how long after chemo ends until the side effects begin to wear off

VickiSam

Skeezie said:

Someone told me our lashes and brows can come out
several times because they pretty much came out all at once (over a 2 or 3 week period of time) and we normally lose brows and lashes almost daily but one at a time. So ours come in pretty much within a month's time so when they do their normal cycle of coming out they do it pretty much all at once again. I'm on my second go. Eventually they will sort themselves out and be like before. Anyway, that's what I heard and it makes sense...

My last chemo was 12-11 (no rads) and while I starting feeling pretty good by Feb-March I didn't have much stamina but almost six months to the day I actually changed my sheets and duvet cover on my bed (king)without Ralph's help and wasn't even winded when I got thru! Can you imagine being excited changing a bed? What a hoot. I still need 8 hrs sleep and if I'm really busy for a day or two I need to take a break the third day and "hang out".

But I'm older than a lot of you (67) and chemo hit me really hard so maybe that's why it's taking longer...of course I've never run a mile and a half in mhy life!

Hugs all, Judy :-)

Thanks, Judy ...
I will now stop FREAKING out.


hahah .. like I have nothing else to worry about!


Vicki

putzie

Thank you all for the posts.
Thank you all for the posts. It sounds like everyone varies in their post-chemo healing. I will also be having surgery after chemo so will have to recover from that as well. Does the radiation also contribute to fatigue?? I have again, heard yes and no. I am wondering about the eyelash loss after chemo that was mentioned. I have not lost mine but have treatment 5 tomorrow. I wonder why some people lose theirs AFTER the chemo is complete?

I sure love this site, it is very helpful to talk to others who are going through or have gone through the same thing.
God bless each and every one of you and may we all have the strength and positive attitude to get this behind us. XXXX OOOOO Big hugs to all.

natly15

putzie said:

Thank you all for the posts.
Thank you all for the posts. It sounds like everyone varies in their post-chemo healing. I will also be having surgery after chemo so will have to recover from that as well. Does the radiation also contribute to fatigue?? I have again, heard yes and no. I am wondering about the eyelash loss after chemo that was mentioned. I have not lost mine but have treatment 5 tomorrow. I wonder why some people lose theirs AFTER the chemo is complete?

I sure love this site, it is very helpful to talk to others who are going through or have gone through the same thing.
God bless each and every one of you and may we all have the strength and positive attitude to get this behind us. XXXX OOOOO Big hugs to all.

Hi Putzie- I took a month
Hi Putzie- I took a month off after chemo, and then started rads. I was totally fatigued and drained after chemo. My chemo ended March 30 and I started rads May 3 and finished June 15. I think it was the first weekend into rads when I had a spurt of energy I hadnt experienced in quite some time. I moved furniture, mopped floors and did things I hadnt done in a year. I havent been that spunky since then. I still get tired fairly easy but the fatigue is nothing like it was with chemo. Right now my eyelashes, eyebrows and hair are growing. I even had to shave my legs yesterday and pluck those ugly horrible chin hairs. Yes they are back darn it.

putzie

natly15 said:

Hi Putzie- I took a month
Hi Putzie- I took a month off after chemo, and then started rads. I was totally fatigued and drained after chemo. My chemo ended March 30 and I started rads May 3 and finished June 15. I think it was the first weekend into rads when I had a spurt of energy I hadnt experienced in quite some time. I moved furniture, mopped floors and did things I hadnt done in a year. I havent been that spunky since then. I still get tired fairly easy but the fatigue is nothing like it was with chemo. Right now my eyelashes, eyebrows and hair are growing. I even had to shave my legs yesterday and pluck those ugly horrible chin hairs. Yes they are back darn it.

Thanks Natly! Just knowing
Thanks Natly! Just knowing from others that there is light at the end of the tunnel helps in those times when you feel like a sack of potatoes! Sometimes I just need to be reminded that this will come to an end. Congratulations on finishing your chemo!!! Yay!!!
I am going to be so excited to get hair again...even when it means I have to shave!!!
XXX OOO

carkris

putzie said:

Thanks Natly! Just knowing
Thanks Natly! Just knowing from others that there is light at the end of the tunnel helps in those times when you feel like a sack of potatoes! Sometimes I just need to be reminded that this will come to an end. Congratulations on finishing your chemo!!! Yay!!!
I am going to be so excited to get hair again...even when it means I have to shave!!!
XXX OOO

Today I got a little blue
Today I got a little blue because the humidity really knocked me out. but then I got the mail and thought, "it used to be a goal to walk to the end of the driveway" Like I said Ihad a tough time. lost 70 pounds was in bed, so I got really deconditioned. now I am trying to build up so I can go back to work. I just try to focus on what I can do more and more of, and I am getting there. My onc said I was on the bad side of the curve on chemo. However I did well in radiation and it hasnt set me back.

reeseslover1234

Emilyfimily said:

Hi! I'm at 9 1/2 weeks out
Hi! I'm at 9 1/2 weeks out from my last one, and just noticed this weekend I had my first "perfectly normal" day. Ran a mile and a half, and felt good afterwards. Today, I went on a, uh, slightly over ambitious hike haha, and afterwards thought, hm I shouldn'ta done that.. I think it's something about the heat. Heat just saps me, more than I remember it doing before all this. So, I'm not back to normal 100% of the time, but I'm feeling pretty darn good most of the time. I have *energy*! Woohoo! Now the hair thing, that's another story. I'm growing hair, but it's really thin. Like 45% of what it should be. So bummed about that. I don't even have a suitable "buzz cut" going yet
Hope this helps
Take care, Dawn! You're almost done with chemo, yeeeeeah! Good luck on surgery and radiation! You got this, it's in the bag!

