I’m on the hunt for people’s experience & advice for returning to work following breast cancer treatment (whilst understanding that we’re all unique in our diagnosis and circumstances!).
I’m nearing the end of my 7-month treatment journey, with radiotherapy rounding things off in a couple of weeks’ time, though will be in hormone treatment for 5-7 years (Letrazole + Zoladex / Prostap).
I’ve heard some people return within two weeks, though I deeply feel I need more time to process the last 7 months, build up my strength and health again, and to simply enjoy some time off without it being dominated by cancer. That said, my employer has been brilliantly supportive and I don’t want to seem like I’m taking the mick in any way.
My job is quite fast-paced, and I also have a slight fear of stress contributing to the risk of reccurence (hence my reservations about work!).
Any snippets of advice or experience would be really helpful.
Hi!
I have just gone back to work after 6 months off after lumpectomy and subsequent mastectomy (I didn’t need chemo or radio) and now on Tamoxifen. I definitely needed time to build up my strength and process what had happened (still work in progress!). I am lucky enough to have a phased return over 1 month which might be worth discussing with your employer. It feels like a positive step but I am surprisingly tired after half a day! Be kind to yourself and do what feels right for you. Wishing you all the best x
Apart from time off for surgery, I have worked through my treatment with the odd few days off during chemo - and in hindsight, I’m not sure it was the best thing to do. People see me around and assume I’m back to being me. But I’m not. I haven’t had the time to digest what has hit me. And I’ve still got radiotherapy to go! I started Letrozole six weeks ago so have also had that to contend with.
My advice would be to be honest with people and be kind to yourself. I try to set the pace but I’m not sure I always do so successfully and I’m not sure it has done me any good at all. It’s really hard balancing work, home, cancer and drugs - and saying no.
On the other hand, work provides a bit of normality where it’s not just about cancer. Personally, I’m looking to leave as it’s given me the insight that work isn’t working for me any more! xx
I took 6 months off but didnt go back until about 6 weeks after radiotherapy. Unfortunately, in my case, effects started occuring 3-4 months after radiotherapy- breast oedema, intermittent cording ect. Had a rough time at the beginning of the year with a virus on top, but was using some annual leave accrued to make hours less, so doable just about. A bit better in last few weeks - radiotherapy was back in August, so that shows that effects can last. Its all individual though and I had boosts and 19 fractions in total, so a fair amount.
I recommend a phased return, dont expect to be back to FT hours if you work them for a good while.
I had chemo/surgery/radiotherapy and went back to work 4.5 months after my last RT. I had the whole summer off, spending time with friends and family, catching up on my bucket list… and having some very lazy days too! As much as I understand some people’s need to work to help distract them, you’ve been through so much and wanting time off to work on yourself and your healing/recovery is also so important! Even when I went back, I was on a phased return over 4 months, so I didn’t even go back to my full hours for a while, it helped ease me back in and pick up little projects. Wishing you all the best in making your decision, you’re almost at the finish line
@flojo That sounds exactly the same as my path. I agree that with hindsight, stopping or slowing down to process (and just to rest and recuperate) may have helped. But work was a distraction and made me feel I wasn’t solely a patient.
I could have written your post myself just over 3 years ago….
I was diagnosed in July 2021, I had a lumpectomy shortly after diagnosis and 15 sessions of radiotherapy in the October. I returned to work in January 2022.
At the time I wasn’t really enjoying my job, I couldn’t deal with the diagnosis and work and whilst I felt like I should be at work I realise that I had no reason to feel compelled to be at work. I believe most employers sick pay policy is insurance backed: being paid sick pay doesn’t necessarily come from the employer’s personal pocket nor does statutory sick pay,
My oncologist gave me the best advice which was not to return to work until I was crawling the walls and there is nothing else I’d rather be doing, and she was absolutely right!
Almost four years on I am 12 months on from a promotion and really enjoying the same job. My breast cancer diagnosis taught me a lot of things not least to be kind to myself, by allowing myself time to process my diagnosis treatment and recovery time I feel that this has all been to my longer term recovery and attitude to life.
Wishing you all the best with your future recovery and return to work: I’m glad to hear you have a kind employer not all of them are, notwithstanding that there are laws in place to protect cancer patients
It’s all individual with our treatment, any ongoing side effects, the job itself, and how we feel.
I taught in school and with aromatase inhibitors my brain wasn’t working the same with the depletion of oestrogen, not to mention fatigue, poor sleep and aches and pains. I was off for all my treatment including chemo and a year of Herceptin due to risk of infection at school. I then took redundancy and have spent the last 7 months working on me. The redundancy money has helped. I miss work but don’t miss the getting up and travelling or being ‘on’ for 30 pupils for 6.5 hours, it was exhausting physically and mentally.
I do some volunteering and will see what the future holds. I recently swapped from Letrozole to Exemestane and some side effects have lessen. But a big thing for me is my emotions are still all over the place even after 2 years of finding a lump, which ended up being 2 separate primary cancers. I am sensitive to peoples comments and behaviours and anniversaries have me in tears.
