FATIGUE

luv4lacrosse
luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I am 5 Months post treatment and still have some days where I cannot get out of bed. Not depression, physical exhaustion. It happened to me today, I set my alarm for 6 am and re set a few times and did not get out of bed until noon. This is the 3rd time this has happened in about 5-6 weeks.

I must have totaled 14-15 hours of sleep this time.

Any advice on still dealing with this, or "it just takes time"?

BEST!!

Mike

Comments

  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    #2
    Sleep heals
    Hey Mike
    I am a few months ahead of you, almost 12 post treatment and I still need 9 hours a night. Like you I would sleep 12+ hours and then take a nap during the day also. When I went back to work for 8 hours, I was exhausted by 5PM and couldn't wait to get home. I have gotten much better the last 6 months vs the 1st 6 months. You are still in that area where you feel good but your body still is saying "slow down" I need some time to get fully healed.
    Just my opinion, but thats been my history anyway. I think I saw you went to work in a post. That will kick you butt, even though you don't think so.
    Hate to say it but "give it some more time".
    all the best
    Steve
  • KristynRuth86
    KristynRuth86 Member Posts: 140
    #3
    Same here!
    Well you know me and you are at about the same post-treatment time. I also have noticed the fatigue getting worse, for a while it wasn't that bad, but now it seems every morning is mission impossible just to get out of bed! It'll be god to hear from some of the veterans on here to let us know how it works lol, but since we're in the same time frame as far as post treatment thought I'd share :)
    Take care!
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #4
    hawk711 said:

    Sleep heals
    Hey Mike
    I am a few months ahead of you, almost 12 post treatment and I still need 9 hours a night. Like you I would sleep 12+ hours and then take a nap during the day also. When I went back to work for 8 hours, I was exhausted by 5PM and couldn't wait to get home. I have gotten much better the last 6 months vs the 1st 6 months. You are still in that area where you feel good but your body still is saying "slow down" I need some time to get fully healed.
    Just my opinion, but thats been my history anyway. I think I saw you went to work in a post. That will kick you butt, even though you don't think so.
    Hate to say it but "give it some more time".
    all the best
    Steve

    SLEEP HEALS
    I think you are right. M-W 10 hours at work and 3 days at the gym. Probably a shock to my body. This week was the first time I was able to work out 3 days in a row.

    This was really wierd today, this morning I was awake and aware of my surroundings, but physically could not get out of bed. Next thing I knew it was noon before i woke up.

    Mike
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #5
    KristynRuth86 said:

    Same here!
    Well you know me and you are at about the same post-treatment time. I also have noticed the fatigue getting worse, for a while it wasn't that bad, but now it seems every morning is mission impossible just to get out of bed! It'll be god to hear from some of the veterans on here to let us know how it works lol, but since we're in the same time frame as far as post treatment thought I'd share :)
    Take care!

    MORNINGS
    Mornings are always tough for me anymore. I can still manage to get up and get going except for today?? This happened about 2 weeks ago and before that about 2-3 weeks. Seems like every so often I need a "super day" of sleep.

    Getting very old and P$%$$#G me off.

    Mike
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #6
    luv4lacrosse said:

    MORNINGS
    Mornings are always tough for me anymore. I can still manage to get up and get going except for today?? This happened about 2 weeks ago and before that about 2-3 weeks. Seems like every so often I need a "super day" of sleep.

    Getting very old and P$%$$#G me off.

    Mike

    Fatigue
    Time heals. But you might also want to get your Thyroid checked. This has a lot to do with fatigue and other bodily functions and can get damaged from Radiation and/or chemo.
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #7
    Anemic ?
    Mike,

    Like SASH mentioned, when you have blood work done, always have your Thyroid ( TSH ) levels checked. My Radiation Oncologist told me to have that checked each time I have blood work done as he put it. It isn't if your Thyroid is going to fail, it is when. Mine took over 5 years to finally give out and my fatigue levels were very bad all of a sudden.

    Another thing we can have a problem with is IRON levels. As you are still fairly new out of treatment ( within 1 year ) you will notice ups and downs with your energy levels. My Iron was below normal for the 1st year and a half. It finally leveled out and I was taking 1 a day vitamins as well.

