How long before you get full strength back?

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rmitchell
rmitchell Member Posts: 94
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Don had EC surgery 4 months ago and still does not have a lot of energy. He has some good days and some bad. He thinks he should be feeling better than he does, but he has had some set backs. Hernia Surgery and a fractured Clavical that is still giving him some pain. How long does it take to start feeling good again
Reba

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  • BMGky
    BMGky Member Posts: 621
    #2
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    My husband thought he would
    My husband thought he would never get back to "normal." From reading the posts here, I understood that at about six or seven months, things begin to line out. Bill sort of followed the same pattern. Even when you start feeling better, there are eating modifications, etc., to adjust to. Anyways, it is a year post op with scans showing no evidence of disease (NED). He works every day, doing yard work, fully enjoying himself except when he forgets and overeats. He oftentimes got disheartened during the long recovery wondering when or if he would feel better. You have to work at getting strength back--walking and moving. He had the Ivor Lewis form of surgery and was hospitalized a month post-op. So, tell your husband to hang in there. We all wish him well. It takes some time. By the way, I kept and still keep a daily log of weight, sugar, blood pressure, pain and fatigue levels and the medicines he is taking. If you think you aren't making progress, you can go back and read where you've been and realize just how far you've come. I'm so happy he got to have the surgery. It gives him hope. Prayers and best wishes to you both.
  • GerryS
    GerryS Member Posts: 227 Member
    #3
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    It takes time............
    I was 57 at time of Ivor Lewis surgery in March '10. It was followed by 2 months of chemo. It took several months for me to get back to a "new normal". 6 or 7 months at least. I still have other issures regarding eating several times and some minor back pain at the incision. Be patient, I an now back to working full time but do seem some more tired at night. Good luck, it gets better. God Bless...........

    Gerry
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #4
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    Reba, It took me over a year to feel "normal" and I didn't have any other medical problems,outside of effects from treatment.
    During this time I went to the gym,and it helped a lot to help me regain my strength. It took a while for my appetite to come back and this contributed a lot to my weakness.
    This is a very serious treatment and surgery. Our bodies go through a shock and it takes time for an adjustment to our "new" system.
    Hope he will feel better soon,
    Sandra
  • Donna70
    Donna70 Member Posts: 852 Member
    #5
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    sandy1943 said:

    Reba, It took me over a year to feel "normal" and I didn't have any other medical problems,outside of effects from treatment.
    During this time I went to the gym,and it helped a lot to help me regain my strength. It took a while for my appetite to come back and this contributed a lot to my weakness.
    This is a very serious treatment and surgery. Our bodies go through a shock and it takes time for an adjustment to our "new" system.
    Hope he will feel better soon,
    Sandra

    about 7 months before normal came
    Hi,
    This morning, I was running around doing all my errands, running from store to store, did banking and I was saying Thank you God, to feel normal so I know what it was like last year at this time, when I did not feel normal. I had Ivor Lewis surgery and chemo and radiation before that and then I had 2 months of post op chemo and lung complications so normal for me started happening like others here have said, around 7 months and then more and more normal was happening. And normal is not to be taken for granted. Take naps and sit and stare sometimes and just be grateful to be here. Everyone told me to be patient because sometimes you don't think you will ever feel normal again but it comes along. Good luck and take care,
    Donna70
  • Joel C
    Joel C Member Posts: 174
    #6
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    Donna70 said:

    about 7 months before normal came
    Hi,
    This morning, I was running around doing all my errands, running from store to store, did banking and I was saying Thank you God, to feel normal so I know what it was like last year at this time, when I did not feel normal. I had Ivor Lewis surgery and chemo and radiation before that and then I had 2 months of post op chemo and lung complications so normal for me started happening like others here have said, around 7 months and then more and more normal was happening. And normal is not to be taken for granted. Take naps and sit and stare sometimes and just be grateful to be here. Everyone told me to be patient because sometimes you don't think you will ever feel normal again but it comes along. Good luck and take care,
    Donna70

    @ five months I'm still improving.
    I’m five months out from my MIE for stage 2B adenocarcinoma (49 years old). I would guess that I’m at about 75% strength compared to where I was around a year ago. When I come home from a full day of working my electrical engineering job I’m pretty beat. For example I thought I would do a little raking when I got home tonight but I only lasted around 20 minutes. On the other hand this past Friday I had the day off and stacked a cord of and had to split a bunch of cuts by hand. By the time I was done I was really tired but it felt good to know I can still do that kind of work. Like Don I have good days and some real bad days but continue to look forward to my new normal.

    Hang in there,
    Joel
  • rmitchell
    rmitchell Member Posts: 94
    #7
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    BMGky said:

    My husband thought he would
    My husband thought he would never get back to "normal." From reading the posts here, I understood that at about six or seven months, things begin to line out. Bill sort of followed the same pattern. Even when you start feeling better, there are eating modifications, etc., to adjust to. Anyways, it is a year post op with scans showing no evidence of disease (NED). He works every day, doing yard work, fully enjoying himself except when he forgets and overeats. He oftentimes got disheartened during the long recovery wondering when or if he would feel better. You have to work at getting strength back--walking and moving. He had the Ivor Lewis form of surgery and was hospitalized a month post-op. So, tell your husband to hang in there. We all wish him well. It takes some time. By the way, I kept and still keep a daily log of weight, sugar, blood pressure, pain and fatigue levels and the medicines he is taking. If you think you aren't making progress, you can go back and read where you've been and realize just how far you've come. I'm so happy he got to have the surgery. It gives him hope. Prayers and best wishes to you both.

    Don
    Thanks so much for your response. I read it to Don and I think he is encouraged that things will get better. I thank God for this Web Site.
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,391 Member
    #8
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    What was the finding on the "spot" on Don's pancreas?
    Reba,

    I had Ivor Lewis Surgery in December of 2009. I had five months of chemo after surgery so in my case it took me about a year after surgery until I felt I was back to my new normal. Of course my "new normal" includes some new dietary and activity restrictions that were not there prior to surgery. I know I was impatient to feel normal again as well but it does take time.

    A while back you mentioned that some tests had shown a "spot" on Don's pancreas and they were doing additional testing. Has that been resolved? I hope it was something that could be resolved quickly and Don is back on the road to recovery after your holiday.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

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