Very tired & constantly fatigued
Mez_BCNA
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Hi @Ange6741,
So sorry you find yourself here. It is such a overwhelming process isn't it especially after you helped in her journey with breast cancer. That's tough. I don't think any of us ever think we would get breast cancer. I never thought I would get it either but here I am.
You have been through alot and still have a bit more to get through yet to finish your treatment. You will get there in times. It is exhausting to go through all this. Just processing it emotionally takes it out of you and then chemo, surgery and radium also have fatigue as a consequence of the treatment.
Give yourself time. It takes months to get over this. I finished my treatment about this tine last year. I had 2 surgeries, chemo and radium and now tamoxifen. I suffered fatigue badly but what helped amazingly was walking. Some how it just seems to work. I still get fatigue from tamoxifen but I still walk daily.
I had to adjust my expectations of myself and I had to allow myself to have rests, not do everything for everyone, say no, put myself first before I helped others and all of that seems to have made a better life for me now.
I wish you all the best.3 -
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@Ange6741
I don't think anyone who hasn't experienced BC can understand how exhausting it can be. No doubt other conditions have the same consequences.
I don't think there is any solution to it. Lying on the couch when you can is tempting but going for a walk is probably a better idea. Which sounds great in theory.
Do the best you can. Give yourself time to grieve the old you. And your mum.
I lost my job too. Now I have a new one, but it took a while for that to happen. Mxx1 -
Hi @Ange6741
Gosh, you've had a hard time of it, what with losing your Mum as well as being diagnosed yourself and then losing your job xx That's a really tough call.
I hope your last sessions of chemo go as smoothly as they can - sadly the fatigue/tiredness is one of the most common side effects
And this mongrel disease actually mucks with your brain as much as it does your body, too. Hopefully, you'll find the radiation less taxing on your body, tho some also experience fatigue at the end as well ... but on the whole, it can be the 'easiest' of the the 'Big 3' - Surgery, Chemo & Rads.
As you are able, try & get back into the things you love doing - your favourite hobbies - or even take up a new one. I was able to celebrate the end of my active treatment (surgery & rads) by having a holiday on a tropical island with a bunch of friends (Norfolk Island) and it was lovely.
You said you are in WA - we have quite a few members in WA - what general area do you live in? We may have someone nearby for you to chat with & even meet up with for a coffee, Covid willing. (You can add your town/city to your profile.)
If you are rural, you can also claim fuel $$ for travel to & from your appointments - and $ towards accommodation if you have to stay overnight ..... I take an IPTAAS form with me everywhere for our appointments.
Jump onto this thread when you can & check out some of the other areas of BCNA that may help you ..... and if you need to chat with anyone, ring the Helpline (in the blue line up the top of the page) and they will help you thru the tough times.
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-our-new-members#latest
take care & all the best xx1 -
Hi Ange
I didn’t go through chemo but did have a mastectomy and 28 sessions of radiotherapy and am now on hormone therapy for at least 5 years.
It was actually this time last year I was coming to the end of my radiotherapy and I was very fatigued , the fatigue continued for at least a month after I finished.
I was lucky I was semi retired ( I am 63) - I went back to work a couple of days a week about 2 months after finishing radiotherapy.
I learnt to say “ no” for the first time in my life and I think some of my friends and family were shocked but my husband was totally supportive.
I used to have all my family over to my house for Xmas lunch every year but last year I said I just can’t do it I am too tired.
My husband booked a restaurant for us and my mum paid and I enjoyed it to much I said let’s do it again - which we are and this time my sister is paying.
You need to be kind to yourself and give the body time to heal .
Agree with what someone said above - that doesn’t mean laying on the couch all day as exercise ( walking is fine for a start) is good physically and mentally and a number of studies have shown regular exercise helps prevent recurrence.
Take care and if you are ever finding things tough the ladies on here are here to support you as we “ get it” in a way someone who hasn’t been through this never can.
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