Recovery Time

kagnew84

I am so new to all of this and appreiciate any input you can give me.

I just finished my chemo for leiomyosarcoma uterine cancer. I was working a 40 hour week and  now can barely make it a few hours before fatigue sets in. I know it must vary a lot, but can anyone share how long it took to get back to a regular work day?

ConnieSW

I had retired 6 months before my diagnosis so I can't address recovery time for the work world but I felt myself about a month after finishing chemo.

Hybridspirits

I worked full time during Chemo and found that when it was done it took a while,  good 6 mnths or more as my RBC and WBC took a while to get back up to where they needed.  My iron was also very low.     Actually right now they are just getting to be stable with maybe .1 over the minimum range.  But my RBC stayed in anemic for a while after chemo

DO you know what your levels are?  Knowing this might help you address what else you could be doing to help the recovery time

ConnieSW

Hybridspirits said:

I worked full time during Chemo and found that when it was done it took a while,  good 6 mnths or more as my RBC and WBC took a while to get back up to where they needed.  My iron was also very low.     Actually right now they are just getting to be stable with maybe .1 over the minimum range.  But my RBC stayed in anemic for a while after chemo

DO you know what your levels are?  Knowing this might help you address what else you could be doing to help the recovery time

Anemia

My counts were way off, too.  I was symptomatic-short of breath with any exertion (scarey),  fatigued, bruised if you looked at me.  I guess I bounced back pretty quickly. I think you will just have to play it by ear.  We are all different.

---

 

survivingsu

Good Question!

That's a good question.  Definitely depends on individual circumstances.  5 years ago I was treated from July to December (chemo & radiation simultaneously, then internal radiation, then surgery, then follow-up chemo).  Much too sick to work during treatment - don't know if that was the cancer, the treatment, or everything.  My blood count tanked too, had lots of transfusions during treatment.  I did a little computer work at home to begin to catch up, but didn't hit the buses and back to work until March, and even then I wished I had more time, it was hard.  Be as kind as you can to yourself, it takes a while for the blood numbers to get back to normal and to have stamina, etc.  I was still very tired when I got back to work & the Drs found that my thyroid wasn't working, so that contibuted too.  It really takes a while to feel good again, patience is key.

My very best to you,

Susan

Abbycat2

kagnew, what chemo did you receive?

kagnew, did you have 6 cycles of carboplatin /taxol? I think everyone is different in how they respond to chemo . I worked full-time throughout my 6 cycles of carbo/taxol and only missed one day of work- aside from the 6-hour-long chemo days-as I felt wiped out after my 6th chemo. I finished chemo 10 months ago, and I am not the same person I was before cancer came calling.. I get VERY tired rather easily. I still swim long - distance and haven 't noticed a lasting change in my swimming energy level, but it seems that I only have so much energy allotted to me each day and it is drained by all activities. So , swimming a mile in the AM may rob me of energy later in the day. I was 60-years-old when diagnosed with uterine cancer. I always enjoyed sleeping in but now I need 9-10 hours of sleep every night. I have neuropathy in my feet from the chemo as well. I continue to work a desk job 40 hours a week. Hopefully, you will regain your strength in time.

 

Best Wishes,

Cathy

AWK

Abbycat2 said:

kagnew, what chemo did you receive?

kagnew, did you have 6 cycles of carboplatin /taxol? I think everyone is different in how they respond to chemo . I worked full-time throughout my 6 cycles of carbo/taxol and only missed one day of work- aside from the 6-hour-long chemo days-as I felt wiped out after my 6th chemo. I finished chemo 10 months ago, and I am not the same person I was before cancer came calling.. I get VERY tired rather easily. I still swim long - distance and haven 't noticed a lasting change in my swimming energy level, but it seems that I only have so much energy allotted to me each day and it is drained by all activities. So , swimming a mile in the AM may rob me of energy later in the day. I was 60-years-old when diagnosed with uterine cancer. I always enjoyed sleeping in but now I need 9-10 hours of sleep every night. I have neuropathy in my feet from the chemo as well. I continue to work a desk job 40 hours a week. Hopefully, you will regain your strength in time.

