I'm exhausted!

JKMDean · January 2012

I'm so sorry for posting this because I know it has probably been posted several times - I just can't find anything about it.
So I was diagnosed with Adnoid Cystic Carcinoma July 2011. I went through 33 radiation treatments, was done on September 19th. I felt good for a few weeks and then started getting sluggish and by November I was sick. Turns out it was my gallbladder and I had to have emergency surgery to have it out the week of Thanksgiving. I feel about back to normal now except for my energy level. I am exhausted all the time!! I find it difficult to stay awake past 7pm and yesterday I fell asleep at 6pm for a short nap and woke up 8 hours later!
I am trying to start walking a little for exercise because I have heard that it will make it better. However, I usually feel too tired to even go walking! I'm not depressed, I've been asked that and told that it would make me tired. I am not on any medications. When my blood work was done at the time of the gallbladder surgery it was fine. How long before this fatigue goes away or lessens?!?!?!

nwasen · January 2012

exhausted
Realize your poor body has been thru the mill. I learned the hard way that when that bone weary feeling came over me, to lie down. Couch or bed, didn't matter. When your body needs rest, heed the call.
Also you might be depressed and not even know it. Do you get up early and do you have to work? If you do then I would think you are just fatigued but consider antidepressants for a short time. If you have a capable doc they aren't going to tell you to take them unless they feel there is a reason.
Pamper yourself and know it will take time to really feel good again. My docs told me a year before I was back to "me" and they were just about spot on. I felt better at 6 months and then a year after I was back to full steam....
good luck and take care.
Peace, Nancy

robinleigh · January 2012

nwasen said:
exhausted
Realize your poor body has been thru the mill. I learned the hard way that when that bone weary feeling came over me, to lie down. Couch or bed, didn't matter. When your body needs rest, heed the call.
Also you might be depressed and not even know it. Do you get up early and do you have to work? If you do then I would think you are just fatigued but consider antidepressants for a short time. If you have a capable doc they aren't going to tell you to take them unless they feel there is a reason.
Pamper yourself and know it will take time to really feel good again. My docs told me a year before I was back to "me" and they were just about spot on. I felt better at 6 months and then a year after I was back to full steam....
good luck and take care.
Peace, Nancy

More time
You may just need to give your body more time cause it hasn't been that long. Another thing I've heard mentioned here is that sometimes the thyroid gets affected by radiation. Actually, this reminds me to ask for Andy to have his checked at next doc visit. Can't hurt! I think all of us benefit from some regular exercise and it doesn't have to be anything extreme. Maybe we should form an exercise pact here...

sweetblood22 · January 2012

Exhausted. Me too. But I don't sleep. 8-/
Are they monitoring your thyroid? Radiation can screw up your thyroid.

Hal61 · January 2012

Falling down
Hi JKM,

I really empathize with your condition. I had daily fatigue for about three months after chemo and rads to the neck. I felt like sand bags had been strapped all over me. I had my thyroid checked and the level was fine. From what I've heard, the severity varies a lot from one person to another, but for me, I was squashed daily for some time. It does go away. Hope yours stops soon.

best, Hal

Jimbo55 · January 2012

Tired
Hello JKM,

You've been through a lot in a relatively short time frame. I would think the recovery from surgery so soon after having radiation would be even more taxing on your body and perhaps this is one reason for your exhaustion. As already mentioned, have your thyroid checked and even your blood work again. Maybe something will turn up in that area.

You are correct that exercise can help combat the fatigue. Some days it may be difficult to find the energy for this. Keep up with the walking and try to increase the time/distance little by little. During treatment, I would usually drink a protein shake before I would go for a walk. It seemed to give me a bit of a boost in my energy level. A word of caution though, don't overdo it. You didn't mention if you were working, that may have something to do with it also.
Cheers and stay strong.

Jimbo

longtermsurvivor · January 2012

as Robin said
be sure you get your thyroid checked. Mine failed before radiation was even over. Tired doesn't even begin to describe it. I was sleeping 16 hours a day.

