Anyone else had low energy levels after surgery??

JanBred
JanBred Member Posts: 42
in Esophageal Cancer #1
I find that I am just tired all of the time. Small tasks seem to wipe me out after ten minutes or so. Post surgery 6 weeks ago. I am eating much better without j-tube, drinking ensure and taking vitamin b and d...

Comments

  • BMGky
    BMGky Member Posts: 621
    #2
    Low Energy Levels
    Congratulations on the surgery!! Don't know what form you had. My husband had the Ivor Lewis over two years ago. It was some seven months before he started to feel better. He is enjoying himself everyday, working full time, playing when he can.

    His energy level was non-existent post surgery. He was winded walking from one end of the house to the other. This has greatly, greatly improved. However, his stamina and physical strength have been somewhat affected but not to the point of interfering with life. He has learned to pace himself or tries to remember to pace himself. Also, he is in his early 70's but I can't stand it when the doctor says, "As we age, we can't do like we used to do." Humph! I don't think old. Don't act old. Just gonna keep plugging right on. :)
  • JanBred
    JanBred Member Posts: 42
    #3
    BMGky said:

    Low Energy Levels
    Congratulations on the surgery!! Don't know what form you had. My husband had the Ivor Lewis over two years ago. It was some seven months before he started to feel better. He is enjoying himself everyday, working full time, playing when he can.

    His energy level was non-existent post surgery. He was winded walking from one end of the house to the other. This has greatly, greatly improved. However, his stamina and physical strength have been somewhat affected but not to the point of interfering with life. He has learned to pace himself or tries to remember to pace himself. Also, he is in his early 70's but I can't stand it when the doctor says, "As we age, we can't do like we used to do." Humph! I don't think old. Don't act old. Just gonna keep plugging right on. :)

    Thanks!!
    I had the IL at Mayo on 7-25-2012. I'm 55, and not used to being inactive. Thanks for your reply, so now I know it's normal to feel so "out of it." Jan
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #4
    It does take some time
    Jan,

    I had Ivor Lewis surgery in 2009. It was a good year before I felt that I had returned to 90% of my former stamina. The first six months I became fatigued very easily. Your body has been through a tremendous shock and it will take some time to recover. I just tried to do a little more each week and learned to take breaks more often. I also found that walking every day helped. I started out with just short walks and eventually worked my way up to two miles every day. It will take some time but you will get there.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    Grand Blanc, Michigan

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • geocam70
    geocam70 Member Posts: 3
    #5
    Energy will return
    Hi Jan

    I had a THE this past January and am just now starting to really feel like my energy level is coming back. It takes time and patience. I went back to work just four weeks after surgery but it was all classroom training and sit down stuff. It was very difficult to walk around the house, and stairs were the worst, but over time I have regain some of my energy level and stamina.

    Taking the vitamins is great and I encourage you to just keep trying to do just a step or two more each day. With time you will start to feel more energy and feel better too.

    George
  • JanBred
    JanBred Member Posts: 42
    #6
    geocam70 said:

    Energy will return
    Hi Jan

    I had a THE this past January and am just now starting to really feel like my energy level is coming back. It takes time and patience. I went back to work just four weeks after surgery but it was all classroom training and sit down stuff. It was very difficult to walk around the house, and stairs were the worst, but over time I have regain some of my energy level and stamina.

    Taking the vitamins is great and I encourage you to just keep trying to do just a step or two more each day. With time you will start to feel more energy and feel better too.

    George

    Thanks...
    I appreciate everyone's replies to my posting...
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #7
    JanBred said:

    Thanks...
    I appreciate everyone's replies to my posting...

    I, Like some of the others,
    I, Like some of the others, had the IL. It is a longer recovery time. I went to the gym and started with some low impact exercises on the equipment. This helped me more than anything to regain my energy.
    Praying you will be back to normal soon,
    Sandra
  • mardigras
    mardigras Member Posts: 215 Member
    #8
    Pretty normal Jan!
    Hi Jan,
    Try not to worry too much. It is perfectly normal to feel wiped out after such a huge surgery.
    My husband is seven months past surgery (Ivor Lewis), and he still falls asleep as soon as he sits in a comfy chair. He does try to keep active, but he is always very tired and his surgeon says it is quite normal. He will sleep all night and then have his breakfast, sit in a chair and fall asleep.
    I hope you will be feeling better soon, but sleep when you need to and don't feel guilty or worry about it. Keep well. You have done the tough bit!
    Hugs and prayers
    Marci x
  • NLMCEM
    NLMCEM Member Posts: 50
    #9
    tired comes and goes
    Everyone seems different with the being tired and how fast they improve. Nino was very weak and tired and even though he pushed himself to walk around the house including up and down stairs, it totally wiped him out in the 1st month after surgery. Any where we went he used a wheel chair, his 1st 2 week check up, shopping etc... His doctors were very surprised as Nino worked up to his surgery day where he walked, lifted and was very busy. Although once he would sit down after working he was done, and the last month before surgery he was having a hard time eating and started missing several days a week from feeling tired but mostly from gagging on his own saliva and unable to talk with customers.
    1 month after surgery his energy improved enough he did not need a wheel chair but he could only walk so much before he would be totally exhausted and have to rest. Even now 1yr and 9 months after surgery Nino will mow the grass with a riding mower takes about 30 minutes and "may" feel good enough to also weed eat, another 30 minutes, then he is done for the day, totally exhausted again. Nino was unable to return to work and is on disability because of this. It does my heart good to read so many are back to work and moving forward so well.
    Now Nino has time to do his Military Honor Guard Funerals but then again he can only handle a few a week. This was the hardiest part of all for Nino as he was always involved in activities and working. Let a lone not being able to eat well still. He has his good and bad days. All his medications have to be in liquid form also. How his weight as been staying steady we have no idea but grateful it is.
    I am just wondering if all his exhausting is due to the possibility he may have the cancer again that is and has made him weak. We hope the biopsy they did this past Friday was enough to be tested to see if the cancer is in his lungs as they found 5 nodes that are suspicious. Don't know if you have seen may other post about Nino or not.
    Or if it is caused by his lack of sleep. Bed raised 5" on blocks, 4 pillows, usually ends up in his recliner and unable to recline at all. He ends up napping off and on most days.
    All his blood work comes back great, no high blood pressure, cholesterol test are perfect.