 

Best Wishes,

Cathy

I can't really answer but have a suggestion

I have continued in treatment since my frontline chemo and radiation ended in Dec 2013. I work a forty plus hour week and have really had to learn to dial things down and pay attention to my energy level and stress levels too.  I continue to have treatments every three weeks and manage my workload around that.  I get pretty exhausted and on those days make sure to walk and get some form of exercise in especially.  Just remember - put yourself first.  

One thing my doctors suggested (strongly) was that I register with my employer under the Americans with Disabilities Act.  if you work for a larger employer they should work with you to accommodate any disease or treatment related issues you may have.  Plus their are benefits to the employer as well.  

 

Sending healing wishes and hugs.  Anne

Hybridspirits

AWK said:

I can't really answer but have a suggestion

I have continued in treatment since my frontline chemo and radiation ended in Dec 2013. I work a forty plus hour week and have really had to learn to dial things down and pay attention to my energy level and stress levels too.  I continue to have treatments every three weeks and manage my workload around that.  I get pretty exhausted and on those days make sure to walk and get some form of exercise in especially.  Just remember - put yourself first.  

One thing my doctors suggested (strongly) was that I register with my employer under the Americans with Disabilities Act.  if you work for a larger employer they should work with you to accommodate any disease or treatment related issues you may have.  Plus their are benefits to the employer as well.  

 

Sending healing wishes and hugs.  Anne

filing as ADA

I agree that you should register at your company and get protected by the ADA.  We had recent management training in ADA and the example they used was a cancer diagnosis.  If you are protected under ADA they are required under law to provide accomodations for you.

great suggestion

 

Abbycat2

Hybridspirits said:

filing as ADA

I agree that you should register at your company and get protected by the ADA.  We had recent management training in ADA and the example they used was a cancer diagnosis.  If you are protected under ADA they are required under law to provide accomodations for you.

great suggestion

 

Cancer and the ADA

Cancer is definitely considered a disability under the ADA.  Telling your supervisor that you need accommodations and what those accommodations are is not enough.  You must submit your request in writing along with a request as to what accommodations you are seeking.  There is an agency in every state that assist individuals with disabilities; I know because I worked for one of them for 5 years. I don't know where you live, but here in Florida it is called Disabilitiy Rights Florida.  It may have Protection and Advocacy in it's name and it may or may not be part of state government.  One of the programs the Protection and Advocacy system provides is called PAIR and it is under the PAIR program that your concerns would be included.  PAIR stands for: Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights. You can call this agency for free assistance in understanding your employment rights as an individual with a disability. Often times they can mail you brochures as well.  This is a great agency that provides advocacy for all individuals with disabilties, including children in special education and individuals with severe mentally illness in psychiatric hospitals. If you tell me which state you live in, I can assist you in locating the Protection and Advocacy agency for that state (of course, they go by different names!)   

Employers must determine what the essential functions of each employees job are.  An employee must be able to perform these essential functions to maintain the job.   Usually employers can easily provide accommodations, such as revised hours of employment, ergonomic desks and chairs, ramps, etc, handicap parking spaces, etc. 

I hope this is helpful to you,

Cathy 

It happened to Me

Another story

After my hysterectomy and chemo. (6 rds carbo/taxel), it took me a long time to start feeling like I had a little bit of energy.  I am a massage therapist and so I was off work almost 9 months.  About 3 months after my last chemo., I started trying to do some short massages.  That was March of 2014.  It was Dec. 2014 that I had actually worked my way up to doing 60 minute massages.  I only can do up to 3 massages in one day and I can't do 3 massages a day all week.  I get too tired by mid-week, and end up being too tired.  I enrolled in the LiveStrong at the YMCA program in Sep. and that increased my stamina and strength considerably.  That ended in Dec. 2014.  Check your local YMCA and see if there is a program.  It has personal trainers that go through training to help cancer survivors get on a program for weight training and balance and cardio.  It's free too.

I was talking to my chiropractor and she said that chemo. changes cells, hormones etc. and that can last for years.  When you are tired, don't push through it because your body is trying to recouperate.  When you feel good, then push yourself a little more. 

This is a new normal that we have to adjust our lives to.  It's doable.  

Take care