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purple21
purple21 Member Posts: 3
in Ovarian Cancer #1
What should I expect during the first year after chemo treatment? After treatment, I felt tired and sick and my memory was limited. After six months, I thought I would be back to normal, but I am still felling tired, my body aches, and my memory is really bad. I went back to school and I feel like i am going to have to drop my classes because I cant remember things. How did I get rid of these feelings of tiredness and memory loss and body aches.

I would appreciate all your help and advise.

Diana

Comments

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #2
    Welcome Diana
    I had my last chemo in September of 2010 and I still have aches, pains, fatigue and joke about having "chemo brain." These symptoms are lessening gradually. I feel very good and just had my first yearly checkup with my gyn/onc who says my cancer is in remission and is very pleased with my progress. I feel great and really don't mind putting up with the side effects. I feel it is a small price to pay for being alive. Havind said that I am also 63 and retired so I don't have the same challenges you do. I think I may have had a difficult time handling my job after this but I'll never know.

    I go to yoga and am in a group of cancer survivors who go on a hike every couple of weeks. I am able to do these things but at the same time I get tired just doing housework. I just stop when I need to. I call it running out of steam.

    Take the best care of yourself. Eat right, exercise, blah, blah, blah; you know the drill. Speak to your doctor who may have suggestions that will help you. Enjoy your life.

    Karen
  • carolenk
    carolenk Member Posts: 907 Member
    #3
    kikz said:

    Welcome Diana
    I had my last chemo in September of 2010 and I still have aches, pains, fatigue and joke about having "chemo brain." These symptoms are lessening gradually. I feel very good and just had my first yearly checkup with my gyn/onc who says my cancer is in remission and is very pleased with my progress. I feel great and really don't mind putting up with the side effects. I feel it is a small price to pay for being alive. Havind said that I am also 63 and retired so I don't have the same challenges you do. I think I may have had a difficult time handling my job after this but I'll never know.

    I go to yoga and am in a group of cancer survivors who go on a hike every couple of weeks. I am able to do these things but at the same time I get tired just doing housework. I just stop when I need to. I call it running out of steam.

    Take the best care of yourself. Eat right, exercise, blah, blah, blah; you know the drill. Speak to your doctor who may have suggestions that will help you. Enjoy your life.

    Karen

    Dear Diana
    I don't know of
    Dear Diana

    I don't know of much that you can do to speed up the recovery process. I think it takes longer than we think. I think going back to school is too ambitious right now. The reason I say this is because I equate being in school with increased stress & decreased sleep. Both of those factors will make it harder to recover from chemo brain.

    I was told that my energy would be a lot better one year after I finished treatment & back to "normal" in two years. I have been seeing a naturopath for detoxification and who knows if that is making a difference or not. I will say that I am surprised at how my brain bounced back sooner than my energy did. I think sleeping well makes a big difference.

    I don't know if you take any chesterol lowering medicines but they give a lot of people poor memory.

    Good luck & welcome.
  • EnglishGal
    EnglishGal Member Posts: 101
    #4
    Welcome!
    Hi Diana, welcome to our board, a board no one really wants to be a member of. I was diagnosed in May 2010, had a complete debulking and six sessions of carboplatin/taxol which I completed in September 2010. Now 18 months on, I am in remission and feeling great although I suffer the odd period of depression. My antidote to that is to try and keep busy.

    It took me a good year to get over the chemo even though I tolerated it well and had few side effects. Although hubby and friends tell me I am as bright as ever, I feel I am not. I am writing a book but don't spend much time on it as before as I feel the words don't come as easily.

    I also find I get irritated and upset easily which usually ties in with the depression.

    My doctor says all this is very normal while at the same time he tells me I was an amazing cancer patient.

    Just be patient, Diana, and do things that make you happy and what you want to do and not what other people expect you to do.

    It takes time to get back to normal. As a lady of 66 and retired, your situation is different from mine as you are going to school. Perhaps you could discuss your feelings with a guidance counsellor at your school.

