Fatigue or just stress?

JJOntario

I went to see my family Dr today. I'm 7 wks post rads and by the end of the day I feel like I'm completely wiped. I'm back to work and I'm building up to 8 hrs a day but I feel stuck at 6 hrs. I also have a long commute which really makes my shortened work day more like 8.5 hrs and we are also moving in 3 wks. My plate is so full and I was really hoping for my Dr to be a little bit more understanding instead of telling me I need to start saying no and tomake more time for myself...Like how do I do that?? Is radiation still making me tired??

BrooksideVT

Yes, rads is still making you tired and stress is not doing you any favors. As you're involved in pre-move shenanigans, soon to be followed by the move itself, and then reentry into a whole new living space, it's a pretty good guess that trying to move back to eight hours right now is not a really great idea, and could backfire. I was on disabililty during rads and for a couple of months afterwards, went back too soon, and now regret having done so. If your office can manage with you on short days during the summer, when many businesses slow down anyway, or if you can work at home, maybe one day/week, I encourage you to look into that.

And, by the way, not only do your ROand onc want to hear how you are doing, but might actually be able to help. My RO prescribed ritalin, my onc suggested ginseng. Both worked in different ways, but time worked best.

JJOntario

Thank you Brookside...

Sometimes you just need some validation. My family Dr made me feel that I'm tired just because I don't say no to life's craziness but going back to work, packing boxes, cleaning, getting my DD ready for university etcare all real things that I have to do. I did STD then LTD for two weeks before they pushed me to go back. Mentally I'm also exhausted. We just moved in January to a lemon of a house...the new one is builder brand new. I just need some calm soon. Thanks again for your post.

BrooksideVT

Who pushed you to go back to work so soon? Work? I guess I can see why your doc suggested learning to say "No."

That said, he's correct in pointing out that everything going on in your life would make Wonder Woman exhausted. Right now, you clearly cannot cut back anywhere except work, and maybe that won't be so easy. Even so, the fatigue you feel would probably be unaffected even if you dropped everything and just sat around the house watching TV and eating bonbons. I found my RO (actually her nurse practitioner who follows up with post-rads patients) and my onc were the ones who really understood how I felt and why, and let me know that they did. My primary care doc basically made soothing sounds from the point of view of a general practitioner--very nice, but, as you are aware, not that helpful.