When will I feel normal again

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shoppygirl
shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
edited June 2014 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

I completed 6 rounds of chemo almost 4 weeks ago and I still feel crappy. I am very tired, my legs and arms hurt. I am having trouble sleeping and have on and off sinus pain. I am starting rads on Aug 22nd and kind of expected to be feeling better by now. I am also taking tamoxafin. The last chemo was quite brutal but I thought I would of recovered better. I only 42 but feeling older. Anyone that has completed chemo and took a while to recover? Thanks.

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  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited August 2013

    Whoa there girl - you just stopped your chemo and you need to rest up to get ready for rads and you're going to be tired again - it takes everyone a while to recover from these treatments - some longer than others - tamox and AIs can also drain your energy till you get used to them - it took me the better part of a year to recover (of course I was in my mid 60s at the time), younger women may recover faster - try at least to go for a short walk every single day, eat well and rest, rest, rest.  Meanwhile I am sending you a hug!

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  • melmcbee
    melmcbee Member Posts: 1,119
    edited August 2013

    I was 42 and it took me a good 6 months. Healing hugs to you.

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited August 2013

    Thanks ladies

    I guess I am a little eager to try to be 'normal' again!!

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  • christina0001
    christina0001 Member Posts: 1,491
    edited August 2013

    I think I was around the six week mark when I really felt my energy level come back up, and I really started feeling normal again. I still have joint aches and pains and I can't say that I am 100% back to normal, and I finished chemo at the end of May 2012! I think this might be the new normal for me. But I think in the next 2-4 weeks you will feel markedly better. You're through the worst of it, just hang in there a little longer! Laughing

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited August 2013

    Thanks Christina! Every day seems a little better.

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  • indenial
    indenial Member Posts: 504
    edited August 2013

    I agree that you'll probably feel much better once you hit the 6-week mark. Maybe not totally normal but more functional... and side effects like neuropathy etc. will start to fade away. I am just over 2 months out & feeling pretty good. I do have to stop and rest a bit more frequently but I can do pretty much all my normal activities & more. Rads will probably take a lot out of you too though (I did not have rads). Everyone told me to be patient and gentle with myself but I was just so eager to feel normal & healthy that I got very frustrated those first few weeks PFC! HUGS!!!

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  • PaEaglesFan
    PaEaglesFan Member Posts: 277
    edited August 2013

    Patience Shoppygirl :)
    The SE's from chemo will fade but you will go thru SE's from RAD's.  You are going to be TIRED!  I asked my RO about it and they don't seem to have a good answer as to why, but may be from the body trying to heal itself due to the daily burns from radiation.
    I will celebrate 1 year PFC on Sept 4th and I feel like life has returned to normal again.  Albeit with a LOT more Dr appointments than before.
    As everyone has probably told you since this has all started... listen to your body and take it easy on yourself.  This too shall pass :)

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited August 2013

    Thanks ladies! I love the support from this site!

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  • wileycoyote
    wileycoyote Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2013

    I am also 42 and 3.5 weeks out from my last chemo treatment and can honestly say I too feel far older than my age these days.  I'm still exhausted and my legs are very sore (I've been trying to walk for an hour a day but it doesn't seem to be helping).  I rarely get more than a couple hours of sleep at a time because of the hot flashes.  Thanks to all of you for making me feel that, while this all sucks, at least it is normal.  Many of my friends are surprised that I haven't just rebounded now that chemo is over, and frankly so am I, but I guess it is just going to take some time.  I start rads in two weeks so hopefully come October my body can just start healing!

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  • christina0001
    christina0001 Member Posts: 1,491
    edited August 2013

    wileycoyote, I am no pill pusher, but I am a baby when it comes to sleep and chemo really screwed up my sleep cycle too. I ended up taking 6mg melatonin every night, and I did effexor for a while too to help with the hot flashes, and it made a big difference for me. How can we heal well, if we aren't getting enough good quality sleep?

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  • CelineFlower
    CelineFlower Member Posts: 875
    edited August 2013

    normal is overated 

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