Does the fatigue get better?

[JustMe]

Before my Dx of BC, I was very fatigued. So much so that in fact, I had been complaining to my family dr. about this for approx. 4 years as it was interferring with my work. (Thyroid has always been checked and is fine). Now, the fatigue is overwhelming for me. I had my last TCH on July 5th and am still totally wiped. Rads start early Aug. and Tamox this Friday. Anyone with similar problems with fatigue that has improved after Tx? Would love to hear others experiences regarding this.

[JustMe]

Anyone? Maybe this should be in another topic...

[PinkGirl]

Hi Just

We all seem to be different. Some can work through chemo treatments
and some can't get their heads off the pillow. I think fatigue is a very
common side affect from chemo.

I gradually got over the fatigue problem but it took more than a year.
I hope this helps some. If it's really severe, you could talk to your
onc or onc nurse about it.

[Chelee]

I had the exact same problem prior to dx...and still have it. But I complained to my PCP & several other doc's I went too for yrs before I was dx. I requested every blood test be done and you name it. I was always nodding off regardless of the amount of sleep I had. I never got an answer to my extreme fatigue but I really believe to this day it was the cancer all that time.

And the only time it seemed like my fatigue had improved surprising enough, is right after my MRM. I was no longer nodding off all the time and boy was that nice! Then once I did the 6 cycles of TCH I was so tired & fatigued again. But like Pink said...some women work right thur it with no problems. My fatigue is still so bad that I was thinking of asking for my onc or PCP if there is something that would help?

Everyone is different and yours may improve...it hasn't been that long since your last chemo. Your body needs time to recover...it's been thur so much. You will have to listen to your body and take short naps if you have too... go easy on yourself till you get this behind you. (And you will.)

Chelee

[Yorkiegirl]

I still to this day after 5 yrs. have fatigue. I don't have as much get and go any more.

I do know that also during radiation it was also very tiring on me.

['lizbeth]

I deal with fatique as well. I've been working with a physical therapist that specializes in cancer survivors. He is helping me increase the fitness of my heart and build lean muscle.

I feel I am much less fatiqued than 6 weeks ago when I slumped into his chair for my first visit.

So the right level of exercise might help. I still have fatigue, but feel that my quality of life and energy levels are improving. And my cognitive function is improving.

I finished chemo back in Sept 08.

[PatriceH]

A year ago I had surgery (after chemo), then radiation. I am currently in an exercise boot camp. I don't go every day, and still need a good nap on Sunday, but never would have believed I would be doing this in the midst of the fatigue. So, it DOES get better, but you'll have to take time to find your new "normal."

Hang in there - we're all standing beside you

[Ellie F]

Hi
Like Chelee I had fatigue for about 3 years before bc with all tests showing no problem. Just out of interest so did Kylie Minogue!!
I still get herceptin fatigue now so pace myself and manage it as best I can. before bc I could never nod off in a chair,now I can do it easily. Not sure if it's herceptin or the chemopause that's doing it.
Ellie

[sarah]

yes, fatigued a lot of the time. wondering also if it will improve.
sarah

[Mary Anne in TX]

It's very hard to live a get-up-and-go life when you're tired all the time, but pacing yourself can help. I was tired the few years before diagnosis also. It's what got me to the doctor who demanded a mamo. With all the chemo, radiation, herceptin, etc, I have not regained the massive energy I had 8 years ago. I could always outrun everyone I knew. Not sure that was so good though!
Anyway, what I have found is that finding the right food, vitamins, and most importantly, the right walking schedule helps so much. I still have to go in 4 hour segments to do things, but I can do it now. I mow the yard and weed eat, etc., but it took me 5 - 8 times to build up enough energy to not think I would die during the mowing. Walking a little more each day til I was able to do a normal walk with my little fur friend has really helped.
I tried several vitamin supplements (also take fish oil, CoQ10, etc) before finding one that really made me feel good but not hyper. Eating to many carbs makes me tired too.
Anyway, don't give up on yourself. It does take time and some experimenting, but take it as a challenge and get determined to outsmart that new body of yours. You may have to adjust some things, but life is challenges and I think we survivors are especially good at accepting and overcoming a good challenge. Best wishes, ma

[Ellie F]

Ma
What you said about outrunning everyone else was so true for me also. I believe that in some way it contributed to my breast cancer.
I agree that taking things in segments is helpful, it's just hard sometimes to learn a new way. For me late afternoon is a difficult time when I start to feel not great. it reminds me to sit down and take a break. Maybe I had this before but just ignored the warning signs.

Ellie

[tricia keegan]

I also found fatigue to be my biggest side effect of treatment and like Pink Girl, it took me about a year to feel myself again.
I began walking thirty minutes a day (although did'nt feel like it) and swimming other days and little by little my stamina and well being improved and I found I had more energy.
Your body's been through a lot and not finished yet, cut yourself some slack and know it will get easier but takes time:)

[jml]

I'm also really confused about this extreme fatigue.
This last treatment combo has been the most difficult of my 8 years on this bumpy journey and the first time I've felt so fatigued and weak.
I'd always been very active during treatment- walking my dog twice a day, teaching Pilates and running the studio - so I expected to be able to return to my normal level activity soon after finishing treatment. No such luck this time around.
Small bites of activity is good advice, but it's important to at least try. When you're so tired and physically de-conditioned, it's hard to know how much to do, especially when any/all physical effort feels so hard.
Last Saturday I walked 3/4 block to get my hair cut, walked home & up 2 flights of stairs to get back to my condo, and I needed a nap after all that. Yesterday I walked to the park and coffee shop-what used to be my morning ritual- with my sister and dog - slow going all the way.It was hard for me not to get discouraged by how slowly I was moving and how much of a challenge what used to be a "normal" walk is now.
It is very confusing, because the brain is willing but the body's not quite there.
It's good to know that there are PT's out there than specialize in this - I think I might ask my onc for a referral too.
So to all my sisters here, be gentle and patient with yourselves as we all find our way to a "new normal".

