Fatigue-will it ever pass?

Fatigue-will it ever pass?

Fatigue-will it ever pass? I’m almost two months on from my last chemo (6XFEC). I was looking forward to kick starting my life again but Im finding it really difficult to stay awake in the afternoons. By about 2PM I cant operate and have to have a nap. I was wondering when to return to work. I cant afford to work part-time so I dont know what to do yet I dont want to stay on incap benefit forever. I have no idea when my GP expects me to be “able” to work, although I thought it would be once the surgery and chemo was over, but Im so tired all the time.

Does the fatigue ever improve? When did you return to full-time work? Before BC I was a sporty 29 year old, running four times a week and going to the gym etc! I didnt expect to be 100% after treatment but I also didnt expect to be so drained of energy two months on.

stella
x

Hi Stella,

I know I am a wee bit older than your youthful 29 - at 61 and a bit of experience under my belt. Almost lost count of number of chemo treatments I have had over 16 years. But I can tell you from my experience it does get better. You need to give yourself time - more than you have thought - usually at 6 months I would say to friends that I felt really well - but when I looked back over one year - it just went on getting better. Some ladies that post here are on other treatments such as tamoxifen and arimidex - and they have other problems - but my BC was ER- so I dont have any of those. I am currently on herceptin and pamidronate (have secondaries) but no problems now with tiredness.

LOL and be patient. Dawnhc

Fatigue Hi Stella
Your letter could have been written by me a little older at 50 but was very fit at the gym all the time and rushing about everywhere. I have been out of treatment about 3 months but still get very tired it does get better but I have found it is so slow you do not notice it you get a couple of days not to bad and them WHAM no energy again! I found keeping a note of how you feel each day helped me. I am going back to work on Mon dont know how I will manage but have got to do it sometime.
Good Luck and try to pace yourself and take plenty of rests.
JanetS

hi Stella, I am on FEC ot the mo, going to have my last one next week. I am 44 and have a young son, so have to keep on the go . I have a day or two off work just after my chemo, but otherwise I just go in to work as normal. I only work 26 hours a week and I don’t have a stressfull job, but I find I get more tired on the days when I am not at work, because I tend to slow down more.

I know not everyone works through their chemo, and we all have to do what is best for us, but I always find I feel less tired when I have things to do.

I hope you feel better soon. It doesn’t last forever. I had chemo a few years ago and you do get back to ‘normal’ again.
Love Carole.xx

tiredness Hello Stella, this “tiredness” is a side-effect of chemo and it does go away. But chemo drugs take up to 4 months to work out of the system, so the tiredness often hangs around when you think you should be feeling good. Following my last chemo round, it suddenly disappeared after 14 weeks. What kind of work do you do? Is it something that can accommodate bouts of sleepiness?

Thank you for your messages. thank you to all who replied. Gald to know it just not me who feels tired all the time! I get the impression that alot of my family now expect me to spring back into action but its not as easy as that is it? Im going to start a Yoga class tomorrow (God help me, Im stiff as old boots); which I thought might be a gentler exercise to start with. Im desperate to shift the chemo pounds I put on! Oh well hopefully in time things will improve. I guess I might have to find some part-time work to begin with- even if I would be better off on benefits at least it might bring some routine and normality back into my life. Anyway back to the sofa for my afternoon snooze.
ZZZZZZzzzzzzz
love
stella
x