 months back at work, only ever working alternate days so 3 days a week. In the end I couldn’t cope at all so took ill health retirement. My employer referred me to Occupational Health and they assessed me plus guided me through the process. 
I’m really sorry your manager is being totally unsupportive. Please seek advice as mentioned by others. The MacMillan helpline has employment advisors who should be able to tell you your rights and how to proceed. You have had gruelling treatments and I’d say should definitely have further time off. I read of people working during their treatment but they were in very different jobs. 
There’s also an article which I’ve found very helpful (maybe your manager should read it), by Dr Peter Harvey called After the Treatment Finishes then what?. I can’t post a link but it will come up if you search. 
Your GP should also support you staying off for as long as you need. The other factor for me was the hormone therapy (Anastrozole). I was on it for 7 years and can have many side effects including fatigue and brain fog. I’m not sure if you are on this type of treatment too. 
My union was also really supportive, as Silverberg has mentioned. 
I hope you can find a resolution, please don’t be bullied by this manager who is clearly of the school of thought that once active treatment finishes then all is back to normal. Sadly a widely held but uninformed view!
Sending love and a big virtual hug, HFxx

Hi, as everyone else has said, don't go back too soon.  I was luckybin that my employers were realky supportive and I had 4 months off from diagnosis until after recovery from my 2 surgeries.  However I worked throughout radiotherapy and in hindsight was foolish in that I should have taken some time off afterwards due to the fatigue, and im sure that it would have gone more quickly.  However, I stupidly felt guilty for having already had time off.   

My boob has still been tender after the RT, but im lucky that I don't do a physical job and am still mainly working from home since covid.

But please take as much time as you need-does your employer have a policy in place for sickness and in particular a cancer diagnosis? Once i got that , I was automatically classed as disabled at work and also entitled to 10 days extra leave for therapeutic stuff ( although I didnt take it).  But I work for a local authority and they have policies for everything! 

Hope all goes well for you x

As HappyFeet1 has mentioned, the Dr Peter Harvey article is excellent, I can post a link

https://workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

hugs xxx

I would add that the treatment you’ve been through is lengthy and gruelling and to be expected to return to work before YOU feel ready is unrealistic and could lead to more time out being needed. If possible a trial once you feel more ready could inform both sides as to whether it’s realistic or not. 

Hugs xxx