Fatigue

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Tracey A
Tracey A Member Posts: 9
edited February 2013 in Health and wellbeing
I have just had my 2 cycle of doxetaxal and have been sick with fatigue for the past 2 weeks and still on going.
I have been hospital with sever side effects and still can't fight of this fatigue, has any one else suffered similar side effects and what did they do to over come it?
I have completed 3 x FEC prior to this treatment and I tolerated it quite well. My body has had enough and I am so over this.

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  • Mich x
    Mich x Member Posts: 1,530 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Hey Tracey

    Nice to hear from you. Hope you are home and on your way to recovering from the yukky side effects you obviously had to deal with you poor luv. Chemo is bad enough without all the crappy side effects and then visits to hospital to boot!!!!

    Unfortunately it is pretty hard to fight fatigue. It is a major side effect for chemo and for me I found it one of the hardest to deal with because it is quite debilitating. I am so sorry you are suffering from this. I finished my last radiotherapy in September and I am still dealing with fatigue. It is nowhere near as bad now as previously thank god but it does still hit me some days.

    My husband also notices how I can be doing something and then out of the blue I say I have to go lay down, he comes in to check on me and I am sleeping like a baby. Once I have had my nanna nap then I am okay again. Now I get where it hits me and I just need to have a lil reviver, not always a sleep sometimes just a lil rest on the couch and then I am good to go again.

    I was working 3 jobs and running the house and mowing lawns etc. when I was diagnosed so I found it very very hard to deal with this bloody horrible fatigue. I tried to fight it and I found I got really angry and upset about it in the beginning but now I just think I can't beat it so I just go with it and I have structured my lifestyle around it. Needless to say I not back to my 3 jobs (only 1 of them currently), I have a lawnmowing LADY!! come in and do the lawns, hubby has to pull the weeds etc. So I have had to make changes in my life BUT it does get better week to week so just hang in there kiddo and I will keep fingers crossed you are up and running again ASAP.

    I do rely on Berocca most days to give me a boost even if it is only me mentally thinking it is helping :-)

    Thinking of you and relating to your dilemma.

    Lots of love, Mich xoxo

  • Mich x
    Mich x Member Posts: 1,530 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Hey Tracey

    Nice to hear from you. Hope you are home and on your way to recovering from the yukky side effects you obviously had to deal with you poor luv. Chemo is bad enough without all the crappy side effects and then visits to hospital to boot!!!!

    Unfortunately it is pretty hard to fight fatigue. It is a major side effect for chemo and for me I found it one of the hardest to deal with because it is quite debilitating. I am so sorry you are suffering from this. I finished my last radiotherapy in September and I am still dealing with fatigue. It is nowhere near as bad now as previously thank god but it does still hit me some days.

    My husband also notices how I can be doing something and then out of the blue I say I have to go lay down, he comes in to check on me and I am sleeping like a baby. Once I have had my nanna nap then I am okay again. Now I get where it hits me and I just need to have a lil reviver, not always a sleep sometimes just a lil rest on the couch and then I am good to go again.

    I was working 3 jobs and running the house and mowing lawns etc. when I was diagnosed so I found it very very hard to deal with this bloody horrible fatigue. I tried to fight it and I found I got really angry and upset about it in the beginning but now I just think I can't beat it so I just go with it and I have structured my lifestyle around it. Needless to say I not back to my 3 jobs (only 1 of them currently), I have a lawnmowing LADY!! come in and do the lawns, hubby has to pull the weeds etc. So I have had to make changes in my life BUT it does get better week to week so just hang in there kiddo and I will keep fingers crossed you are up and running again ASAP.

    I do rely on Berocca most days to give me a boost even if it is only me mentally thinking it is helping :-)

    Thinking of you and relating to your dilemma.

    Lots of love, Mich xoxo

  • Tracey A
    Tracey A Member Posts: 9
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks Mich,

    I am taking sustagen to help as I have had 2 weeks of gastric one of the reasons I was hospitalised.

    I just feel like my life is passing me by as I have been bed ridden or on the lounge watching TV.

    I want to return to work but can't until I am we'll enough to drive. I try to do some light house work but it wipes me out totally.

    I hope this fatigue ceases soon as I want my life back. I wonder if walking will help build up my strength as my legs and arm ache all the time.

    Kind Regards

    Tracey
  • LouiseTurner
    LouiseTurner Member Posts: 1,610 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    I had fatigue during taxol. It was different to the first type of tired I felt when it was better to exercise. With taxol fatigue I was completely weak and so so tired all the time. Especially in the heat. I mentioned this to a friend who had leukaemia many years ago, so some experience there. He gave me such simple advice..".if your tired, sleep". So I did. I'm now 4 weeks after my last taxol. And I'm just getting my energy back. I guess my hubby is right when he says its the chemicals making me tired so you can't really fight it while they keep pumping it in. I feel increasingly better each day and push myself a bit now. So maybe try to relax and rest when your body says to rest, be kind to yourself while it is full of nasty chemicals. Yes it does feel crap. But it will end. Take care Louie

  • Tracey A
    Tracey A Member Posts: 9
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks guys, tomorrow I am going out to look for a wig for a family wedding, so it will be a challenge but will take it easy and it is better than been in bed.

    Also have a bridal shower on Sunday, so need preserve my energy.
  • TonyaM
    TonyaM Member Posts: 2,836 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    I had Docitaxel and it's a killer. I felt like a mack truck had hit me and then reversed for good measure. My bones and muscles ached and I had bad headaches. It might be worth telling your oncologist about your severe fatigue cos he may review your dose. I think I may have received an elephant's dose! Just rest and don't push yourself. Thinking of you and sending hugs. Tonya xx

  • Tracey A
    Tracey A Member Posts: 9
    edited March 2015
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    Tonya, last treatment I was given too much as I had lost weight and I was not calculated correctly so I was still given a huge dose.
  • TonyaM
    TonyaM Member Posts: 2,836 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    O dear,that's not right.They should weigh you each time before chemo. Sometimes I think it's one size fits all and it should be more individual.I can have one glass of wine and I'm under the table where as others can drink alot more.It's like that with drugs -some of us need a smaller dose.

                                                                                   Tonya xx

  • Mich x
    Mich x Member Posts: 1,530 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Hey Tracey

    If you can manage a lil bit of walking and then gradually slowly build it up I really do think that will help in all ways and get the endorphins happenin a lil as well hopefully which in turn should help you feel better.

    I was pretty much bed or couch ridden for a large part of my journey with pain, then when I finished rads I ended up with bronchial pneumonia which knocked me flat again for six weeks.

    Unfortunately it takes its toll on your body and it is a slow process to build yourself back up again.

    Good luck and wishing you well.

    Mich xoxo

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