Fatigue or Depression?

a lot longer than we imagined it would.  I finished chemo on Aug 28th...went back to work on Oct. 16th....and JUST started feeling more like myself somewhere in January.   I still get very weary by the end of the week, and the first day of my weekend it's not unusual for me to sleep 11 hours.  I haven't slept like that since I was a teenager.  Getting back to normal takes a long time....the book they gave me at the Onc's office and the one I got from my insurance company both say that it can take up to a year to recover from treatment.  You may or may not be depressed on top of that....but depression isn't the only reason you're still feeling very fatigued.

I'm 62....and was always super active....it's been hard not doing all the things in a day that I'd like to get done.

p 

Hobbs,

I've yet to undergo treatment so I can't speak from the cancer standpoint however I can speak from a cardiac standpoint.

I had open heart surgery in November of 2007 (heart attack and triple bypass). The week before I suffered the heart attack I had hiked Old Rag Mountain here in the Shenandoah National Park. Old Rag is well known and a very challenging and unique hike (an all day, 8 hour affair). I was very active at that time. I would go to the gym 3-4 times a week and was always up in the mountains hiking , camping or fishing.

As you might imagine, a physical setback like open heart surgery had a profound impact on my psyche. I began to withdrawl, stopped going out, slept a lot, often times I would not leave my apartment the entire weekend when normally I'd be up and wetting a line at dawn.

Suffice it to say I was suffering from depression. Upon examination from my doctor and conformation from a therapist I was prescribed an anti depressant which I took for about 5 months. I can conclude, based on how invasive both open heart surgery and H&N cancer are, one can suffer similar symptoms and diagnosis.

All I can say is be cautious concerning the drugs. I had some severe side effects from (Zoloft). Digestion issues, sweats, shakes etc. I didn't "feel" a whole lot different but the people around me noticed a change. When I finally went off of it, the effects were disturbing. Sleeplessness, dizziness, a general feeling of disorientation etc. I realized how "drugged" I was. 

While I'm aware of the symtoms and have been treated in the past, I would hesitate greatly, even protest taking anti-depressants again. 

Seek opinions, do your research and proceed cautiusly. There are beneficial aspects of treating depression but one must weigh the positive/negative ratios before proceeding. 

"T"

I was still experiencing fatigue for about 7 monthsafter treatment and still get tired easily but it got better as the weeks went on. I also agree that you should get your thyroid checked because radiation can shut it down, and that willeasily cause fatigue. I'm glad I was given anti depressants I got pretty depressed for a while, then got off them when my recovery started to kick in. Celexa worked for me, but they also tried me on remeron because it could help sleep and appetite but it just wiped me out. You will probably know if the med is making you tired but just keep it in mind.

Dr.Ed said:

fatigue

I was still experiencing fatigue for about 7 monthsafter treatment and still get tired easily but it got better as the weeks went on. I also agree that you should get your thyroid checked because radiation can shut it down, and that willeasily cause fatigue. I'm glad I was given anti depressants I got pretty depressed for a while, then got off them when my recovery started to kick in. Celexa worked for me, but they also tried me on remeron because it could help sleep and appetite but it just wiped me out. You will probably know if the med is making you tired but just keep it in mind.

....and a big "duh" for me...

...did I ever mention how bad my memory is?  A month ago the rad doc had me get a blood workup for thyroid, I'm losing it progessively, month by month.....he set me up with my Primary Dr., who in turn did another blood test....JUST LAST WEEK!!...LOL.  My throid is even worse than it was a month earlier, so he put me on thyroid meds....hopefully, I'll start feeling even better.

p

most of us have felt this way.  Don't underestimate the  impact of deconditioning during these rather, ahem, rigorous treatments.  I dragged my saggy rear around almost a year with my first treatment back in the nineties.  Got better after getting back into a rigorous exercise program.  These last treatments, I've started back exercising the very moment treatments ended.  First walking and light  weights, then jogging and more weights.  I got myself whipped back into shape in a few months this last time, amazing how the tiredness passed.  Oh, and did someone mention thyroid

Skiffin16 said:

WOW...

You guys/gals jumped right on this one...

Can be any or all of what was mentioned....

Fatigue from a body that has been blasted, burned, poisoned and abused...

Depression can also play int that, and is easy to get into post Tx.

Thyroid, though a little early for you perhaps, but certainly a possibility.

Like Pat mentioned, exercise when you feel like it, don't over push it though, and let you body (not your mind) dictate your scedule.

When I was heavy into exercise (not just heavy like now)... I can count many times I just felt I couldn't do anymore running for example. As soon a I stopped within a minute or so, I was back to normal.... Psyched out my my brain telling me I was just tooo tired and hurting...

In racketball, I learned to always push myself a little harder and not to quit when attempting a shot. Soon it was amazing how much my wins and game picked up.

