Does life go back to normal?

LisaRH

Hi!
thanks to BCN for putting me onto this discussion page. 

I was diagnosed with ER, PR & HER2+ breast cancer June 2024 at the age of 53yrs. Had surgery to remove two (R) breast aggressive tumours, three months of chemo and 4 weeks of radiation. 

I’m now on Anastrozole. 

I feel I got off lightly and just thought I’d get back to my normal life. That wasn’t so easy. 

I’m gradually returning to full-time work, exercise and trying to return to my once active single social life. 
I’m having acupuncture to help with immunity and general wellbeing. 

I had beautiful long blonde hair. Spent lots of money on my hair and nails. 

My question is… what do all you amazing women do to get back into fitness, to avoid the tiredness, and to help with your hair and nails?
Are there any good vitamin supplements?
Am I able to use collagen?

Thank you for your advice xx

Julez1958

Hi @LisaRH
The answer is life will go back to what I call a “ new normal”.
I liken the receipt of a breast cancer diagnosis to a type of death - the death of your formerly bulletproof self.
As with all deaths there will be a period of grieving and many talk about the various stages of grieving ( final stage is acceptance).
As you complete treatment and move forward with your life things will never be quite the same again but in time you will get on with life and memories will fade .
An example for me is the pain I felt after my mastectomy - at the time I couldn’t believe it and it lasted so long ( about 6 weeks for me) that I actually got quite “ down” and actually had a couple of sessions with a psychologist specialising in cancer related distress.The pain eventually subsided and years later it’s but a very distant memory ( I never had children but a friend who has said to me “ just like the pain of childbirth”).
Whilst everyone is different all of us on here “ get it” in a way someone  who hasn’t received a BC diagnosis never can , and we are all here for you in your journey.
Take care.
🌺

iserbrown

https://www.bcna.org.au/resource-hub/articles/fatigue/

Fatigue is a known side effect of Breast cancer.   The link above will give you an insight of where you are at

As to Collagen  -   that's a question for your GP or Specialist.   Articles on Google suggest it's a no no with Aromatose Inhibitors 

Best wishes 
Take care

Afraser

Mostly we don’t go back in life - to anything, really. We’re not designed that way. But unless we have big changes in our lives, the ‘normal’ can seem pretty unchanging. Then we get cancer. It’s not just the effects of the treatments but also the unnerving realisation, possibly very new and most unwelcome, that we are not immortal. What we mostly want is to go back to that happy state where that realisation didn't impinge. Any changes to our emotions or energy caused by treatment just exacerbates the perceived difference. 

Counselling may help - your emotions are affected by cancer not just your body. Hair and nails unfortunately take their own sweet time and hair may change quite a lot before it settles. See this as a time for trying new looks - if you can’t beat’em, join ‘em! Exercise is good, if you use a gym I’d be surprised if there isn’t at least one other person there on the same journey. Talk to your GP and counsellor about tiredness - busy, social, working women may see expending huge amounts of energy, without actively seeking to renew that energy, as normal. I certainly did. Changing my attitude (no, not stopping just rethinking) changed my wellbeing. 

There will be a new normal if you let it develop - and it may be better than the old normal. Best wishes.