    Hope I've been of some help here, Diana, and please keep us posted.

    Ann
  • EnglishGal
    EnglishGal Member Posts: 101
    #5
    Welcome!
    Hi Diana, welcome to our board, a board no one really wants to be a member of. I was diagnosed in May 2010, had a complete debulking and six sessions of carboplatin/taxol which I completed in September 2010. Now 18 months on, I am in remission and feeling great although I suffer the odd period of depression. My antidote to that is to try and keep busy.

    It took me a good year to get over the chemo even though I tolerated it well and had few side effects. Although hubby and friends tell me I am as bright as ever, I feel I am not. I am writing a book but don't spend much time on it as before as I feel the words don't come as easily.

    I also find I get irritated and upset easily which usually ties in with the depression.

    My doctor says all this is very normal while at the same time he tells me I was an amazing cancer patient.

    Just be patient, Diana, and do things that make you happy and what you want to do and not what other people expect you to do.

    It takes time to get back to normal. As a lady of 66 and retired, your situation is different from mine as you are going to school. Perhaps you could discuss your feelings with a guidance counsellor at your school.

    Hope I've been of some help here, Diana, and please keep us posted.

    Ann
  • EnglishGal
    EnglishGal Member Posts: 101
    #6
    Welcome!
    Hi Diana, welcome to our board, a board no one really wants to be a member of. I was diagnosed in May 2010, had a complete debulking and six sessions of carboplatin/taxol which I completed in September 2010. Now 18 months on, I am in remission and feeling great although I suffer the odd period of depression. My antidote to that is to try and keep busy.

    It took me a good year to get over the chemo even though I tolerated it well and had few side effects. Although hubby and friends tell me I am as bright as ever, I feel I am not. I am writing a book but don't spend much time on it as before as I feel the words don't come as easily.

    I also find I get irritated and upset easily which usually ties in with the depression.

    My doctor says all this is very normal while at the same time he tells me I was an amazing cancer patient.

    Just be patient, Diana, and do things that make you happy and what you want to do and not what other people expect you to do.

    It takes time to get back to normal. As a lady of 66 and retired, your situation is different from mine as you are going to school. Perhaps you could discuss your feelings with a guidance counsellor at your school.

    Hope I've been of some help here, Diana, and please keep us posted.

    Ann
  • EnglishGal
    EnglishGal Member Posts: 101
    #7
    Ooooops triple post
    Don't know how that happened!
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #8
    Welcome, Diana
    I'm so glad that you found your way to this site. My advice.... pace yourself, get plenty of sleep, eat healthy meals at regular intervals and play games such as crosswords, scrabble or computer games to help your brain power. Congrats on going back to school!
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #9
    Mwee said:

    Welcome, Diana
    I'm so glad that you found your way to this site. My advice.... pace yourself, get plenty of sleep, eat healthy meals at regular intervals and play games such as crosswords, scrabble or computer games to help your brain power. Congrats on going back to school!
    (((HUGS))) Maria

    after chemo
    give yourself time to heal. Your body has been through a lot. You will still need to rest so pace yourself. Enjoy being done with chemo and live your life. I still suffer from nuropathy in my feet from carbo/taxol. Good luck and stay ned..val
  • cfont11
    cfont11 Member Posts: 115
    #10
    Hi Diana,
    I was off chemo
    Hi Diana,

    I was off chemo for a couple of months but am back on again. I get tired and my brain does not always function as it should. I was out of work for 11 months but now I am working part time. I found that keeping my mind active was the best thing for me, I did crosswords and other puzzles and now working keeps me going. I joined an excercise group for cancer patients and got a couple of books on exercises for people on chemo and with cancer. As others have said, eat right and stay active. The best way to combat fatigue is to exercise, even if it is arm excercises with 1 pound weights. That's how I started.

    My doctor told me it can take one or two years to feel better. Don't get discouraged and don't rush it. We all want to feel "normal" again immediately but chemo really takes a toll on your body.

    Hang in there, you'll do great.

    Chris

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