Just wondering if anyone else feels this. I finished my radio late September and really didn’t feel too bad at all initially. Lots of people had warned me to expect fatigue during treatment, and I thought I’d got off lightly. But gradually since then, I seem to have got more and more fatigued. I realise everyone probably feels like this post Christmas! But I’m finding that I can’t go through the day without a nap (well more like a proper sleep really) in the afternoon. And the ordinary basic, day to day activities - shopping, cooking, washing, cleaning etc - just wipe me out. It seems a bit trivial and non-specific to take to the doctor, but if anyone else has experienced the same (and even better, come through it!) I’d really like to know.
Hi Sheba,
I finished rads in early March and thought I’d come through it relatively easily. It hit me later and I’m still off work (tried to go back in Aug and lasted 4 weeks of 2 half days a week - long story). My bcn at this point and all the other consultants and nurses since have said it’s perfectly normal considering the amount the body has had thrown at it (I had 5 months of chemo first then a mx and full anc prior to rads).
I didn’t want to be seen to be moaning etc and a wimp but everyone has assured me I’m not and it’s my body’s way of saying I still need more recovery time. They are doing a study round here linked in with Christies to see if acupuncture can help with cancer related fatigue for up to 5 yrs after treatment has finished - I opted to go on it but was allocated the control group so no acupuncture for me and I’m still knackered !! Like you, it’s the basic day to day activities that particularly wipe me out but then with hot flushes I’m having problems sleeping at night - very restless !!
I was ‘pleased’ to hear about this 5 year thing and to be told that the medical people are now seeing that fatigue has more of an impact than they ever realised. I still try to do something every day and do things like shopping daily rather than a bigger weekly shop. I also do smaller loads of washing so there isn’t as much to iron in one go ! And I’ve sort of accepted that this is a fatigue that may last a long time, I’m not a wimp and it is a distressing side effect/after effect.
Take it easy !!!
Liz
Hi Sheba and Liz
There is quite a lot of information about cancer and fatigue on the cancerbackup site, which you might find useful. Just go to the following link:-
cancerbackup.org.uk/Resourcessupport/Symptomssideeffects/Fatigue/Fatiguecancer
I hope you find this helpful.
Kind regards
Sam (BCC Facilitator)
I finished rads mid August and went back to work (part-time now) mid October. I’ve been managing 4 day weeks (been taking unused annual leave) - doing 8.30 till 1 pm. I go straight home from work now and put my feet up for at least a couple of hours. There’s no way I can do anything else like weekly shopping on the same day as work - I need to do it either at the weekend or with help. I’ve learned to listen to my body and to give in when it tells me it’s tired. Some days I can hardly put one foot in front of another but if I rest I start to feel a bit more normal. It’s frustrating but there’s nothing I can do about it except accept it.
Hello all
I am due to start radiotherapy on 5 Jan (next week) for 5 weeks and just wondered if anyone has been given a reason as to why it makes us so tired?
I’ve had 5 months of chemo, mx with full clearance and now rads to start so am expecting to be tired at times.
Is it a mental tiredness when you really just have to sleep or a physical tiredness when your body is tired, but your mind is still alert?
Hope you don’t mind me butting in on your thread.
Hi peacock!
Not everyone feels exhausted on rads - I had 25 sessions (5 weeks) and felt fine and continued with my part time job. I think it happens much more with those who have had chemo and it’s really an ongoing side effect of that. I only had a lumpectomy and then the rads, and drove myself every day on a 22 mile round trip. I also took Co-enzyme Q10 (available from health stores) which I think really helped. There is a trial at a hospital in the North with giving this to rads patients to see if it helps with tiredness. Best wishes when you start - I made myself a little list of the days and crossed them off as I went and it helped to see how I was getting through it.
There’s a book called “coping with radiotherapy” and it has one really good theory for the exhaustion, basically radiotherapy works by blasting all the cells the rays come into contact with, broken cancerous ones die and healthy ones take a hit but recover but doing this daily can really take it’s toll and 4 out of 5 of us suffer some fatigue, sometimes just for a few weeks, sometimes months. But of course it’s not just the radio, it’s all the emotional, physical and phscological trauma we suffer as part of our diagnosis and treatment… this is the really tough fight ladies.
I took the advice about getting daily excersise and there’s about 6 days this year where I haven’t gone for at least a short stroll and on those days I felt terrible, really knackered. I finished my rads start of november and I’m useless if I don’t have a dose for at least 40 mins in the afternoon. Don’t know how I’m going to make it to midnight tonight so instead I’m just giving in to it and taking the dose, taking inspiration from the attitude of cats myself.