JG

 

I forget whether in other posts, you said whether you were male or female.  I think male but I wouldn't stake any money on it.  If you are male, another thing it could be is low testosterone.  I've been on thyroid meds for a couple years now and still feel dead tired all the time.  Saw the low T commercials and asked my primary to check the blood level.  Bingo.  It was definitely low.  The fatigue coupled with my mood swings (crying sometimes at the drop of a hat) hopefully, will be things of the past soon.  I started applying Androgel yesterday so it's too early to tell right now.  From what I've read, low T is fairly common as age builds up on you.  If you are female, I assume the same would be true of estrogen.  Might be something else for you to check.  Good luck.

peggylulu said:

Fatigue

Hobbsdoggy, I am 67 also and almost 4 months out from Radiation . I've lost 60 pounds and I know I'm not eating enough but I still get tired much quicker than I did before. Hope this helps. From everything I've read on this wonderful board it takes a long time to get past the effects of Radiation so hang in there and rest as much as you need to. They say rest helps you recover faster .

Peggy

At this stage of the game....and for many months after, what we're feeling can be attributed to SO many things....We've been thru the gamut emotionally, physically, mentally and spirtually.....Am I gaining weight because:  a) I'm supposed to; b) my throid; c) I'm eating more than a few can Ensure; d) my body isn't using the energy to try and keep up with the healing.  Am I tired because:  a) My body just went thru hell and it's trying to heal; b) my throid is screwed up; c) depressed.  Do things hurt because:  a) I'm still healing; b) because I have some side effects from the hell I just went thru;  c)  I'm getting old and I'd be hurting anyway.....

There are so many variables for everything we feel now....that the Dr.'s can only go by blood tests...."How are you feeling" with an answer that unless there's physical back up in some way....it's hard to know where it stems from.

p

boardwalkgirl said:

I am 6 months out of

I am 6 months out of treatment and still am very tired most of the time. I went back to work October 1st and that was difficult to get thru the day but it has gradually gotten better. I feel like I am suffering from some depression now, which I try to talk myself out of every day. I have already had the thyroid checked and it came back ok. I think I am just so ready for spring to get here and maybe that will help with the depression. I can't seem to stop worrying about everything, I know I just need to be thankful for having a clear scan last time and for what I have, but I worry every day that it is going to come back. The tiredness will gradually get better but some days are just worse than others.

I am 5 months out of treatment for tonsil cancer and I am surprised by the depression. I held up well during treatment and felt good enough to return to work several months ago but in the last month I have been hit by somewhat severe depression.  Like many here, my thyroid test was in the normal range.  I think my depression stems from the loss of joy in eating and the fear of a reoccurence which could mean death or disfugurement or loss of quality of life. I find myself resentful towards folks that can enjoy food and I am spending more time by myself.  The weather is beautiful here, (Houston), so I am going to get out and ride my bike and tomorrow I will  golf.  Being outside makes me feel better but I do get sad around the meal times.  I know that I am lucky that I can still eat by mouth by it is a chore and I no longer enjoy eating.   As time goes by this is really starting to drive me crazy.  I used to be a"foodie" and thought this would get better with time but it seems to get worse. Is anyone else experiencing this level of depression surrounding eating?

phrannie51 said:

BWG....you and I went

thru treatment pretty much at the same time....I don't worry all the time, but it does come in waves and lasts for a couple of weeks...it seems just when I'm about to post something about it, it starts to fade, and I get a two week repreive from fretting so much about reoccurance.  What I notice as "different" now is I have to push myself to do the things I used to do with pleasure....it's like cancer has taken the shiney off of the things I used to love to do.  I keep thinking if I keep doing them, telling myself that I still like doing it, that maybe I'll self-talk myself into being the old me.  The old "take your body, and your mind will follow" kind of thing.  The line between depression and tired is so thin during recovery.

I'm not going to hesitate in getting on anti-depressents if spring doesn't lighten me up....a person doesn't have to be on them forever, but they help in getting over a hump in the road.  Let's make a deal.....if the end of winter comes, and we're still anxiety ridden and slumped we'll check in with our Dr.'s and ask for anti-depressents to push us threw the maze.....Deal??

p

Depression can definitely cause some of the fatigue.   I caved pretty soon after my surgery, mainly due to the disfigurement that was involved.   I started out on a small dose of Effexor, and then after treatment ended and I was still complaining of fatigue, we upped the dosage on the Effexor and added the thyroid replacement meds.

I really didn't want to add the anti-depressant to my med list, but I figured after all the damage the radiation had done to my body, adding a little "upper" wasn't that big a deal.

I now have a bit of insomnia, but am not nearly as depressed or tired.

I recommend it to anyone who is on the fence.  Like Phrannie says, it helps to get over the hump and back to semi-normal.

Good luck !