Don’t really know if this is the right place to post this but hoping someone might have some good advice to give me. Was treated for triple negative BC in 2003 and next month will reach the magic eight years post diagnosis so have much to celebrate and am very grateful to still be here. However for the past few months I have felt so tired and generally unwell that I am finding life a real struggle at the moment. Over the past year I have lost about a stone and a half in weight without dieting. Have been to my GP and have had blood tests, gastroscopy and an abdominal ultrasound which have not found any serious problems. My energy levels never returned to their previous levels following treatment but I have managed to continue working full time and get on with life pretty well until fairly recently. I am finding work difficult - I am sixty this year so perhaps I should expect to be slowing down a bit but seem to have almost come to a full stop at present. I need to keep working at present as unable to claim state pension for another eighteen months. I’m just wondering if anybody else out there has had a similar problem and has any tips on how to deal with this horrendous lack of energy - any advice would be very gratefully received
Poor you.
My sympathies at the mo as I’ve had two practically sleepless nights due to the steroids either side of Tax chemo yesterday. However hopefully mine should be short lived and yours sounds chronic. I think that by 60 many people find they need to do a bit less and faster all the lovely bc treatments I’m sure that effect is much greater. I’m 58 so not sure how much of my previous life I will be able to fit in at the end of treatment.
Would it be possible to reduce your working hours - perhaps work shorter days or only work 3 or 4 days? it might be an option to keep you earning money but give you a little more time to relax or enjoy your hobbies. can’t think of anything else. Did they test for thyroid problems - quite common for ladies of a certain age?
Hope you start to feel less tired soon - it’s miserable feeling tired all the time.
Stella - thanks for the advice. I really sympathise with the sleepless nights - I remember what it was like taking the steroids during chemo. I have had blood tests done, including thyroid, and all have come back normal - I am beginning to think I am a hypochondriac! Your post has reminded me that so many people are still going through treatment and suffering all of the side effects. I realize I am lucky to be eight years post diagnosis and still relatively ok. I have thought of reducing my hours at work - not sure yet how it will affect my pension so need to look in to that. I think one of the problems is that I find it hard to give in - I have always been a coper and its hard for me to admit that at the moment I am not coping very well.
Thanks again for the advice. Good luck with the rest of your treatment and hope you manage some decent nights sleep soon
I am very sorry for you feeling like this.tiredness and fatigue is one of the worse effects of BC treatment,and having talked to other women,months and years on seems to be common.
I finished chemo in September,and radiotherapy in November.I am on Letrozole and feel that is impacting my general well being.
you have done amazingly working full time all these years with all that you have been through,perhaps it is time to try to ease back if only by different working pattern.
Because of how I feel I am going to retire and work less hours by doing bank shifts when my stamina improves.i know i am lucky that I have that option,I certainly would not cope full time at present.
I hope that you feel more yourself very soon.tx
Leicesternewport - I am wondering if, like me, you are a nurse as you mention working bank shifts. If so you will know that nursing is not the best job to be doing when you are feeling so tired and low. You have only just finished your treatment so hopefully will be feeling a lot more energetic fairly soon although I know the after effects ot treatment can last for a long time. Being triple negative I did not have to have hormone therapy - I am sorry that you are having to cope with the problems that it causes.
Hoping that you enjoy your retirement - and the odd bank shift of course
best wishes
That’s a difficult one Anne. Do you have any other health problems that might be making you tired? Could it be the long winter that’s draining your energy? As you mention retirement I wonder if you’re fed up with your job?
Would it be possible for you to get away and do something relaxing? You could for example go to the Penny Brohn centre for a 2 day residential and go for one of their more open programmes where you can have plenty of relaxation time. Just a thought…
It’s horrible feeling as you do. I finished my treatment just over a year ago and I’m 46 but have very little energy. I haven’t actually been able to return to my self employed because of this.
If all else fails then you may need to take some sick time. I think if it were me I would go back to the GP and discuss through with him/her.
Elinda - thanks for the advice. The idea of two days away just relaxing sounds wonderful - will definitely look in to it. I enjoy my job but don’t enjoy the constant stress and all the continual changes which go with it. Think that is probably to do with getting older - I am not able to adapt to change as easily as I once could. I find my memory is not so good these days - I just manage to get used to one new initiative or policy and then it changes again! I’m sorry you have not been able to get back to your previous job - it seems to be a problem for lots of following treatment and one that is not recognised enough. I know I have been lucky to have worked full time for the past seven and a half years - think maybe its time I acknowledged that and accepted that maybe now it is time for me to slow down. The trouble is I always saw myself working till I was sixty five and am too stubborn to want to give in to what my body is telling me
Thanks again for the helpful advice from everybody - its good to be able to share my worries with other people who understand
Annie,
Yes,I am a nurse and know I am making the right decision with retirement,a busy neonatal unit is not the place for an exhausted person with “chemo brain”.Multi tasking is off my ability at the moment! Am sure the odd bank shift when I am in better health will be good and I also think its time for more spare time to spend doing other less stressful things.
Thankyou for your good wishes.tx
AnnieE, I know depression is often a pop diagnosis, but is it possible that a combination of different factors have set off mild depression? Perhaps you have already discussed this with your GP.
I have had more than one depressive episode in my life, and sometimes it just seems to be an accumulation of factors. Your symptoms certainly tally, especially when you throw in the weight loss. If you haven’t discussed this possibility I would urge you to.
(I’m over 60 and still working–well I hope I still have a job to go back to next autumn–in the interest of qualifying for a very small occupational pension.)