Chemo Fatigue or Peri Menopause or Both ??? 2 years post treatment
Hi Wonder Women,
I'm bloody tired...among other things....help!
A little history, diagnosed with Stage 3 BC late 2018 age 42 , Lumpectomy and 2 nodes cleared, 4 rounds of TC Chemo, and then Rads, which I finished late April 2019. I came through all of it pretty unscathed except a bit battered and bruised. Started Zoladex, but could not cope as it exacerbated my PMDD ( google it if you're interested) Tamoxifen did the same and so did Evista, so have decided to be drug free...scary.
However every year since, I battle weeks of fatigue, always around the middle of the year sometimes for months on end. I struggle with major brain fog and short term memory issues, and the daily fatigue is debilitating, I always feel like I'm on the verge of getting the flu or a virus and I'm more susceptible to colds as well. I can go on and list more physical symptoms, but I wont bore you with all that!
I've had every blood test under the sun by both my GP and my oncologist, but they always come back 'normal'
My GP is saying its peri menopause, and my oncologist is saying that I need to cut back my work load, which I agree is hard, I do 12hr, two day shifts then two night shifts then four days off. But like I said I have good months where I cope ok, and then months like now where I am so lethargic I can barely function. My oncologist hasn't mentioned it could be Chemo fatigue, but am wondering if it is, even this long after treatment?
I have a healthy diet, am of healthy weight, the only thing I lack is daily exercise, but my job is so physically demanding I justify not doing much on my four days off because sometimes it feels like it takes those days just to get over my work.
I'm not to keen on the idea of leaving my job as I've done it for 25 years nearly and they have been good to me, and I like it! But I'm starting to think that maybe my body is not going to handle the shift work anymore.
Can anyone relate? Can Chemo fatigue be an issue this long after treatment? or is this just Peri menopause? Or both?
I swear it's something else that they are missing or not looking for, or am I just overthinking it?
Are there any tests I should be asking for to help get the bottom of this?
Thanks for reading Wonder Women. and thanks for any words of wisdom!!
xoxoxoxxo
I'm bloody tired...among other things....help!
A little history, diagnosed with Stage 3 BC late 2018 age 42 , Lumpectomy and 2 nodes cleared, 4 rounds of TC Chemo, and then Rads, which I finished late April 2019. I came through all of it pretty unscathed except a bit battered and bruised. Started Zoladex, but could not cope as it exacerbated my PMDD ( google it if you're interested) Tamoxifen did the same and so did Evista, so have decided to be drug free...scary.
However every year since, I battle weeks of fatigue, always around the middle of the year sometimes for months on end. I struggle with major brain fog and short term memory issues, and the daily fatigue is debilitating, I always feel like I'm on the verge of getting the flu or a virus and I'm more susceptible to colds as well. I can go on and list more physical symptoms, but I wont bore you with all that!
I've had every blood test under the sun by both my GP and my oncologist, but they always come back 'normal'
My GP is saying its peri menopause, and my oncologist is saying that I need to cut back my work load, which I agree is hard, I do 12hr, two day shifts then two night shifts then four days off. But like I said I have good months where I cope ok, and then months like now where I am so lethargic I can barely function. My oncologist hasn't mentioned it could be Chemo fatigue, but am wondering if it is, even this long after treatment?
I have a healthy diet, am of healthy weight, the only thing I lack is daily exercise, but my job is so physically demanding I justify not doing much on my four days off because sometimes it feels like it takes those days just to get over my work.
I'm not to keen on the idea of leaving my job as I've done it for 25 years nearly and they have been good to me, and I like it! But I'm starting to think that maybe my body is not going to handle the shift work anymore.
Can anyone relate? Can Chemo fatigue be an issue this long after treatment? or is this just Peri menopause? Or both?
I swear it's something else that they are missing or not looking for, or am I just overthinking it?
Are there any tests I should be asking for to help get the bottom of this?
Thanks for reading Wonder Women. and thanks for any words of wisdom!!
xoxoxoxxo