When did your fatigue subside?

Hey there, Like everything
Hey there, Like everything else, it varies greatly between people. My experience is that fatigue you are feeling came and went for the first few months. I am 5 months out back working full time and I still get bouts where I am really tired. Its important to remember that you are healing when you are sleeping so embrace it. I slept a lot. You are healing from a brutal treatment. You will get better. I work 8-10 hours a day again and still have energy to play with the kids when I get home. I go to bed early now, but feel I'm about 80 percent. Good luck and keep up the fight.

Roller Coaster Ride

Steve, 

You are still in the "Cooking" Stage which can last anywhere between 4-8 weeks after the last treatment. Radiation can play havoc on our energy levels for up to one year according to my RO. Hydration, nutrition, and rest will help you get over this feeling. Try to do some sort of chore(s) during the day to accomplish something, but also listen to your body. If you are tired, then rest, as mentioned, your body is fighting to get back to normal.

Also, Matt mentioned something we all have to be aware of, our Thyroid levels. Each blood work should include having our TSH levels checked. My RO stated that it wasn't a matter of IF my thyroid would fail, but a matter of WHEN it would fail. My thyroid stopped working about the 5 year mark and I am on med's for it now.

Thank you for your weekly reports, it helps everyone.

My Best to You and Everyone Here

FATIGUE WILL BE OVER WHEN IT'S OVER

Everybody is different, so it’s hard to guess. I was disappointed with the pace of my recovery. Except for my taste buds returning within the first few weeks after finishing radiation, everything else went slower than I had bargained for. My fatigue lasted about 6 or 7 weeks after I finished. That was also about the same time I stopped the narcotic pain meds, so some of it may have been related to the meds.

 Somewhere in the big scheme of things, fatigue may just be your body’s way of telling you to plant your **** on the sofa and take it easy for a while. I felt I had something to prove to myself by making a speedy recovery and getting back to my regular routine. Looking in the rear view mirror I realized my body will do what it wants to do when it wants to do it. You’ve been through a really tough fight, a bit beat up but not defeated. Give your body the rest it needs and don’t beat yourself up if things take longer than you figured they would. Keep telling yourself everything will get better, and it will, just not necessarily on your schedule. 

Like every other part of this

disease....things improve by degrees...in other words S-L-O-W .  I went back to work 6 weeks after my last chemo (I had an extra 9 weeks of chemo after rads/chemo was over).  I went back Oct. 15th, and started noticing that I was better in the SO tired department, by February.  I didn't come all the way tho, till June or so...where I could say I was back to normal. 

p

Bart T said:

FATIGUE WILL BE OVER WHEN IT'S OVER

Everybody is different, so it’s hard to guess. I was disappointed with the pace of my recovery. Except for my taste buds returning within the first few weeks after finishing radiation, everything else went slower than I had bargained for. My fatigue lasted about 6 or 7 weeks after I finished. That was also about the same time I stopped the narcotic pain meds, so some of it may have been related to the meds.

 Somewhere in the big scheme of things, fatigue may just be your body’s way of telling you to plant your **** on the sofa and take it easy for a while. I felt I had something to prove to myself by making a speedy recovery and getting back to my regular routine. Looking in the rear view mirror I realized my body will do what it wants to do when it wants to do it. You’ve been through a really tough fight, a bit beat up but not defeated. Give your body the rest it needs and don’t beat yourself up if things take longer than you figured they would. Keep telling yourself everything will get better, and it will, just not necessarily on your schedule. 

Over when it's over

My cancer doctor said the same thing--it's over when it's over.  Sometimes it takes a very long time.  He said he couldn't give me an estimate because everyone is different.  While it's frustrating to not have any idea how long it will take, it does keep you from thinking you're somehow failing if you don't get better as fast as the estimate you were given.  Helps prevent unrealistic expectations.  

It will pass and it may return later on.  I have multiple chronic illnesses.  One of the hardest things to learn was I have limitations.  The one thing I try to avoid is thinking if something cannot be completed all at once, there's no point in doing it.  Sometimes it takes 4 or 5 tries with a rest between them.  Never give up, even if the task takes much longer, if it needs to be done.  It's okay to rest and return later.

Patience is a virtue

Steve, you're just a babe ! It's still very early in the game for you - less than a week! Oh my goodness, yes - park yourself on the couch and rest as much as you can. This early on, you really need to give yourself a huge break and be kind to your poor body.

There is no easy answer as you can see by the variety of them here. My hubby is still feeling the effects at 10 months out, He got better very very s-l-o-w-l-y. it's a very individual thing and so as we've all learned here - share, but don't compare. My hubby didn't go back to work for several months after treatment and then started back just part time. He still is not back to work full time. It was really really rough on him. Some people are able to recover more quickly than others, but as survivors, we are always tired!  

During his recovery, I was always logging on to ask "When does ___ start getting better"? I was sooooo anxious for that magic timeline that never seemed to happen for us. Ever hear of the expression "a watched pot never boils"? It's so true!

Happy Healing!

Good Luck

For me the fatigue is mine to keep. 4+ years post treatment.

At some point your not quite satisfied just being alive. A little better quality of life couldn't hurt.

Two weeks out, and it depends

Two weeks out, and it depends on how much sleep I get the night before, but I've been able to exercise moderately and my fatigue isn't as suffocating.  I read a lot about fatigue and exercise, so this is the route I'm going.  Plant to hit the gym in two weeks time. Meanwhile, I'm making over 10K just walking in my house, up and down the stairs at intervals during the day, and I have exercise bands and a ball I'm using for other light stuff.  I feel the difference already.