will I always be tired?

hun, I got SO much better! I was almost bedbound for a while there a few months ago. My liver mets were causing low Hgb and albumin and I just was sore all over and had cycling fevers pretty much every day for weeks and weeks. My family brought me meals and ice packs and I just napped and watched netflix. I could get up but other than going to the bathroom or going to sit in a chair for a bit, I didn't. And then my mets started to shrink and I started to get up but I was super weak. There was a time when I was so weak I dragged a chair to the stove because I'd need to take sitting breaks between chopping, stirring etc.. But I got fitter and better and and a couple weeks ago I went camping for a week! I've been walking with my dog daily, doing some Zumba again, cooking etc. That said, I'm nowhere near my fitness before the stage iv dx but that cd be because I'm on weekly chemo which is taking its toll.

How's your Hgb? I needed transfusions for a while. They helped but until the liver got better it was just a bandaid solution, kwim?

hth!

Hi Clovan, I was dx stage IV November 2019 and started Ibrance and Fulvestrant. I felt so sick and exhausted when diagnosed. In a short time many of my issues disappeared. I gradually gained my normal energy back. I work full time selling real estate so although I don't do "heavy lifting" like you would installing gardens, it has not slowed down in 2020 even with Covid. I also had my Ibrance dose reduced to 100 mg due to low white count about 4 months ago, and I think that helped lessen fatigue as Cure-ious mentions. Not sure how long you've been on Ibrance/Femara but hang in there and hope you start feeling less fatigued soon.

Give it some time to work. I was getting weaker and weaker before I was diagnosed. Like moth, there were a few times last Christmas (just after I started treatment - the same arrangement you have) when I was cooking and I had to sit down before I threw up or passed out, and that was after my pelvis fractured. I remember weeks in January where I wasn't sure anything was ever going to get better. But slowly it did, and by May (and since then) I have plenty of days with a lot of energy. Sure there are low days but the trick is to accept them as they are and go with the flow.

I understand your concerns about how to plan for the future, and we are sort of in the same boat. I would argue for the conservative route and plan for 'worst case scenario' but identify solutions to cover the gap between worst case and 'normal' for as long as 'normal' lasts. Maybe buy the cheaper house but can you rent a lot somewhere for your nursery or if there is a reasonable solution that you would not be tied to in the future?

Clovan- I hope you adjust to the meds as the others have posted, and you feel better. I do not want to be a Debbie Downer, but not all bounce back and feel great. I have been on Ibrance/ Letrozole/ Lupron for 3 years. My tumors have shrunk (liver met was 8cm at diagnosis) and my scans are stable. I am on 75mg, lowest dose. I have fought low white counts the entire time and have had fatigue issues the whole time. I have learned to adapt. I do not work anymore--- early retired in Dec 2019 at age 49. I will be working around the house now and the fatigue hits out of the blue. I have learned that I just have to stop and rest. The AI use makes me feel achy and old, haha. I make sure I get to bed early each night. I try to eat well. But I do not feel like I did before the cancer and the cancer meds. I used to work a full time job, 12 hour shifts. I used to do my own yard work (big yard). I used to volunteer for things. Now I cannot keep up that pace. It is what it is.

I hope you get to feeling better and can still do the things that give you happiness. But, for me, my life is not what it was 3 years ago, before cancer.

Hi Clovan. I agree with all the other thoughts and suggestions. I would give it a reasonable amount of time to adapt and maybe try a lower dose. We all have unique experiences. In my case, I was on Ibrance for 2 years. I took Ibrance with Femara for about 15 months. After a small progression, I switched the Femara to Faslodex and I felt much more energetic and far less achy. My next treatment was 8 months on Xeloda. I felt the best on Xeloda and experienced much more energy. I worked full-time and exercised daily on all of my treatments. I did not think that was possible at first, but I was able to adjust and adapt. Hang in there and experiment with how you can feel your best. Also, the Ibrance thread is wonderful. ~Kar

KarPC and Shetlandpony: Thats encouraging to hear how well you felt on Xeloda. Ibrance wasn't bad for me so I hope my experience on Xelida is similar to yours. KarPC: I hope your next treatment treats you as kindly.