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Michele_B's avatar
Michele_B
Member
7 years ago

Three and a half years out and exhausted!!

Hi there,
Do others who are this far out from surgery and radiation (still taking Tamoxifen) suffer from a whole body and mind exhaustion? 
I work as an Early Childhood teacher and have returned to work full time this year, after working four last year.
I don't know if it's the Tamoxifen, my age (57) or the job..or all of the above!! Hard for anyone else to understand just how exhausted I feel?
Cheers!
  • Hi Kiwi Angel
    I think I have been fairly lucky with Tamoxifen. Digestive issues, some hot flushes but not drastic, fatigue has by far been my biggest issue. Good luck with it, I hope you have minimal side effects!

  • Thanks for the great advice Kath! Comforting to know I'm not the only one struggling with fatigue!! 
    I do try and eat healthily. Do a big cook Sunday afternoon to help set me up for the week. I do well for the first few days but then get so tired I just crave sugar and coffee. Cutting back on both of these will be a priority!
    I'm a bit the same with exercise, start off well, exercising on the weekends, then as week wears on, just can't even force myself. 
    I struggle with insomnia, get off to sleep easily but wake up around 1 or 2 then lay awake for hours. Fall into another nice deep sleep just as the alarm goes off!!!
    Anyway, I ll try to refocus, cut the caffeine and sugar and drag my backside out for a walk!!
    Thanks again,
    Michele
  • How have u found the tamoxifen?  I’m due to be starting on that in about a month. 
  • Oh I totally get it. I too was exhausted returning to full time work and needed a nanna nap most dsys. I was so tired I had very poor meal prep for lunches etc and so lived on coffee, cakes and prepared food from our local kiosk. 
    I focussed initially on my nutrition. Making a really good effort of eating and prepping nutritious food really helped. I stopped feeling as tired and stopped craving sugary carb foods. I also focussed on getting better sleep. This has been huge. No coffee after 12. No more than 1 quality cup etc etc. Avoid coke. ..even diet if possible as more caffeine.
    I had been exercising until back at full time. But after none for a month I wasn't any less  tired. I saw an exercise physiologist and discussed that I feel fine when exercising and go for a few weeks then crash and get so tired can barely stay awake. He suggested I work with less intensity. So now I  push 5-6/10 not 8-9/10. This means I can do it more often and not crash. I focussed initially on weekends and once during the week.  I'm slowly adding in more weight work /less cardio....and as Ive gained muscle mass I feel better. I still do cardio just not only cardio. 
    So there was my solution...
    Look at your diet...wide varieties of fresh and nourishing foods. Is your weight in hwr? 
    Reduce caffeine...more water and better quality sleep (no screens too late either)
    Increase exercise with help of a professional. It doesn't happen overnight but in a few months you will improve.  I figured if I could only exercise 3 weeks in 4...well it's better than  none. 

    Oh...and if course do have bloods done and check your iron stores and vitamin D. Always good to exclude a simple physical condition first. Kath x