Forum Discussion

Daisymoo's avatar
Daisymoo
Member
3 hours ago

Post-treatment fatigue - feeling discouraged and frustrated

Hi there lovely people. I finished chemo in Sept '25 and radiation in Oct '25 (so about 7 months ago), and I'm on tamoxifen. I am still really struggling with fatigue and having to pace and limit myself. It's really frustrating. I'm trying to do all the right things: eating well, exercising, doing yoga, seeing friends. I'm on a gradual return to work program, currently doing 3 days a week at 6 hours a day. I started my return to work in March. I was thinking I might be ready to increase my hours in the next couple of weeks.....but then last week I was completely wiped out (as in, had to come home and go straight to bed on Friday), and then I was also wiped out by my weekend exercising and socialising (by no means an extreme level of activity). I'm feeling really sad and discouraged that I'm still struggling so much. I'm being kind to myself but I just want to get on with life and I feel like I'm being let down again by my body. How long will this last? Apparently some people's fatigue can last years! Does anyone have some words of wisdom or encouragement for me?

coping
menopause
work

4 Replies

  • Katie46's avatar
    Katie46
    Member
    46 minutes ago

    Our bodies have been through a lot. While I felt much better after finishing chemo,  it was about 8 or 9 months after that I realised the fatigue had improved at lot, and the dragging tiredness that I'd get all of a sudden had almost disappeared. Less nanna naps and flopping into bed after work.

    The ongoing fatigue was frustrating, but did improve with time.

    Wishing you all the best. Katie 

     

    • Daisymoo's avatar
      Daisymoo
      Member
      11 minutes ago

      Thanks Katie46​ . It's good to hear I'm not alone with this. Annoying and frustrating but maybe not unusual. I'm glad to hear your fatigue improved with time 🙂 

  • arpie's avatar
    arpie
    Member
    52 minutes ago

    Hi Daisymoo​   I am sorry you recovery isn't going as well  or as quickly as you'd hoped ... maybe ask your bosses if you can modify your work hours a bit?  Maybe work another day instead of Friday?  (Tho I am guessing your 3 days are probably Mon, Wed & Fri?) 

    As well as being kind to yourself, try not to put too great an expectation of what you think you SHOULD be doing just now .... just try & do what you love doing, in small amounts, then try & build it up as your stamina increases.  Try something 'new'?  

    Some words of wisdom xx ..... 


    Everyone recovers at different rates, & your chemo may have affected you more than you think?  Have you told your Onc?  Do they have counselling or advice they can give you to mitigate the  fatigue?

    Give our Helpline a bell on 1800 500 258 (MON-FRI, 9-5) and have a confidential chat xx I think it will help you.

    Also - have you heard of Charlotte Tottman?   Consider listening to her Podcasts on her own experience with BC - as she explains it all very well xx  She is a specialist breast cancer Counsellor who had a double mastectomy following her own diagnosis, choosing to stay flat. She was surprised at her own reaction to the news/surgery/treatment, as she'd been counseling others for many years & thought she 'knew it all'!   You could start 'after the active treatment has finished' rather then from the start .... 

    She has done 2 ‘podcast seasons' ... check out the 1st season, right from her diagnosis onwards and how she coped, then move on to the 2nd season. She is very easy to listen to & you'll probably recognise your own reactions in many of the podcasts. 

    http://www.drcharlottetottman.com.au/my-podcast.html

    Take care & wishing you all the best xx