Fatigue

Hi Nellm 

Sorry to hear about your treatment but what your experiencing is precisely what I did too 4 years ago... initially I fought it but my consultant told me if I felt totally exhausted I should just rest...it lasted 2 or 3 months but eventually passed and I only rarely get it now 4 years later. your body is good at telling you when you need to lie down.

Good luck and you've got this

Chas 

Hi Nellm

Congratulations on finishing your treatment as it is a rough ride.

Unfortunately the fatigue is part of the whole thing and completely ‘normal’.  Most days I could only get up late morning and then only manage a few things before I was worn out again. I did walk but found I could only go really short distances for quite a while. It does get better and then all of a sudden you are off and running again. I used to hold onto my husband’s arm for a while and he would literally drag me around the shopping centre with lots of rests along the way.

Be kind to yourself as you just have to take it quietly for a while. Thank goodness it doesn’t last.

Lyn

Hello Nell and welcome. Well done on getting through this. The journey to recovery begins. My oncologist told me it would be a year before I felt my old self and he was right.

NellM said:

No temperature or anything like that just bone crushingly exhausted? Is this normal 12 days post finishing/

It is I'm afraid. It's called Radiation Fatigue and it's really common. Radiotherapy has a residual effect for two to three weeks after treatment end anyway so you are still in that period.I slept for most of the two weeks after I finished. After that  I was like a slow old lady going up to our field to walk the dog with my husband. For six months after there were times when out of the blue I would get poleaxed by the same feelings you had. It's caused by radiation affecting the base of your brain. It does get better and the best thing to do is to listen to your body and rest. Recovery is a marathon with some days being better than others. 

You'll get there

Oh my goodness I am so glad I got onto this site! Thank you so much for all taking the time to reply. You have all been through it and have given me advice that has really calmed me down. My daughter has been saying that I am trying to do too much but now that I have read your experiences, I am going to just sit down and rest when I feel exhausted?! 

One other thing. When does this revolting taste of a Himalayan Salt Block go from inside your mouth? 

Thank you so much again. It's brilliant to talk to people who really understand what you're feeling.

Oh my goodness I am so glad I got onto this site! Thank you so much for all taking the time to reply. You have all been through it and have given me advice that has really calmed me down. My daughter has been saying that I am trying to do too much but now that I have read your experiences, I am going to just sit down and rest when I feel exhausted?! 

One other thing. When does this revolting taste of a Himalayan Salt Block go from inside your mouth? 

Thank you so much again. It's brilliant to talk to people who really understand what you're feeling

Hi Dani, Do I reply to each person separately or just at the bottom to everyone? Thank you so much for your help

Thanks Chas.

You can reply to everybody at once. We know what you mean. If there anything particular you want to refer to you can reply to that post but a general reply is fine. Re salty taste. Yes yuk. 6 months for me but others are earlier or later. Everybody is different but we all get there and so will you. 
Don’t be afraid to ask anything. This is all new to you and it’s easy to get frightened for nothing. All you often need is a reassuring word from somebody who’s been there. 

Have a read of this. It’s exceptionally well written and resonates with all of us. Print some copies out and distribute them to friends and family 

www.workingwithcancer.co.uk/.../After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

Hi Nell welcome from me what the others have said about radiation fatigue hits you even in a marathon and you take the wall you can you can do is listen to your body I became the master of the 20 minute power nap if you try and fight it it will be worse the link that Dani sent you from Dr Peter Harvey well worth reading and keeping a copy and give it to friends and family any questions you wanna ask just ask nothing still silly well done on completing treatment now it’s recovery there’s an old word called convalescence not many if us use it  anymore but that’s what you’ve got to go through now. A link to my blogs below give it a read it might help you with wants to come we are all different so you don’t get every side effect that we all get