Does any one still stay tired like I do

Hi hounddog:

Sorry to hear that you're still so tired. What are your docs thoughts about it? Assuming that your counts are good, what else has he/she said/done to address it?

My personal opinion is that our bodies certainly need some help "rebuilding", after the rigors of chemo. Yet, interestingly, our docs don't typically mention this or discuss post treatment
nutrition, supplements, etc. with us at all. Just sort of like, well, you're done with treatment...see you in 3 months. I'd really like to see them acknowledge that our bodies are depleted of so many things following surgery, chemo and rads and make a legitimate effort to help educate us by making suggestions, offering advise and helping us in recovering our energy and health overall! I'm not holding my breath, however. LOL

My advice? First, eat well, as our bodies get more from real foods, than from supplements. Keep the food pyramid in mind and use that as a guide. A consult with a nutritionist is advisable.

Overall, eat well, drink lots of water, get daily exercise (very important!) and plenty of rest. Try to make time every single day for personal "down" time...that important time for thinking, reading, meditating, walking in a pleasant area, sitting on a hill, looking at the ocean or a lake, watching wildlife, or just under your favorite tree in your backyard or on a park bench. Important time for recharging your batteries or just soothing your soul for the day ahead and/or before bedtime. Relaxation is sooo important. Just 15 minutes here or there during the day can do wonders. We need all the stress busters we can get! Although stresses will always be a fact of living, we can choose to manage our stress, instead of allowing it to manage us. According to numerous studies, reducing our stress levels, reduces bp and boosts our immune systems, etc.. My experience is that it's just plain good for us! For me, each day begins with some Yoga and meditation. I can't imagine getting into my day without it.

Regarding supplements/vitamins: that's a matter of determining/understanding what your body needs, along with your personal preferences. A nutritionist can order blood work to determine your levels, as can a Naturopathic Doctor or your medical doctor. Beyond that fact- finding workup, there is typically no harm in taking a daily vitamin/mineral supplement because we don't always eat everything we need, every single day. Get the best quality you can afford and take it with food. (I take mine in the mornings because vitamins can cause some people not to sleep well, if taken very late in the day).

I also take CoQ10, and a calcium supplement. Calcium supplements should also be formulated with Vitamin D, as the Calcium isn't well utilized by the body without it.

I drink Green Tea daily. Usually several glasses each day, iced in summer and 3 or 4 cups, hot, in winter.

I take Glucosamine in a formulation with MSM daily. A good joint health booster.

Finally, I take Primadophilus (acidophilus) which is very helpful in keeping the gut balanced. It contains a gazillion live cultures and is far superior to eating yogurt for the same purpose and the bonus is no calories. Always a great bonus!

If your doc is knowledgable re supplements, then you should certainly ask him/her about whatever you choose to take before starting any new regimen because we're all different in what we may need/how much. Otherwise, a nutritionist consult would be invaluable. There's a lot of different forumlations on the market and you want to get the purest, best product for your money. Some contain almost as much "fillers" as they contain vitamins/minerals, such as fish, wheat and corn. Also, some people are allergic to such fillers not to mention that you're paying for "stuff" you don't want/need in your supplements. Example: Some Calcium supplements, typicaly the hard pill formulations, have been known to remain in someone's stomach for weeks and still not dissolve. Try this test: Place the pill into a glass container and cover it with plain vinegar, let it set, undisturbed, for 30 minutes and check to see if it has dissolved. If it hasn't, it won't dissolve in your tummy either, which means that your body will get no benefit from it. It can seem like a jungle, finding the best supplements but not very difficult once we do some careful study/research, check into some professional guidance and become educated.

Please let us know how it's going and best wishes for feeling better really soon.

Love, light and laughter,
Ink

Hi, Marilyn. Six months after the end of chemo and radiation I was still dragging a**, so took myself off to a nutritionish and a naturopath. I began eating better and started taking supplements specific for what I'd been through (CoQ10, glucosamine, acidophilus, selenium, Vitamin E, and B's, among a few others). All I know is that within a couple of months the awful fatigue was gone and I'm feeling much more like my old self (of course, I don't think we'll ever be "normal" the way we used to be). Good luck! Ellen