CoQ 10 is also often used to help with concentration too. and as soon as I’m eating properly again I’m going back on it. Sadly the exhaustion of rads has also hit my appetite but then chemo made me gain 10kg so that’s not so bad in some ways… I find fruit and nuts easy to deal with in case any of you have the same problem.
I really recommend having a read of the book if you can get it, it explains a lot. My Library had it so yours might too.
Angie
I managed to keep going all day as my appointments were 9.30 am, so even with the round trip I was home by 11am most days. However, I did find that by 8.30 in the evening I was ready for PJs and watching telly in bed with lights out early. I had to leave every morning at 8.20 to get to the hospital and I think because I had to be up quite early rads kept me in a fairly good routines for the 5 weeks I was being treated. TBH, for me it felt like a bit of normality for a few weeks. I took fizzy vitamin c every morning and made sure I ate a small portion of cereal or slice of fruit bread before travelling to the hospital as well, then I would have a sit down in the cafe with a tea or coffee after the rads. I don’t drive, so didn’t have the stress of that as my OH took me every day. I also slept in the spare room so I wasn’t disturbed by anything.
Hi - I finished chemo and rads about a year ago and it has taken the best part of that time to really feel anything like my old self. I think the chemo does take it out of you, I was also quite sick during rads (it happens sometimes). I was doing a reasonable round trip (about 35miles) and found having to go everyday knocked me out. I don’t know if you are on hormone therapy but like others being woken up every night with hot flushes does not help.
A sensible diet and building up the ammount of exercise taken does help
I think we are all different and work has different demands on us and yes - christmas is exhausting for most women.
Look after yourself and take care - Jacqui
Hi - I finished my rads at the beginning of October, and thought I had done pretty well, too, after having chemo aswell. Having a nap in the afternoon seemed to do the trick. however, I am now feeling very tired, having trouble waking up in the morning, having no energy some days to do shopping or housework. I’m panicking a bit at the thought of trying to get back to even a few hours work in March or April.If I feel like this I’m not going to manage it. I’ve read that a half-hour walk each day helps to boost our energy levels after all this treatment. So, my intention is to try that. Just wish the weather wasn’t so cold!! I don’t feel like venturing out.
I took co-enzyme Q during rads, and think it helped me. Will try taking it again now, see if it helps.It’s all extra cost, though, when we are already short.
Peacock,
I find it hard to describe this tiredness…it’s like a heaviness inside, and does affect your brain aswell as your body. I find I haven’t even the energy to hold a long conversation at the moment. It’s a bit depressing, actually, because you want to pick up from where you left off and get on a bit, but it’s such a struggle!
It’s also hard because you may feel you have to get back to work to ease your financial situation. There’s a lot of pressure isn’t there? I don’t think there’s enough support from the hospital teams. Thank goodness for the superb support we can find on here!
Here’s to a better year,
Ann XX
Hi all
Glad to hear I’m not alone - as I said, I was expecting tiredness, but during or right after the radio, not after some months. And it’s true that being on tamoxifen means having constant night sweats, means disturbed sleep patterns, adding to tiredness, and so it goes, like a vicious circle I guess. But thanks to all for your support. I’ve heard about that co-enzyme, will try that. And I’ve been trying to have a shortish walk a couple of times a week. Better to feel you’ve ‘earned’ your fatigue!
Best wishes to all, and let’s have a good year!
I don’t think t’s the radio per se.
Radio is often the last bit of treatment and after surgery/chemo and 5 weeks or so of radio everyday is the final straw. It was for me anyway, but when it got to March and I still was tired I spoke to my nurse who told me to remember I’d had 9 months of gruelling treatment and needed a rest.
That was at the end of 2005, but frankly I still don’t have the stamina I used to have. I now work just 8am till 2pm Mon to Fri but am shattered by late afternoon. As has already been said, I don’t sleep longer than a couple of hours at a time still, which probably doesn’t help.
I’ve learnt that if I’m dozing in the afternoon not to fight it, but it’s a long process. I too, am glad to hear it can last 5 years, at least I know it’s not just me!
Love Caz xxx
Have just looked at the link given up there by Sam.
Interesting about the 5 year comment - on the link it comments about ongoing tiredness when taking hormonal treatments. A lot of us are taking Tamoxifen or Aromasin etc and this usually lasts 5 years - coincidence? I think not.
xxx