Hi ladies
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in Oct 2007 and had a lumpectomy then 4 weeks later had a mastectomy as there was still cancer present in the breast. Had immediate reconstruction also. Went through chemo in 2008 and also had zoladex injections for 2 years. Although it is 3 years on from my chemo and i should be feeling great again i actually feel worse now than back then which sounds a bit crazy but i am so fatigued all the time, to be honest i have not been right since my chemo and am very depressed at the moment. I think i was so positive throughout my surgery and treatment that everything i have gone through has only hit me after it was all over. My ex partner also left me while i was having my chemo which has also had an effect on me! I am also now borderline under active thyroid which causes a lot of my fatigue i think too, and have heard of other women having thyroid trouble after chemo apparantly but i don’t know how true that is? And my periods came back after the Zoladex injections and i am in agony all the time i feel like i am in labour, the doc thinks i now have possible endometriosis and am due for a laparoscopy in May. I just feel like i can’t cope with all these illnesses especially after having breast cancer on top. Guess i am just wanting to talk to someone really as i am very low at the moment, haven’t been on here in a very long time so thought i would come and have a look. Take Care everybody!
Joanne xx
Meant to say aswell, i wondered if any other women are suffering from depression and fatigue 2 or 3 years after treatment. Do you ever go back to normal??
Really sorry to hear you are feeling unwell and still have new medical issues to contend with. I read some research in the paper recently about breast cancer often causing a post-traumatic stress reaction in some people for varying lengths of time after treatment. It seems that we go into “coping” mode during the treatment and that afterwards we can have a strong reaction that’s hard to pick up from. Have you talked with your GP about how you are feeling - they might be able to help with medication or counselling. I’ve found counselling really helpful in trying to work through issues with someone else’s help so I don’t feel too isolated. I’m sure others posters will be along with encouragement and advice - it’s good that you are asking for help and can then think for ways to help you to try to cope.
Thinking of you
Fran
Hi,
I’m way behind you, in as much that i have 1 more chemo to go before mx, recon and rads then tam for 5 years, but i do appreciate that people can feel really awful once the initial treatment has been ticked off (so to speak).
There is someone feeling similar to you posting currently, it’s clearly a ‘normal problem’, knowing this won’t help you to solve it but might reassure you in knowing you’re not alone.
This is an address for a good article about coping after cancer
cancercounselling.org.uk/northsouth/extra4.nsf/WebResHarvey?OpenView&ExpandAll&Count=500
Of course, you not only have BC to contend with so maybe counselling would help. You don’t need to face it alone.
Take care x
Hi Joanne
I’m sure you’ll continue to get support from others here, I see fran and SCACO have already offered some useful tips.
You might also like to give the Helpline a call, they’re great listeners and can point you to other sources of help and support too.
The number is 0808 800 6000, they’re open weekdays 9-2 and 9-2 on Saturday.
Do ring them if you can.
Best wishes.
Louise
Facilitator
Thank you for your advice and comments. Yes i am due to go see a counsellor next week actually and also going to see doctor about it also, maybe see about going on anti-depressants.
I definitely agree with the comment about the post traumatic stress, that is how it feels sometimes. I have isolated myself in the house and let myself get to this stage where as really i should have sought help sooner. I think as i was young when i was diagnosed (i was 29) that it was such a huge shock to me and then i was in for operations within 2 days of being diagnosed then followed all the treatment it’s like i went onto auto pilot, i never had time to let it sink in so to speak. But this has crept up on me for 3 years, slowly and gradually getting worse. I have suffered with depression all my life on and off too so i think having the BC has triggered it all off in me again. I won’t get involved in relationships as i feel like no-one will want me,this is the effect my partner leaving i think. Hopefully the counselling will help me get back on track. Just wish i had done it sooner.
Thanks again for the advice all.
xxx
It’s good to know that you have already sorted out to get some advice - whilst you are feeling so bad maybe it helps to know that this is “normal” as a result of what has been happening to to you? Good luck with the counsellor and doctor next week in starting to get treatments.