All our situations are different and our need or love of work isn’t the same. You are protected under the Equality Act 2010 and can have a phased return to work. See also www.workingwithcancer.co.uk for help for you and your employer.
I have had 2 lots of counselling and am now awaiting a course to help with different areas of life living after a cancer diagnosis.
I was diagnosed in July 24 and straight away I couldn’t handle the pressure of work and coping with the fact I had just been told I had cancer & needed major surgery. I was in a highly stressful high pressured job and overnight I closed my laptop to focus entirely on my health.
At times I did feel guilty being off but you need to think of yourself and how you feel. I have 2 very young daughters (8&4) who needed their mum to get better and that was entirely my thought from the start of my journey. Physically and mentally it’s been tough , but I’m getting there with the help of counselling and physio.
I have developed an entirely different perspective on work now. Before I was totally committed working stupid hours but now I do my hours and that’s all. I have a more relaxed approach to work now than I did before.
I had in total 6 months of work recovering from a mastectomy and further surgery after. I couldn’t have worked throughout as I had major health anxiety. I went back to work on a phased return basis in January and its been nice having abit of normality back.
I’m about to go back to work on a phased basis next week starting 2 days a week from home. I think I’m ready, after surgery, radiotherapy that finished 3 weeks ago, ongoing zoledronic acid and letrozole for the next 10 years but tbh am not sure how it will go when I do go back. Havent got any more medical appointments for weeks tho so feel I should now go back
I went back to work as a teacher this week! I had been off since last September having chemo, then a mastectomy and immediate DIEP reconstruction. I had 3 lumpectomies before my chemo last year which failed
but i worked inbetween these. I’m on day 6 of radiotherapy now. Work has been a good distraction.
I think the range of answers goes to show what an individual decision this is. It depends on so many factors including the type of work you do.
In hindsight, the only advice I would give (which @flojo already said) is to have an honest conversation with your employers. Also, what you need physically and mentally and how you feel about working could change a lot across the course of treatment so you might pause and reassess from time to time.
I think this is very wise. I have really hit the buffers mentally with radiotherapy (only on day 2) and have asked for some time off whereas during chemo, I worked when I could and was grateful for the distraction. It’s not a straight path and I think what you say about pausing and reassessing from time to time is spot on. x
Hello
I would definitely recommend you take more time. Like you I thought I’d go back a couple of weeks after radiotherapy, how wrong I was! I was in lots of pain after 3 weeks of radiotherapy. I would also suggest a phased return is also really important. I was so very tired. The best of luck with your return.
I cannot stress how helpful all of your responses have been. I am very grateful for you all taking the time to reply - and whilst it simply proves we’re all different, it’s still given me peace of mind to at least accept it might take time until I’m back to ‘me’ again. I wish you all the very best in your recovery journeys, and thank you again.
You are so wise to take your time. I went back to work way too soon. I had my lumpectomy and then a week later I had a re-excision to clear the margins. I went back to work a week after that second surgery. Bad idea!
I work in retail so I was on my feet and surrounded by people the whole time. I was lucky that my boss gave me reduced hours. I was too emotional and too exhausted every day that I worked. I worked throughout my 16 rounds of radiation and that was hard, too, but I got through it.
I’m now 6 months after my last surgery and still deal with the emotions and fatigue. I had a large seroma that had to be drained and worry about more fluid buildup. Everyone has given you the best advice. Take your time. Go back slowly. I’m still working shorter days and enjoying my work/life balance. On my off days I take walks and enjoy the smells and sounds of nature. Give yourself the grace you deserve. This is a marathon and you’re on the right track. Enjoy your blessings every day.
Thank you for this post, I am currently coming to the end of my chemo got 4 weeks left then I’ll be having radiotherapy too. Been off work since October after 2 operations and then the chemo, been thinking the same thing about when the right time to go back to work will be, my work have been amazing and are going to help me the best I can to get me back when I am ready but it also feels like a really scary thought to go back after so much time off and so much has happened.
This whole last 7 months has definitely given me a different outlook on life and I won’t be returning full time for a while I know that much I want to enjoy as much of my daughters start of school as I can and take things slowly.
I had 2 months off for surgery but worked through like you. I had 16 weeks chemo, 3 ops, 19 RT, just started letrozole and starting Capecitabine in a couple of weeks. The normality helped a lot and I kept up with fitness as far as I could. Just was told last week that there is no evidence of disease and I now need a break to process but work is crazy and I can’t take time off. I think working through has made people think the treatment wasn’t that bad and I don’t need to recover. I wouldn’t do it differently if I did it again but it’s hard now to say I need time out when I worked through chemo!
Totally understand! I contacted my GP last week and asked for some off. I am going through radiotherapy and physically could probably work but mentally I needed to stop, process and recuperate. So I have a month off and think it was the right decision. Work is just work after all. Please take care of yourself.
per cent
