Finished Chemo/ Fatigue = WHOA

Jojobird

I finished 4 rounds of dose-dense AC and 12 rounds of Taxol 2 weeks ago. Side effects were few, except for the usual: nausea, low appetite, some slight neuropathy.

But now, WHOA. The fatigue is *knocking my socks off.* Two weeks after treatment, I can sleep 10 hours, wake up and do maybe one or two chores (dishes, breakfast) and then I need to rest. Additionally, I've been napping 2-3 hours each afternoon and I am still tired in the evenings. I'm 49,have always been pretty active (runner/walker), and have a healthy diet so am trying to do what I can to mitigate these effects, but dang. It's pretty frustrating. I realize fatigue is normal but this has really surprised me. I mean, it's even worse than it was during the chemo treatments. Has anyone else experienced this?

Many thanks to everyone on this board for the support!

Jenwith4kids

totally normal! you might not want to know this, but it takes a good 12-18 months to feel totally normal. Don't let anyone tell you this is a "new normal", it's just "normal for now".

Moderators

Hi Jojo!

Jen is right -- this is totally normal and it does take quite a while for your body to get back on track after a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment -- both of which can contribute to fatigue. We're sure others will weigh in soon with their experiences.

For some good information on handling this side effect, you may want to check out the main Breastcancer.org site's section on Managing Fatigue.

We hope this helps!

--The Mods

Jojobird

Thank you, Jen! It is good to hear this. I really appreciate it.

Jenwith4kids

I'm happy to help!

Kicks

As we, in the northern hemisphere, are now getting less sun daily, it is common for us to be low to very low in Vit D which effect our energy levels have you had your Vit. D levels checked? It is not unusual for us to be low in Vit D even before chemo and after. SAD {Seasonal Affective Disorder) is quite common and can cause lack of energy and depression. I was SAD years before DX and TX, what works for me is mega doses of Vit D and using my Light Box daily. SAD does seem to have been worse in the years since TX but is handleable. Might check with your Dr.

debiann

I truly didn't know the meaning of the word "fatigue" until I did chemo. My energy did return, but I feel like its being zapped again by arimidex and insomnia.

mydogspot

I had my 3rd dose of T/C 3 weeks ago and will be getting my 4th and last dose tomorrow (woot!). I was really surprised at the fatigue following the 3rd dose, and its been getting worse instead of better. So I did some googling and I think that what we are experiencing with this fatigue is due to something called oxidative stress. Found a layman's explanation here http://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/s...

What worries me is that if it is damaging your skeletal muscles it can also be damaging your heart. Found this article that tries to explain ways to help with it - https://doctordoni.com/2014/10/5-signs-of-oxidative-stress/

ksusan

I found moderate exercise and plenty of water helpful for post-treatment fatigue (which was worse than the fatigue during treatment). I also drank sugar-free Gatorade to keep my electrolytes balanced.

Jojobird

ksusan, mydogspot, kicks, debiann, and Moderators, thank you all. I am trying to adjust my daily routine. Thankfully I am temporarily on disability and not working- I say "thankfully" because right now I am not reliably able to work and need the recovery time. It can also be hard to make plans as I don't know how I will feel. The exhaustion can appear suddenly, and must be attended to.

Gatorade might be an option, and I will def look into vitamin D3. The support here is awesome. Thank you!