Hello all, hope you are doing well.
I wanted to ask if anybody has completed their Phesgo cycles? I’m wondering if you feel better, eg more energy and less tired, and if so how long it took to gain more energy. (The Macmillan website says Phesgo ’ is often worse towards the end of treatment and for some weeks after it ends.')
I’m nearly at my last Phesgo treatment after a year, and not sure if the fatigue is from Phesgo or Letrozole. I’m working full time and it’s a struggle to work and commute and just try to enjoy life while feeling like a zombie!
4 Likes
Hi @MargotL
I have Herceptin only and am half way through my cycles and also having Letrozole (2 months). I know the Herceptin knocks me back several days every 3 weeks but am also having aches and pains, poor sleep, hot flushes (surges) and overall fatigue. Well done that you are working full time, I’ve decided to take redundancy from working in school. Working in education is not conducive to taking time off regularly while on treatment so I’ve been signed off since last year. You are doing great. I hope your employer is flexible with you as you are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 and reasonable adjustments should be made. I’ve added a a website working with cancer who can help or you could ask for an occupational health assessment.
Just may be able to get an answer to your question from the nurses at BCN
- Helpline: 0808 800 6000 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat 9am-1pm). Speak to our trained helpline team. No questions are too big or too small.
- Ask Our Nurses: You can message our nurses here on the forum, or confidentially. Whatever you prefer.
You are doing your best, be kind to yourself.
I hope this helps 
2 Likes
Thank you so much @naughty_boob! I’m sorry, I do hope it gets better. I used to be a teacher so absolutely get that! Now working in an office, and I’m lucky they are nice and supportive at work. But everybody says they are tired all the time at work, it’s hard to convey that this is a different kind of tired!
1 Like
Fatigue is not the same as tiredness of others. We have the added emotional aspects of a cancer diagnosis and treatment as well as side effects! I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before even when my children were babies. Even when I’ve been ill before I’ve always got up to deal with the children to get them to school, feed them, it’s just something I had to do. I was also younger then!
I hope you feel better soon and get a some help at work so it’s not such a struggle.
1 Like
Thank you! That’s good to know. I think I have lots of leave to use up so will use that to work a shorter week for now.
1 Like
Hi
I’m not on Phesgo, but have a friend who is, and finishes her treatment in june, and i’ll ask her.
I’m on Letrozole, and it definately causes tiredness, and i’ve read confirmation of that on this forum recently. However what Macmillan say is likely to be true. I plan my days doing the important stuff in the first part of the day; And when isleep its for about 10 hours.
I have found power naps of benefit, when i need to be more alert for longer. Crystal Healing by Anthony Miles a great flush, then Midori’s Bali to boost. Both available via New World Music.
Also try and get some holisitic healing via Macmillans if you can, ie Reiki.
Hope this helps a little, and thanks for sharing. Moonsox xxx
1 Like
Many thanks Moonsox! Good to know. And I love the tip about the music. Hope it gets better for you xxx
1 Like
I would like to find out more about others experiences on Phesgo as well. It has a very large dose of hyaluronidase. When I did a google search for hyaluronidase/cancer studies I thought I was reading that it is a bad ingredient for breast cancer. I’m concerned about long term use from such a high dose and wonder if anyone knows anything about it.