If this is normal, good for you, But be kind to yourself and don't expect to have everything back to normal so quickly. It takes a long time to recover after this type of therapy.

Pat

fisrpotpe · January 2012

First
first i offer to you not to be sorry for asking any question on this site, there are no bad questions.

as mentioned so many times already i believe we just want recovery to be over with faster than our body's can recover. give it time, you been thru hell and then had gall bladder surgery just in the last 8 months. give it time it will get better.

i do agree with many others have your thyroid checked and talk to your doctor about depression. depression is so many times not seen or felt by patient, simple daily drugs helps that chemical imbalance.

your doing great.

john

JKMDean · January 2012

Thanks!
I appreciate all of your comments! I am going to make an appt with my doctor for this week and have all of my blood work and thyroid checked then just to be on the safe side. I do have a full-time job and ran out of PTO before I really felt like getting back to work - I think I may be expecting too much of my body. Sometimes I feel like other people are also wondering what in the world my problem is but this is no time to worry about that! So glad for this support center! Thanks a bunch!!

JKMDean · January 2012

fisrpotpe said:
First
first i offer to you not to be sorry for asking any question on this site, there are no bad questions.

as mentioned so many times already i believe we just want recovery to be over with faster than our body's can recover. give it time, you been thru hell and then had gall bladder surgery just in the last 8 months. give it time it will get better.

i do agree with many others have your thyroid checked and talk to your doctor about depression. depression is so many times not seen or felt by patient, simple daily drugs helps that chemical imbalance.

your doing great.

john

Yes!
It was like hell, lol! Thank you for making that point about the chemical imbalance, I had not thought of that... will definitely ask. Thank you!

JKMDean · January 2012

Jimbo55 said:
Tired
Hello JKM,

You've been through a lot in a relatively short time frame. I would think the recovery from surgery so soon after having radiation would be even more taxing on your body and perhaps this is one reason for your exhaustion. As already mentioned, have your thyroid checked and even your blood work again. Maybe something will turn up in that area.

You are correct that exercise can help combat the fatigue. Some days it may be difficult to find the energy for this. Keep up with the walking and try to increase the time/distance little by little. During treatment, I would usually drink a protein shake before I would go for a walk. It seemed to give me a bit of a boost in my energy level. A word of caution though, don't overdo it. You didn't mention if you were working, that may have something to do with it also.
Cheers and stay strong.

Jimbo

Exercise
Thank you for commenting. I wasn't sure if exercise was helping or hurting but I am going to keep it up then. And yes, I am working full time, plus 6 extra hours per week - still paying off the bills, lol!

KTeacher · January 2012

Give yourself a break!
You have gone through a lot in a short period of time. Back to work full time plus! Do what you need to do. Going to bed a 7p.m. or even earlier is what your body needs. Protein, the first cancer I had in Aug. 2010--weight loss was muscle, I was very weak for a long time after, recurrance this summer, I made sure that I put protein powder in my smoothie, greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt, weight loss does not seem to be the same this time, I am doing much better in my recovery--back to work BUT I lay down for 20 minutes at lunch time, helps my body make it through the rest of the day. Listen to your body, you don't need to get sick on top of the recovery.

KTeacher · January 2012

JKMDean said:
Thanks!
I appreciate all of your comments! I am going to make an appt with my doctor for this week and have all of my blood work and thyroid checked then just to be on the safe side. I do have a full-time job and ran out of PTO before I really felt like getting back to work - I think I may be expecting too much of my body. Sometimes I feel like other people are also wondering what in the world my problem is but this is no time to worry about that! So glad for this support center! Thanks a bunch!!

I know!
You look fine, so what is your problem! I know! And you look so great with the weight loss--I don't recommend the diet! Just smile and go on, I'm even changing my gastro doctor, he asked my why I had lost so much weight! I had seen him during the worst days of my treatment and he couldn't bother to read the notes that the nurse had taken.

I'm exhausted!

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