How long will I feel tired

barbjdiehl

Hi, Im just trying to find some people that feel like I do, or felt like I do. I had my 1st chemo on 12/1/08, TAC for 6 sessions, last chemo was 3/09. My cancer was IDC, stage 3B, right breast only. My bilateral was on 4/8/09 with reconstruction starting right away. I also had 11 lymphnodes removed on the right side. The reconstruction was very painful the whole time, my doctor was NOT good about managing pain, he said that most people did not have the pains that I described and therefore just was not forthcoming with paid meds. Instead he recommended OTC meds which basically did nothing for me. I had the expanders replaced with implants Aug and my 1st post op appt I mentioned that the left side seemed swollen to me, he said I should wait 2 wks for the swelling to go down and take ibuprophen for the pain. 2 wks later when he saw me I was taken into the surgery the next day, I had bled out the whole 2 wks and now had a hemotoma on the left, the implant was removed and expander put back in, still much pain, from Aug til Dec I never was able to have any liquid added, I was at the 350 cc's put in after the surgery. My skin was too thin, then I developed a seroma and went back to the doctor and by that time the skin was so thin and in one section was actually showing thru to the expander. Next day I was taken in and had the implant removed from the right side and the expander removed from the left side. I now am dealing with the mental part of having no breast and a very different body image. The last surgery was 12/5/10. I am still very tired, unmotivated and still have a lot of pain in my shoulders and my chest area. My sister seems to think that I should be full of life and out doing things and just celebrating the fact that I dont have cancer.
I know I am lucky to be cancer free at this point....but Im tired, I work 40 hrs a wk and when Im off I really dont feel like doing much.
Am I different than everyone else? Is it normal to feel this way 14 months after my first chemo and 10 months after chemo was done. Should I feel this way just from having the bilateral, low energy etc?
And I do get very down also, this has improved over time, its only been a little over 6 wks since I lost my breast, but I can say I dont cry as often. In the beginning after the last surgery I cried about everyday, now not even once a wk. I cried all the way into the surgery OR. It was so disappointing to go thru so much pain for so long and then to not even have the reconstruction work. I guess if I had chosen not to have reconstruction I would have looked back and thought I should have but knowing now what it was like, I would have opted out from the beginning and would have been healing in April of 09 instead of now.

New Flower

Welcome
yes, it is normal to feel tired 12 months after your last Chemo.Plus your have been in various surgeries for the the past 9 months. I am sorry that you have problems with reconstruction. I feel you struggle and here with you: yes It is disappointing to underwent so much pain and had to take everything out.It is very demanding to be working 40 hr a week on the top of your surgeries!!!
There several positive things you can celebrate. First of all you are cancer free!!! You have been working full-time while still in treatment. You need to find a Good plastic surgeon so when you will be healed you can do another reconstruction.There are several options available, including DIEP/TRAM flap and others so would have symmetry and breast if you like. Maybe you want to try antidepressants many people do take them through the cancer treatment. You will feel better and stronger physically and emotionally. Just be gentle to yourself and give yourself a credit for your victory over cancer. Your body needs time to recover and positive environment. You are a hero and your sister should be proud of you. You are cancer survivor, a very determined woman who beat serious disease.

My story is very different and very similar at the time. I was diagnosed with StageIIIC in June 2008. I underwent radical mastectomy with immediate DIEP/TRAM reconstruction, 20 lymph nodes removed, 10 positive, 6 rounds of Chemo , 36 radiation treatments. My last Chemo was on November 12, 2008. I am still get tired very often. It took me 12 months after Chemo to feel almost normal. I do have lymphedema and often feel pain in my arm and chest area.
So even everyone's body is unique, your are not alone. Please come here and chat with us on this board. We are here together and completely understand your physical and emotional pain.
Sending you a big hug,
New Flower

KathiM

It's a slow process....but give yourself time....
It DOES work out, but as with any major illness, recovery takes time. I did alot of self-talk at the beginning, keeping myself from overdoing (I'm an expert at that, LOL!). Your body has been thru alot, and needs to recover, especially with all of the additional trouble with the expanders.

I always say treat your body like a faithful, comfortable old friend who has gone to the wall for you...your mind says "Go! Go! Go!" but your body is weary.

Yes, it was 2 years for me, both physically and mentally, to recover. I was self employed, so I had to work thru both cancers' (stage III rectal followed with stage II breast 6 months later) treatment. I 'only' had a lumpectomy with lymph node removal, but with the bowel resection for the rectal, it was a heck of a year!

I'm now out almost 5 years on both...and still have days when, well, I take it easy. As you can see by my posts, though, I also live life as large as possible. During treatment, I made a plan to reward myself for all the hard work by going to a local spa for 3 days...just me, no one to play hostess with...it was GRAND!!!

BIG warm hugs, Kathi

barbjdiehl

New Flower said:

Welcome
yes, it is normal to feel tired 12 months after your last Chemo.Plus your have been in various surgeries for the the past 9 months. I am sorry that you have problems with reconstruction. I feel you struggle and here with you: yes It is disappointing to underwent so much pain and had to take everything out.It is very demanding to be working 40 hr a week on the top of your surgeries!!!
There several positive things you can celebrate. First of all you are cancer free!!! You have been working full-time while still in treatment. You need to find a Good plastic surgeon so when you will be healed you can do another reconstruction.There are several options available, including DIEP/TRAM flap and others so would have symmetry and breast if you like. Maybe you want to try antidepressants many people do take them through the cancer treatment. You will feel better and stronger physically and emotionally. Just be gentle to yourself and give yourself a credit for your victory over cancer. Your body needs time to recover and positive environment. You are a hero and your sister should be proud of you. You are cancer survivor, a very determined woman who beat serious disease.

My story is very different and very similar at the time. I was diagnosed with StageIIIC in June 2008. I underwent radical mastectomy with immediate DIEP/TRAM reconstruction, 20 lymph nodes removed, 10 positive, 6 rounds of Chemo , 36 radiation treatments. My last Chemo was on November 12, 2008. I am still get tired very often. It took me 12 months after Chemo to feel almost normal. I do have lymphedema and often feel pain in my arm and chest area.
So even everyone's body is unique, your are not alone. Please come here and chat with us on this board. We are here together and completely understand your physical and emotional pain.
Sending you a big hug,
New Flower

Thank you so much for the
Thank you so much for the encouragement. I did not have radiation because I opted for the bilateral, or at least that is what my oncologist said, that if I had both removed then there was no need for radiation.
As far as reconstruction again....I dont know. And I did have both sides removed, the right implant along with all that had been done on the left side. Those flap procedures scare me, I dont know if I would ever be brave enough to try those.
And if they dont get this health insurance stuff worked out, pre existing conditions etc, Im not sure what will happen because over the next year our family wants to make a move and Im not sure how new insurance (my husband carried the insurance) would handle any further surgeries. Its horrible to even have to worry about that.
Thank goodness I havent experienced lymphedema. I do have the pains in my chest tho.
And weight gain really upsets me, I was never a small person but now it seems I gain an average of 2 lbs per month. Im on Arimadex for the next 4.5 years, was on Tomoxaphen for 6 months prior to that.
I was on an antidepressant, went off because I wasnt sure if it was part of the weight gain and also didnt feel it was doing much for me mentally.
hugs to you too.

Marcia527

hope for the best
No way could you have known this would happen. You tried anyway. Now it's time to heal. Too bad we can't look into the future but maybe that wouldn't make things better anyway. Hang in there. Hugs.