Keep the Faith~

jessica

[Mary Anne in TX]

Ellie, I too think the zoom-zoom life contributed to getting sick. Sometimes I have to have a long conversation with myself to get myself to just sit outside for 30 minutes and chill. Bad girl, bad girl...sit down!

[MJo]

I am four years past diagnosis. I was extremely fatigued after treatment and it took a few years to recover. I just took two teenagers to Dollywood and Dollywood Splash Park. Was worried about keeping up, but I tired them out. So, yes you will recover, but it may take a while. Everyone is different.

[vlcarr]

I too had noticed fatigue about 2 years prior to my diagnosis. When I found out I needed neck surgery I chalked it up to that. Prior to that, I was just go, go and more go.

Chemo knocked me down for a good 2 weeks with fatigue. I'm doing PT now since I've developed lymphedema and do want to start an exercise program but they want me to get my strength back before we call all aerobic!!!

I did not work the whole time during chemo or radiation. I was still in PT for my neck surgery when I found out I had BC so I think that all contributed. I had to wear a hard collar for 6 weeks after surgery which limited me even before I got BC.

I think it all just added up. The PT said some of the problems I'm having now are related to my neck as well as the mastectomy and lymph node removal.

I went back to work for 4 hours a day this week (working from home). I'm making it but still get tired and sometimes take a nap.

[Jackie07]

Exercise really helps.

I'm usually fatigued easily because I have 3 brain tumors in the center right of my brain. I get very tired when i exercise. But after a day's rest, I found myself full of energy the next 4, 5 days. I think exercise helps detox our body (through sweat and blood circulation), revive our brain power (more blood supply, more synapses), and improve our immune system (by releasing endorphene.)

Definitely exercise. Walking is the best type...

And yes, when we have cancer, we have those 'invisible' symptoms such as fatigue (and 'allergy' for me.)
I had to take several sick days in May 2007. I went to the weekend clinic just so I could get a doctor's note. Then I felt something on my right chest. I told the weekend doctor about it, and she told me I needed to get it checked out. So I called my breast surgeon...(The mammogram people always called it a scar tissue - luckily the surgeon knew better) I also had lost my job back in late 2002, just 7 months before my breast cancer was first diagnosed.

[Catherine]

For me, it was fatigue before DX. And fatigue 4 years after DX...but there is hope, I am getting stronger and my stamina is coming back. Sounds like a lot of us have been dealing with fatigue. I agree with those who have commented above. You have to pace yourself, find what works for you, accept that you do not have the stamina you used to have. Then....keep exercising, because I do think you can get most of your strength back. You need the right food, rest and a paced life. I actually feel like I am getting better. Pacing for me is working part time, and cleaning one area of the house a day. If I go out on Friday night, I probably stay home on Saturday night. I walk for excersise. The other night, I crashed at 800pm. I need lots of sleep. But 4 and one half years later, I feel like I am getting stronger.

[jhandley]

You might be suffering from adrenal fatigue...chemo is a big cause of this.

[Ellie F]

Hi Jackie
Someone suggested that maybe my problem before bc, I guess having all the treatment just made it worse.
Am really interested to know if herceptin is a big factor also as for a couple of days after infusion I feel weepy, tired and very edgy?It then seems to pass off.

Ellie

[whatz]

I'm not only on Herceptin but am very tired most of the time. I can excercise but just don't have the get-up-and-go to motivate myself a lot of the time. I too seem to see that about a 4-5 days after my infusion I bottom out and then slowly come back again. Nothing as extreme as A/C but still noticable where I sometimes just wish I could go home from work early.

[whatz]

Meant to say...I'm now only on Herceptin (there you go...tired :-) )

[Catherine]

Just want to reiterate and show a light at the end of the fatigue tunnel. I do think with exercise and time the fatigue lessens. When mine was the worst, I thought it would never get better. But it does not rule my life anymore.

Hang in there tired friends,
Catherine

[Jackie07]

Ellie,

I do not know if it was Herceptin or the premeds I was given that had made me tired/sleepy. I literally dozed off for over 20 minutes whenever I was sitting in the chemo chair. Part of the reason could be that I had worked almost a full day before getting to the chemo room.

And it always took me at least 3, 4 days to not be feeling 'very' tired after the infusion. The routine for me was to get treatment on Thursday afternoon. I would be working 'normally' on Friday. Then I had Saturday and Sunday to rest and deal with the side effects. I usually slept through the whole weekend and would be in pretty good shape going back to work on Monday.

Remember to eat well. [Sweet patato rice soup can do wonders...:)]

[JustMe]

Thanks so much for all the replies - there is some really good advice here - and it helps a lot to know that I am not alone in dealing with this fatigue.

I have started walking again at the beginning of the week - and while it feels like I am forcing one foot in front of the other I've noticed a little bit of improvement. So I will be continuing with that! :-)

I am doing a 'diet overhaul' as of now also. I tried watching what I was eating during chemo, but that was hard given the way it affected the appetite. But now, it's back on the wagon for me - lol. Did you know that there is soy oil in the majority of salad dressings, for example? I'm thinking I will start making my own as I know that diet will impact not only the cancer but energy levels as well.