Thin hair AND depleted energy
Hi Emilyfimilly, I'm a little over 6 mos. out from chemo (Taxotere and Cytoxin). I took my last treatment on Dec. 29, 2009. I still have days where I get very run down. I also started having joint pain, not as intense as when I was on chemo, but it still affects my waking hours and my so-called sleep time. I can't stand the heat to breathe, but I like it for my joints. Like you, my hair is very, very thin. When I say thin, I mean not a whole lot of it. I look like I have male pattern baldness. I keep it "buzzed" back because I'd rather be sporting that look as opposed to the typical "cancer hair". I didn't start getting bummed about that until a couple of weeks ago. My first check-up with my oncologist is on the 29th of this month. People have told me they get nervous when it's time for a check-up, so I'm assuming that's the reason I got upset over my hair. I had the attitude before that if I was not blessed with hair after the Taxotere, I would just be thankful for my life. I still feel that way, but I can't say it doesn't bother me at all. You sound like you have a good attitude about your journey, so keep it up.

109339

side effects
Hi,
I found that 6 weeks after the end on chemo, I was becoming my old self. The more chemo you get, the more your body reacts because it accumulates. As soon as the poisin stops, you will feel better each day. If you lost your hair, that comes back around 6 weeks also. Just go through the motions till one day, it becomes a memory. Good Luck. Stay Positive and Well.
Michele in LI

putzie

Mama G said:

I hate to brag....
but I really got right back to normal very quickly. In fact there are days when I feel stronger than I felt before chemo. I still have a little numbness on the soles of my feet at night.

Not bragging
Not bragging Mama....Inspirational!!!!!

Emilyfimily

putzie said:

Not bragging
Not bragging Mama....Inspirational!!!!!

Truly!!

Truly!!

Emilyfimily

putzie said:

Not bragging
Not bragging Mama....Inspirational!!!!!

Truly!!

Truly!!

Emilyfimily

reeseslover1234 said:

Thin hair AND depleted energy
Hi Emilyfimilly, I'm a little over 6 mos. out from chemo (Taxotere and Cytoxin). I took my last treatment on Dec. 29, 2009. I still have days where I get very run down. I also started having joint pain, not as intense as when I was on chemo, but it still affects my waking hours and my so-called sleep time. I can't stand the heat to breathe, but I like it for my joints. Like you, my hair is very, very thin. When I say thin, I mean not a whole lot of it. I look like I have male pattern baldness. I keep it "buzzed" back because I'd rather be sporting that look as opposed to the typical "cancer hair". I didn't start getting bummed about that until a couple of weeks ago. My first check-up with my oncologist is on the 29th of this month. People have told me they get nervous when it's time for a check-up, so I'm assuming that's the reason I got upset over my hair. I had the attitude before that if I was not blessed with hair after the Taxotere, I would just be thankful for my life. I still feel that way, but I can't say it doesn't bother me at all. You sound like you have a good attitude about your journey, so keep it up.

Reeseslover you're a woman who speaks my language - pb and choc, best combo *ever*.
I wonder why some folks get all their hair pretty soon and some just don't? Mine is thin like male pattern baldness, too. Well, I guess I'll have to learn to be more patient. I need to remember to just be thankful I have my life, too, and not worry so much about my hair. ....And really, hey if we're going to be bald, this hot humid time of year is the right time to do it, right? I told my husband, "you guys have it so easy!!" It *is* pretty convenient..
Good luck on your check up!! I'll be praying for good news for you! And I hope you feel better and better asap. Hopefully this will wear off soon for you. Take care, friend!

putzie

slevyallen said:

Good Luck, Dawn
Looks like you & I are almost on the same time-table, my 5th chemo is 6/25 & my last one w/b 7/16. I know exactly what how you fee - my first 2 treatments were a breeze, 3rd one was no picnic, 4th even worse, so now I'm dreading 5th this Friday. I thought things were supposed to get easier, not worse. I think your positive attitude will pull you through with flying colors, God speed!

Okay Slevy..I made it
Okay Slevy..I made it through my 5th today and will face the side-effects that are coming my way but...you know what?? This means we only have one left and really the side-effects won't matter because when we start to heal, we won't get knocked down again. So, in reality, this is it, lol. You will do fine tomorrow!!! Get a good nights rest and take care of business tomorrow...We are almost there!!!!!!!