Hello! Just after some tips and reassurance I think.
I had EC then docetaxel chemotherapy. After the first few sessions I felt that I was bouncing back ok, but the last few docetaxel really wiped me out. I used to do alot of walking, and now I’m really struggling to walk any distance particularly upward slopes due to muscle fatigue. Treatment has finished for me, and this is my first week where I would have been scheduled for chemo and have not had any. Am I being too hard on myself expecting to see/feel an improvement so quickly? I am eager to get better, so I wonder if I just need to slow down.
Also can anyone advise when I might stop gaining weight? I’ve always been quite light, and found it difficult to put on and keep on weight. Now I’m heavier than I’ve ever been, and while I’m happy to keep some of it, I dont want to increase forever! Could this also be affecting my fatigue?
Then are hot flushes during and after chemo usual? I wasn’t menopausal although I have now missed one period, and am not currently on hormone therapy, although I’m due to be soon. Again, how long might these last for, and any tips?
Lastly for now, I’ve lost my eyelashes and my eyes are watering alot. Has anyone else experienced this and got any tips? And how long until I can expect their regrowth?
At any rate, everything you’re describing is normal. Yes it’s a little early to expect to feel a recovery at the moment. Probably next week if you’re average but even that won’t be a complete recovery. That will take some weeks yet picture stairs moreso than a ramp. You’ll have up days and bad days until one day you realize you’re pretty much consistently feeling good again. Oh that’s a wonderful day. For me it’s was about eight weeks after my last chemo treatment. As far as hot flashes, depending on how close you were to menopause your ovaries may be dead from chemo and what you’re experiencing is menopausal symptoms. That’s what happened to me. They still put me on ovarian suppressors since I was pre-menopausal before chemo but my last period was right before my second chemo treatment and I haven’t heard a peep from my ovaries since then. Good riddance IMO. Estrogen was obviously not my friend. As far as how to deal with them? Depends on severity. There are medications that can help though so if your life is significantly affected by them don’t hesitate to ask for a prescription. And eyelashes and eyebrows for many of us go after the last chemo session. It was weird. You start feeling a tad bit better maybe and then they fall. Like chemo’s last hurrah. Good news is that they’ll probably start growing back pretty much immediately. Like mine were within a week. So I didn’t wait for long at all thank goodness.