Any tips for 3rd and 4th day fatigue?

abita
abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Yesterday was the 3rd day after chemo. Even though I slept 8 hours, I was like a zombie, and ended up taking a 3 hour nap after work. Getting up long enough to feed the cats and myself, watch a little TV, then slept another 8 hours. Got some things done, but ended up taking another 3 hour nap. 

I am used to always having fatigue, but my goodness, that fatigue on the 3rd and 4th day are downright debilitating. Any of y'all have any tips to make those two days easier?

Comments

  • SnapDragon2
    SnapDragon2 Member Posts: 720 Member
    edited December 2020 #2
    Maybe tart cherry smoothies

    Maybe tart cherry smoothies with protein powder, mct and coconut milk or almond milk would boost energy.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,428 Member
    #3
    I Wish I Did

    Other than trying to do things when I think I am tired to see if I can make it fly, and getting a bit done, I have not come up with anything.

     It is weird, for me (on Lonsuf) it is more random compared to FOLFOX and FOLFORI., which we a lot more predicatable.  But it did build up for me.  When I was on FOLFORI I was usually hooked up Monday, disconnected Weds. At the start of FOLFORI would be doing 2 hour walks on the treadmill (slow to keep HR down and not heat up the bottle) Teusday.  Then Weds I would run a 5K right after.  Sort of me giving the bird to cancer.  By Friday I would be okay.

    Then it reached the point that I would not treadmill on the Tuesday.

    Then running on the treadmill Weds, instead of outdoors, because I was not sure it was a great idea to run outdoors because I was tired.

    Then no running Weds.

    Then taking a bit longer to fully bounce back.  Eventually from bouncing back Friday became Sunday or Monday.  I would usually have the big crash Friday.  (My understanding is that the steroids still had a residual effect for a while after disconnect, so Friday was about that time for me.)   I have had times where I have slept 30-40 hours from a Friday through Sunday.  One time I went to bed around 11 PM Friday and got up around 11AM Sunday.  Other than getting water to make sure I did not dehydrate when I kind of woke up, it was lights out.  :)

    But overalll, still no complaints.  The fatigue is part of it.  With variations.  My mantra is still the same.  If I have a week of couch potato/binging/sleeping and then a good week to see friends, family, go to dinner (all pre Covid things), I am good.  On FOLFORI I was on 3 week cycles, which was even better.  

    I think the hardest part of the faitgue is thinking that I am not tired and just being a whiny baby.  I will try to do something, then think I need to rest for a moment.  "No, push through it" my mind yells.  It is only later that I realize how tired I was and was not making excuses :)  To me the hardest part is accepting it and taking it easy on the couch binging TV shows while napping.  I exercise when I can and try to eat well. But I have not found or tried anything that I can say made me less tired in all of this. (My blood counts could be part of why I am tired.  Is there anything in your bloodwork?  My counts would be considered anemic, though my oncologist is not concerned that I have anemia.)

     

     

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    edited December 2020 #4
    SnapDragon2 said:

    Maybe tart cherry smoothies

    Maybe tart cherry smoothies with protein powder, mct and coconut milk or almond milk would boost energy.

    that is so specific it made

    that is so specific it made me smile :) 

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    edited December 2020 #5
    All good points! I think my

    All good points! I think my biggest problem is that someone always has schedules a big meeting for that day where I am so fatigued focusing on work is all I can do, and interacting in a meeting is just too much. 

    I have had those weekend sleep binges a lot making up for what I can't sleep during the workweek,

  • Real Tar Heel
    Real Tar Heel Member Posts: 307 Member
    #6
    As I got deeper into my chemo

    As I got deeper into my chemo, I grew more fatigued each week of treatment. However, it seems the blood glucose levels were a culprit. The first few sessions I didn't have fatigue but I did feel terrible. New Here mentioned the roids, they can drive up blood glucose. Anemia was definitely an issue for me. I took folic acid and iron, which helped the counts on the blood work but I didn't feel any better.

    During the early weeks I was able to do my normal workout routine on the Friday after. In retrospect, I would have forced myself to do more. It would definitely have helped with the blood glucose.

  • abita
    abita Member Posts: 1,152 Member
    #7
    Real Tar Heel said:

    As I got deeper into my chemo

    As I got deeper into my chemo, I grew more fatigued each week of treatment. However, it seems the blood glucose levels were a culprit. The first few sessions I didn't have fatigue but I did feel terrible. New Here mentioned the roids, they can drive up blood glucose. Anemia was definitely an issue for me. I took folic acid and iron, which helped the counts on the blood work but I didn't feel any better.

    During the early weeks I was able to do my normal workout routine on the Friday after. In retrospect, I would have forced myself to do more. It would definitely have helped with the blood glucose.

    Interesting, so try to be

    Interesting, so try to be minimize sugar intake that first few days?

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #8
    Fatigue

    It's your body telling you to rest, but I'm glad to hear that you are getting up and doing some things in between just so you don't become a couch potato.  It's good to get up and move even when you are fatigued.  Treatment does do that to you, especially after injection.  If there is anywhere that you can take a brisk walk for about 15-20 mintues, that would help you so much.  Make sure you get a well balanced diet with lots of protein and liquids.  Hope you feel better soon.

    Kim

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