    Just know others have done so well and get better over time. Just keep up with walking and so glad you can handle the ensure (it burns Nino).
    I hope telling you Ninos condition does not upset you, I feel it best to be honest and in so doing you and others have an understanding of how "individual" we all are in our travels with this horrible EC
    Prayers and hoping to read you improve over time,
    EC Caregiver, Carolyn
  • Josie60
    Josie60 Member Posts: 80
    #10
    Yes
    I am 60 and had my THE surgery in June. I am finally starting to feel almost human again. I had some minor setbacks with a leak and rehospitalization for 10 days. I was lucky to walk a block in July. I was napping at least once a day.

    Because I finally started getting some energy back, in mid August we took a 9 day road trip. I still couldn't walk too far and by the end of the trip I was pretty beat. I tried walking the Carlsbad cavern big room but that really was too much so we had to cut the tour short. We got home this past Monday.

    I am also finding that I wake up about 4 am and wide awake by 6 am. But I am no longer working
  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #11
    NLMCEM said:

    tired comes and goes
    Everyone seems different with the being tired and how fast they improve. Nino was very weak and tired and even though he pushed himself to walk around the house including up and down stairs, it totally wiped him out in the 1st month after surgery. Any where we went he used a wheel chair, his 1st 2 week check up, shopping etc... His doctors were very surprised as Nino worked up to his surgery day where he walked, lifted and was very busy. Although once he would sit down after working he was done, and the last month before surgery he was having a hard time eating and started missing several days a week from feeling tired but mostly from gagging on his own saliva and unable to talk with customers.
    1 month after surgery his energy improved enough he did not need a wheel chair but he could only walk so much before he would be totally exhausted and have to rest. Even now 1yr and 9 months after surgery Nino will mow the grass with a riding mower takes about 30 minutes and "may" feel good enough to also weed eat, another 30 minutes, then he is done for the day, totally exhausted again. Nino was unable to return to work and is on disability because of this. It does my heart good to read so many are back to work and moving forward so well.
    Now Nino has time to do his Military Honor Guard Funerals but then again he can only handle a few a week. This was the hardiest part of all for Nino as he was always involved in activities and working. Let a lone not being able to eat well still. He has his good and bad days. All his medications have to be in liquid form also. How his weight as been staying steady we have no idea but grateful it is.
    I am just wondering if all his exhausting is due to the possibility he may have the cancer again that is and has made him weak. We hope the biopsy they did this past Friday was enough to be tested to see if the cancer is in his lungs as they found 5 nodes that are suspicious. Don't know if you have seen may other post about Nino or not.
    Or if it is caused by his lack of sleep. Bed raised 5" on blocks, 4 pillows, usually ends up in his recliner and unable to recline at all. He ends up napping off and on most days.
    All his blood work comes back great, no high blood pressure, cholesterol test are perfect.

    Just know others have done so well and get better over time. Just keep up with walking and so glad you can handle the ensure (it burns Nino).
    I hope telling you Ninos condition does not upset you, I feel it best to be honest and in so doing you and others have an understanding of how "individual" we all are in our travels with this horrible EC
    Prayers and hoping to read you improve over time,
    EC Caregiver, Carolyn

    Vitamin B 12 deficiency??
    Carolyn,

    They have found that those of us who have had our digestive system modified do not process certain vitamins well and often have an iron deficiency. Has Nino's doctor ever checked his vitamin B 12 and iron levels? Deficiency in that area often shows up as chronic fatigue and peripheral neuropathy.

    Just a thought,

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    Grand Blanc, Michigan

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • GerryS
    GerryS Member Posts: 227 Member
    #12
    Oh, I remember it well.............
    Jan, like the others have all said, the energy level will return. I do think I tire more easily than I did before even after 2 1/2 years post surgery. I had the IL at Mayo also. It takes several months but improvement will come. Hope you continue to do well.

    Gerry

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