Do keep in touch
Fran
Hi Joanne,
I like you have suffered from depression before BC but it truly triggered some horrific times for me during my recovery after three operations etc.
My BCN didn’t really understand the implications, so I just hid it from the cancer professionals. I am now going to undertake some work for Breakthrough Cancer and feel it is absolutely essential that there is more emotional support for people like us!
I feel very passionate about this and hope to raise our profile.
There really does need to be more mental health provision linked with the cancer services.
I am 15 months on from my mx and I’m afraid the fatigue has never really improved for me… If I overdo it and get really exhausted which has happened to me recently when I had a lot of social activities to squeeze in…I did really go down and depressive symptoms followed! Very scary!
I am on my own and have no support so have had to employ a cleaner who has been my saviour. My house is ‘sorted’ so I can focus on food/cooking and achieve part-time paid work as well as now volunteering for my local cancer support group.
It’s a real balancing act!
I trust you manage to balance your health and recovery with the knowledge of ‘pacing’ yourself. I think a counsellor is a very good idea, I see an oncologist counsellor and have had to return to her because emotional triggers from my dx are seriously affecting my daily existence now but there is no provision within my county for specific emotional support from the Mental Health team. It is truly shocking. I do hope you can access local support for yourself.
As well as help with your thyroid problems.
Best wishes to you. I hope you know you can always share here. Some of us understand your plight far too well…
Welsh girl x
Hi Joanne
You are right it what you say by it creeps on. I was dx back in 2008 and coped really weel with treatment , though i didn’t return to work. I then went through a stage were I just held things together so made some changes and moved to a different area. I didn’t come on this site for ages (not sure the relevance of that) and plodded along. everyone around me expecting me to ‘get on with life now’ but this year I have sunk back into a feeling of worthlessness. The fatigue rules my life, I like welsh girl have tried to organise things so I can factor in fatigue, but it doesn’t always work and I get so tired I can’t function, can’t think, drive, sleep. The relotionship I am in , albeit from a distance is suffering badly, I am due to go away easter and have cancelled and he is not very happy. I have had one counselling session and will try another.
The article mentioned by SCACO is good and i actually printed it off and sent it to family though i know some haven’t read it. xx
Hi,
Just wanted to add a note on endometriosis, I was diagnosed with it over 10 years ago, but probably had it a lot longer than that, and have had 3 laproscopys, they are a lot simpler than everything that you have had to go through with breast cancer surgery. They can often carry out laser treatment at the same time as the diagnosis, this can reduce the period pain. I found that the reduction in the chronic pain caused by the endo also increased my energy levels. Unfortunately the best treatment I found for the endo was going on the pill, which isn’t an option if you have ER+ BC.
Jen
Hi Joanne
I’m sorry to hear you’re having such a rough time.
I had endometriosis for all my adult life (now 47) and I can tell you that makes you feel very fatigued. In 2007 after years of hormone treatment I had radical surgery which in effect cured my endometriosis.
Then wham in early 2009 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mx, chemo and rads. It felt such a blow after finally being rid of the endometriosis.
I’m now 18 months down the line after finishing BC treatment and still get very fatigued. I find that when I’m physically tired like that it’s really hard to keep my mood up. I am slowly getting better. I do think tamoxifen is making me feel worse.
I rang the helpline as I was worried about it and the nurse told me that how I was feeling was entirely normal given the sheer amount of medical problems and treatment I had.
There are a range of treatments for endometriosis from surgical such as laser treatment, hysterectomy (although you may want children at some point) and then medications. It will be a case of finding what’s right for you and as Jen says what will be appropriate if you had a hormone receptive cancer.
take care, elinda x
hi joanne,
i think your gynaey problems may have a very large part in making you feel so depressed and fatigued,
i am a bit behind you in my treatment but i am finding i am getting days where i feel resentful, i also feel very angry and fed up with the way my life is at the moment,
in fact i am not happy, but it hasnt got anything to do with me having had breast cancer, if that makes sense,
you have done the right thing getting some professional help, just speaking to someone in confidence may help you,
i hope you find a way to work through this difficult time,
sending you best wishes and a (((((hug))))) liz xx