Hi @denib i am also HER2+ and was diagnosed in May 2023. Had surgery then chemo/herceptin, now on Letrozole and Zoledronic acid. Finished Herceptin mid September 2024, so 4 months on.
I was teaching in a primary school covering teachers planning time. I was signed off from the beginning of my treatment. I’m 55 now and suffer with fatigue, brain fog, aches & pains, hot flushes (heat surge for me ) and now have cording ( I’d complained since Feb24 about pain in the area and it took 3 physios until Nov 24 to diagnose it). In February I had the option to take redundancy from work, so I applied and was accepted. I’m still signed off, I sleep terribly and struggle to get up in the morning. I would not be able to work with the side effects of my medication and the fatigue.
I try to exercise but struggle to lift any weights, physio advised against it. I walk and do light yoga and tai chi. After 21 months I had hoped I would be back to ‘normal’ but I’m not. I also think there is a psychological aspect to our diagnosis that isn’t fully resolved. I’ve had 2 lots of counselling but still not fully ‘dealt’ with my diagnosis. I volunteer on this forum to try to help others and hopefully it helps me.
As you are HER2+, I wanted to signpost you to a thread that has been going for over a year with others. There are people at the same stage as us, those just on Phesgo/Herceptin/Kadcyla and some still having chemo. They are a lovely bunch.
