Imposter syndrome tends to rear its head quite often when you’re on what seems to be the more straightforward pathway such as no mastectomy or chemo - there’s a whole lot bread on imposter syndrome on here . It might also help you to search for and read The Mountain Lion Story - if I was more savvy I could include a link here .
You’ve had cancer and you have the right to adjust to what has happened to you in your own time. We all make these comparisons and they can be helpful but they can also provoke these feelings of guilt and feeling like a fraud or an imposter - but you aren’t one . Xx
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Thank you so much Joanne I will seek out the mountain lion. xx
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I had exactly the same , i finished my radiotherapy ages ago , i stopped taking Letrozole because of side affects now going to try a different one . It takes a long time to get over everything . Stay strong .
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It has been two and a half years since my lumpectomy, four months of chemo and thirty rounds of radiation. I currently am taking two estrogen inhibitors. I suffer from new trapenia, no white blood cells, and I am extremely anemic. I am only exhausted and fatigued all the time.I would not know what it is like to have energy or feel good.In any other way. I have orthopedic problems that I cannot tend to until I am off one of my inhibitors.That will allow my white blood count to go back to normal levels. I am still always nauseous and often vomit. I am seventy years old. Please don’t feel like you are a fraud.This is not normal.What we are going through. We are destroying much of our body just to save our lives. I will keep you in my prayers.
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That is it. That is exactly it . Thank you
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“ who in their right mind would want to fight a mountain lion, even a three-legged one?”
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Thanks Jill I’m not good at adding links to other posts. It’s always good to re read that as well xx
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Yes it sums the experience up perfectly doesn’t it ?
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Wow, this forum never ceases to amaze me. You all put my feelings and struggles into words perfectly. I know exactly how you’re feeling, and it is so helpful to learn that others feel as I do.
I’m 39 and had a very easy lumpectomy and no chemo. I’m 6 months out from radiation and 6 month on tamoxifen. It seems like everyone in my life, including myself, expects me to be back to normal, but I’m not. Like others have said, I still feel dead tired many afternoons. I end up doing nothing some weekends and then chastise myself for being lazy. I keep telling myself it’s not helpful to dwell on what I’ve been through, and I shouldn’t use my cancer treatment as an excuse. I think “I barely had cancer. Others’ experiences are so much worse. I should be back to normal by now. In fact, shouldn’t I be ‘even stronger’ now that I’ve gone through this?!” The fact that I don’t feel that way somehow proves that I’m lazy and ungrateful.
Thank you all for validating these thoughts and feelings and helping me work through them. Yes, some people get through this process and pop out on the other side easy and normal, but many take much longer to recover, and I have to remind myself it’s okay if I fall into the latter category. It’s so helpful to hear from other women going through this. Thank you all for the support and reminders that it’s okay to struggle and that we should listen to our bodies when they tell us they are tired. I am truly grateful for everyone on this forum!
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I was so miserable on Sunday when I posted here and it’s been amazing to have the support of everyone else who’s going through or has gone through these experiences. I’m doing better at just accepting the fatigue and knowing my body needs what it needs and I should do my best to go with that. I’m glad you’ve found the thread helpful too x
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Hi @cvd
At the stage you are at just now you might benefit from doing a Moving Forwards course - this really helped me . Xx
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Where can i find the rest of this story - all I can find is info about real mountain lions…?
If you click on the red title in this link it should take you there .
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Please do allow yourself some self care and compassion. I felt like a fraud too, as a lumpectomy and hormone blockers were the only things I needed. Without having to do radiation or chemo, I felt the same. But you know what? Cancer is still cancer. I still have the panic, anxiety of a reoccurrence. I am still dealing with various body changes based on hormone blockers (even tho, thankfully, I didn’t need rad/chemo).
The 1 thing I do remember about my lumpectomy is that I was tired for about 2 months. Allow yourself to rest and heal.
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Hi @shaz6
I wanted to reply to this as I am 5 weeks post surgery and totally understand your feelings right now. As lots of people have mentioned, the rollercoaster and mountain we climbed to get to our surgery is something we all probably just did on auto pilot to get there as we were in such a whirlwind. And then the crash the other side from pushing and keeping going for ourselves and all around us is possibly why you feel so fatigued.
Be kind to your self and listen to your body for healing. You have had positive news but this journey is hard on us all even with such news.
I told my BCN I felt guilty because they had managed to get clear margins and therefore why was I so low and why cant I now not just click my fingers and return to me and be joyous in my outcome. But the old me has kind of gone and been replaced by a new me whose mind now doesnt relax in the manner it used to, so in turn that alone can be so very draining for us all.
You’ve been through so much physically and emotionally and in a way only those of us here will ever understand, so you are in no way a fraud.
Sending you a huge but gentle hug.
Chelle x
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I am nearly nine years following surgery for a lumpectomy, followed by a second surgery four weeks later to have 20 lymph nodes removed, followed by radiation four months later. You are three weeks out from major surgery. Please give yourself a break - and I can understand ‘crashing’ when you had positive news. Rest as much as you can, dont try to do too much too soon! You will be fine.
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shaz6
Hi,
I know exactly how you feel, I felt the same. I had a lumpectomy and an excision, only had radiotherapy, which wasn’t too bad, only minor side effects and chose not to take Tamoxifen, because I was 76 at the time. I did suffer a lot from fatigue after the radiotherapy, but I have felt fit and healthy throughout and had my first mammogram in April which was clear.
I feel so very lucky at the moment, and can only hope the cancer does not return. So many women have such a tough time and are so brave, I count my blessings.
I still get the odd bout of fatigue, but that is such a minor thing to cope with.
Good luck.
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I had my diagnosis 15.10.25. I am having lumpectomy on 06.11.25 and then the 5 days of radiotherapy.
My HERs2 was borderline so having lymph gland biopsy at the same time.
I am still working as i want to keep busy. I feel drained and it is so many different emotions.
You are doing great and i wish you a speedy recovery
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Welcome to the forum @wicko123 .Good luck with your op .
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