Hi Su417,
I am five years out from radiation and chemo and I firmly believe there is a white coat conspiracy of silence about long term symptoms after chemo and/or radiation. This year it was discovered that I have a genetic heart disease. I don't have high cholesterol, don't have high blood pressure, there is no blockage. As one doctor said, I did nothing to cause this problem. It was a-symptomatic all these years (I'm 69) yet five years after chemo and radiation, suddenly I am dealing with heart disease. Right after I got this diagnosis, I got pneumonia - in my left lung. If I had it in both lungs or in my right lung, I wouldn't be writing about this but I have never had pneumonia before and I was vaccinated against it yet I got pneumonia in the lung where I got the radiation.
If the radiation oncologist had told me radiation might have long term effects, I still wouldn't have opted against it to kill the cancer. I am five years NED (No evidence of disease.) However it would be nice if these folks (oncologists, radiation oncologists) would just validate our post treatment experiences.
I too have had trouble sleeping until recently. I have a new "normal" but it isn't the normal of my pre-cancer treatment. I am on Tamoxifen, so I have that to cope with too. I too found myself dealing with depression and anxiety. Some of this may just be "backlash" from all we've been through. When we're first diagnosed, there is a huge flurry of activity by both health care providers and people around us. Suddenly it all stops and we're stuck dealing with what happened to us.
Except to validate your experience this isn't very helpful. I take a T'ai Chi/Qi Gong class through AARP. It might be the reason I have started sleeping again. The T'ai Chi class is free and you don't have to be an AARP member, though they will encourage you to join. Another program you might want to try is Moving for Life. Movingforlife.org. Moving For Life "offers physician-supported dance exercise classes for older adults and people with chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and depression." If you live in NYC, you can go to in- person classes, otherwise classes are online. Again, it is free. You have nothing to lose! Another thing I'd suggest if you're not doing this already, is to get outside. A fifteen minute walk out and fifteen minute walk back can help your mood. You don't have to power walk. If you can go to a pretty place, even better, a place that is special to you, all the better.
You commented about low thyroid. Ask your GP about that. Treating low thyroid can make a difference.
You did a deep clean of your bedroom. I'm impressed. I have so many projects I'm just not getting to.
You're doing all the right things. You're seeing health care providers and you're consulting your pharmacist.
Eleven months out is not that long. You are adjusting to a new normal. Best wishes to you.

Thank you for this. I am about 15 months after finishing initial treatment - surgery, chemo and radiation. I have been tired since the chemo but lately it’s been worse, I can doze off in the middle of doing something and that is SO unlike me. I am HR+, Her2-, currently on exemestane (off Anastrazole after 6months due to side effects). Saw oncologist last week and he even mentioned I “looked tired” but no reason found. Suddenly I must be depressed. While he put note on record that he would start work up for extreme fatigue, nothing was done - I feel he’s probably leaving it up to PCP. I guess maybe there’s some depression thinking this will be my life for a long time but at least this is some validation.

It is never easy to say no. The older I get the easier it gets.

Hi
I am 15 months post-op from stopping radiation treatment for breast cancer. 3 months ago I felt like my fatigue was lifting since starting Zoloft 25 mg. Now I've got fatigue back and feeling like I am depressed again and having some anxiety. I am going to 50 mg of Zoloft which I really didn't want to but I'm going to try it and see if it helps. Has anyone else had this issue with the fatigue and the depression and anxiety I know that it's from being taken off my hormones which I loved being on but I guess this is the way it is now. Also wondering when all these doctor's appointments will ever end it gets very depressing when you spend nine days out of the month out appointments.

Hi
So post surgery and treatment last year ended April 2024. Currently I am still having brutal fatigue. I do have fibromyalgia so I don't know if it's because the trauma has really made the fibro bad or what I am so frustrated. I still have anemia from the radiation it has gotten a bit better. Do I just need to accept that this is the way it is now? My doctor put me on 25 mg of Zoloft which seemed to be working but been having issues tried to increase it to 50 I just can't tolerate it so I'm wondering if I need a different medication. I wish I could just go back on my HRT I felt so good on that.

Hi
I have put other posts on here about the fatigue. I just find I feel like I'm on a roller coaster I'm 15 months from completing radiation. I feel like things get better and then I will have a day where I can hardly get out of bed I cannot understand this. I'm starting to worry there's something else wrong. All my blood works normal except for the fact I have anemia now not sure if that's causing this roller coaster. I have days where I just have no hunger and stomach aches and then I will feel really hungry for a day and want to eat all day this never has been the way I have been it's only since radiation. I also have fibromyalgia but it was pretty tolerable prior to radiation