Fatigue

inthelocks
inthelocks Member Posts: 2
in Breast Cancer #1

My oncologist said fatigue will get progressively easier by the day but after 8 days still kind of wasted!   Tummy pains, metal mouth and queasy still I can deal with.    I am new to chemo (first infusion).  Don't want to sit around like a lump but really hard to get moving and disappointed in myself!     I really look forward to going to bed, taking a nap and just sitting.  My head still a bit foggy too 

 

thanks for any feedback,  karin

Comments

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #2
    Karen

    So sorry your having a rough time.  Sometimes it comes with the territory.  No one person reacts the same.  I had trouble with my chemo too.  If your onocologist did not give you some print outs on possible side effects and helpful hints please give them a call.  Your onc can give you meds for the nausua.  Using plastic utensils helped me with metal mouth.  Try a bland diet to assist you with tummy pains.  Small amounts more often.  I could handle boiled or baked potatoes with a small amount of butter on it.  Greenbeans, Cooked spinach, grapes, watermelon, melon, toast, scrambled eggs, boulion, rice, bread or rolls.  Nothing spicy or rich.  Try to at least stay up for 1/2 after you eat.  Miralax for constipation and immodium tablets for diarreha.  Water, water, water.  If you dont like plain water then put a tiny bit of lemon in it.  Stay away from sugars.  It is normal to be tired.  Rest and be good to yourself.  Try to walk a little but dont push it.  The fog you feel is "chemo brain"  it comes and it goes.  The closer you get to your next infusion, the better you feel and then you get to do it again.  In time, you learn to treat the symptoms.  Keep a journal, it will help you prepare and ready yourself next time.  There are many wonderful people on here.  There are many post.  Take the time to go through them as much as you can.  Even the ones that date back in time.  They are very infomative.  Keep fighting.  You are an individual and it is not a contest, it is a fight for your life.  Be good and do what is best for you. 

    Hugs,

    Annie

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #3
    Each is so unique!

    Different ones of us react differently to different chemos.  For me, the 4 DD A/C neoadjuvant did not slow me down at all.  I was utterly and completely EXHAUSTED on the 12 weekly Taxol adjuvant.  (For others, A/C is nastier than Taxol though.)    2 weeks after last A/C had UMX and 3 weeks later started Taxol.  A week after last Taxol, I started 25 Rads and felt better every day.

    Getting up and moving does help.   Pushing to get some exercise can take a bit to push to do but it's worth the effort in the long run.

    Lots of fluids.  I'm a 'waterholic', always having ice water within reach.  Getting enough fluid in does not mean that all has to be water.  Fruit juice, herbal teas count as fluid/water.

    Eating - again I can only speak from my experiences.  Never had any nausea.  I did lose all sense of taste - nothing tasted bad, it just had no taste at all.  Long story I've written about before and won't now other than at a resturant I was eating their very hot horseraddish and could not taste it at all.  The worst (for me) was losing all appetite - in other words, I never got hungry/never thought about eating.  Hubby had to call me during the day to remind me to eat 'something'.

    Didn't see your DX or TX plan.  Both vary a lot.  Some of us have been 'around' for years -Thankfully!!  That does not change what we experienced/have to pass along just because we are currently NED (No Evidence of Disease).

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Winyan - The Power Within

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