Hi ladies, I’m looking for some hope and solidarity I guess! After completing 14 rounds of Kadcyla in July 2025 for stage 2 triple positive, I’m now in that stage where I’m trying to get my life back. I’m 42 on Tamoxifen, Prostap and 6 monthly zoledronic acid infusions. I had 6 Docetaxel and phesgo, full mastectomy and node clearance plus rads. It was a gruelling 16-17 months of aggressive layered treatments.
I’ve been on a really slow return to work from Nov, scaled up to 3.5 full days - I work in sales so fast paced and full on so I’ve tried to take it really slowly. I also have a 3 year old and have been working on strength building at the gym with a PT as well as getting back to my netball. The exercise is the only thing that helps lift my low mood-low energy!
I’ve tried to be mindful but I’ve definitely been tired a lot, especially as work has ramped up in its intensity. I had my last zoledronic in mid March and I’ve been really exhausted since then. I had a full blown fatigue crash on Good Friday. I couldn’t get out of bed I was so fatigued, I felt nausea, my stomach was off, brain fog, head aches the full works. It wiped out the whole weekend I was in bed for most of it.
Since then I feel like I did whilst I was in active treatment. Totally wiped out, I’ve had to scale right back on work, doing an hour or two and then resting. I don’t have the strength to exercise, just little walks etc
After doing so well and living much more normally, I’m pretty crushed. It feels like a huge huge step back when I was so focused on building myself back up. I’m not the most patient and I’m now feeling really low and stressed that this could go on and on. I was really focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel and feel like I’m back at square one.
Keen to hear if anyone else has experienced a similar back step, how long it lasted and how you coped?
7 Likes
Hi tgsiv
I am the same although I had different treatment- oestrogen positive, had EC and docetaxal chemo ending July 25 and radiotherapy until end of August 25. Since then on anastrozole and ribociclib. But, I can really relate to what you’re saying. I can be starting to build things up and then suddenly have a crash that can last for days. I had a few days away last month and then could barely leave the house for a week when I got home. It’s really difficult with work too.
I have got more confident at just cancelling things if I am too tired and that helps and also reminds other people that I am not back to full strength. I also scale back exercise if very tired but try to do just a short walk.
It is very frustrating and part of me worries that it is the ribo and anastrozole and that things will be like this for as long as I am on them, but I think it’s early days too and I just need to focus on one day at a time.
I always seem to come out of the bad phases so I just hold on to that on the bad days.
Sorry this probably isn’t much help, but wanted you to know you are not alone.
3 Likes
Hi Helenback thanks so much for sharing. Just hearing someone else’s story does make me feel less alone. I feel like people see me ‘putting a shift in’ and commenting how well I look and then it’s a complete disconnect with just how much energy it takes. I’ve barely left the house since Easter and only managed a few hours here and there with work.
I did 11 weeks on the anastrozole and couldn’t handle the fatigue and low mood. You’re a champ for pushing through it. I gave up and went back to Tamoxifen but I could barely get off the sofa and engage in conversation when I was on it.
I wish there was a silver bullet 
2 Likes
Hello @tgsiv83
I haven’t been on the medication that you are on and my op was lumpectomy but I know a thing or two about fatigue having experienced it 3 times now . The first was 20 years ago getting over labyrinthitis I began to feel worse - completely exhausted as you say . I had gone back to work thinking I was nearly better and had to go off sick again.
I had been taking part in outdoor conservation activities tramping about in muddy fields mending hedgerows and wielding a billhook , then a few weeks later hardly able to get out of bed with very frightening symptoms including Intermittent loss of sensation in my legs . What helped me that time was counselling to help relieve a build up of stress that I hadn’t been aware I was carrying and after doing some research I saw an Osteopath who did some cranio- sacral work on me and lymphatic drainage . She also manipulated my neck and jaw - I have to say I had been starting to recover at the time but became very tired again for a week after starting treatment with her but after that week my energy levels and dizziness were both much better .
After radiotherapy I again suffered with fatigue - this time if I tried to push myself too much I would end up feeling very sick and unable to eat . It was prolonged by trying to act as a carer to my Dad who was living some distance away but after 3 months it was virtually gone . Fast forward another 3 years I got a horrible virus the main symptoms being mild vertigo ( nowhere near as bad as in 2006) loss of appetite and fatigue. At this time I wondered if the fatigue was related to treatment particularly as my other symptoms were so vague - I remember starting a thread on here about the subject and actually there were quite a few people out there still struggling with constant or bouts of fatigue 1 or or 2 years after finishing active treatment - you are not aline.
The virus was helped on its way by some cranio- sacral osteopathy from the same practitioner with almost immediate improvement - it was a virus in the end because a few weeks later my partner got the same symptoms including fatigue but for him it only lasted a week whereas it was a month for me. . Other things that helped the last 2 times were Somatic and Yin Yoga and just resting . I really feel for you as fatigue is tedious because you can’t do anything so you’re bored and frightening because you don’t know how long it’s going to last .
I went to a support group session where a Personal Trainer told us that fatigue can strike any time within 5 years of treatment . He used the analogy of an empty battery which because we have used every last amp of power takes much longer to recharge again. There’s a similar one with spoons - if you need to explain how you’re feeling to a partner friend or family member these analogies can be helpful .
Despite having finished active treatment you are still on quite a lot of medication . I understand you wanting to get back to your previous level of activity - I was the same and set myself back a couple of times by overdoing it . All I can say is that you can get there but it may just take longer than you thought .Looking after a small child , strength work , netball and work is quite a lot . As you already have a P.T. can you get together to come up with a gentler programme that will allow you to maintain some of your progress . Try to plan your week to even out the load a bit over the whole week . Plan a little rest period into your day if you can ( lying down listening to Headspace I found relaxing or an audiobook / music) even if it’s 10 minutes . If there’s any support on offer practical or psychological then take it and if your body says stop then try to stop before you reach the point where there’s no choice .
You could contact your BCN /team and explain how you’re feeling , they might have some ideas on how to manage it . I’m hoping that you start to feel better again soon. Xx
3 Likes