    And another thing that we all have to be aware of is the Carotid Arteries in our neck. The radiation does some damage to them, so we need to have them checked when we see our Doctors. My family Doctor knows my history, so she makes sure she listens to the blood flow each visit.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #8
    MarineE5 said:

    Anemic ?
    Mike,

    Like SASH mentioned, when you have blood work done, always have your Thyroid ( TSH ) levels checked. My Radiation Oncologist told me to have that checked each time I have blood work done as he put it. It isn't if your Thyroid is going to fail, it is when. Mine took over 5 years to finally give out and my fatigue levels were very bad all of a sudden.

    Another thing we can have a problem with is IRON levels. As you are still fairly new out of treatment ( within 1 year ) you will notice ups and downs with your energy levels. My Iron was below normal for the 1st year and a half. It finally leveled out and I was taking 1 a day vitamins as well.

    And another thing that we all have to be aware of is the Carotid Arteries in our neck. The radiation does some damage to them, so we need to have them checked when we see our Doctors. My family Doctor knows my history, so she makes sure she listens to the blood flow each visit.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    Hi Mike

    I agree with Sash and Marine, get thyroid checked and take an Iron supplement one pill at lease 3 times a week.

    I get the same problem in the morning where I just can’t get out of bed, and all the test the doctors do come back showing no problems, I started taking an Iron pill 3 times a week and I am not back to my new normal again.

    All the best to you
    Hondo
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #9
    HAVE BEEN
    Mike, you have been to hell and back. Fought the toughest fight of your life so far both physically and emotionally. doing your job, working out already that is wonderful and I know you want to feel like a full man again. Problem is it takes time and you do not want to wear your system down in the healing process. Recovery to the new normal is slow and by doing too much your going to slow it down even more.

    Listening to your body is very important. I do not think your body is telling you that your fine and keep pushing until your exhausted. If your doing something and it is going slow that is fine at least your doing something. If you work out for an hour and then pay for it the next day or evening your body is falling back and you have to work harder to get back to where you were three days ago.

    The best thing for recovery is rest. Recovery will happen just not as fast as you want it too.

    Head up, your doing well to be able to do half of what your trying to do.

    John
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #10
    fisrpotpe said:

    HAVE BEEN
    Mike, you have been to hell and back. Fought the toughest fight of your life so far both physically and emotionally. doing your job, working out already that is wonderful and I know you want to feel like a full man again. Problem is it takes time and you do not want to wear your system down in the healing process. Recovery to the new normal is slow and by doing too much your going to slow it down even more.

    Listening to your body is very important. I do not think your body is telling you that your fine and keep pushing until your exhausted. If your doing something and it is going slow that is fine at least your doing something. If you work out for an hour and then pay for it the next day or evening your body is falling back and you have to work harder to get back to where you were three days ago.

    The best thing for recovery is rest. Recovery will happen just not as fast as you want it too.

    Head up, your doing well to be able to do half of what your trying to do.

    John

    another
    I read another post of yours about "it just takes time" I hate that line with a passion but it just does not go away like you want. Prayers going out for lots of wisdom for your fatigue and eating.,
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #11
    SASH said:

    Fatigue
    Time heals. But you might also want to get your Thyroid checked. This has a lot to do with fatigue and other bodily functions and can get damaged from Radiation and/or chemo.

    THYROID
    I got that checked and it was normal.

    Not anemic either

    Mike
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #12
    fisrpotpe said:

    HAVE BEEN
    Mike, you have been to hell and back. Fought the toughest fight of your life so far both physically and emotionally. doing your job, working out already that is wonderful and I know you want to feel like a full man again. Problem is it takes time and you do not want to wear your system down in the healing process. Recovery to the new normal is slow and by doing too much your going to slow it down even more.

    Listening to your body is very important. I do not think your body is telling you that your fine and keep pushing until your exhausted. If your doing something and it is going slow that is fine at least your doing something. If you work out for an hour and then pay for it the next day or evening your body is falling back and you have to work harder to get back to where you were three days ago.

    The best thing for recovery is rest. Recovery will happen just not as fast as you want it too.

    Head up, your doing well to be able to do half of what your trying to do.

    John

    HEALING
    I think you are right. I pushed my body past where it is comfortable. I will just have to add or delete activity as my body tells me.

    Thanks for your insight.

    Mike

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