Extreme fatigue after stopping HRT and lumpectomy

This sound serious, and could be related to radiation. Do ask your radiation oncologist. I had bad fatigue with radiation which I assumed was emotional until blood work showed my white count was down. Also this might be thyroid, which can be affected by hormonal change. I think this is beyond supplements or self-help. I'd check with MD promptly--and wish you all the best.

Thank you, I did email the nurse navigator and if I don't hear back I will call her. But I also can ask the radiologist oncologist too.

After my diagnosis and bilateral mastectomy which was March 2023 I had a lot of fatigue every single afternoon. Just like you I had to do everything before 12:30 that I wanted to accomplish. Besides making dinner and doing some laundry that was about it for the day. I never did any driving in the afternoon or after because I was so tired I didn't trust driving. Lucky I am 70 and retired is what I kept saying to myself. I feel so bad for women who are still working and have to deal with this. I was put on Tamoxifen a month after the mastectomy and I wondered if the fatigue could be from that. Well thankfully about 6 and 1/2 months after the surgery the fatigue started to lift. It's now 7 and 1/2 months after the surgery and I no longer need to take an afternoon nap. So I don't think it was the Tamoxifen. I can't stay up at night very late, 10 pm is about it, but maybe that's due also to my age? The nurse in the Survivorship area at Mayo told me that fatigue is a complaint they hear over and over again. Sending love, healing and wellness wishes to you❤️

This is so helpful to me! I am exactly as you described - I have to do everything by 12:30. After that I'm no good. I am close to your age at 68 and have a few other medical issues. But this pm exhaustion is debilitating.
Glad to know yours has lifted, I hope mine goes away too so I can go back to babysitting my grandson.
I do appreciate your reply.

🙂

I was diagnosed at 68 in 2022. I had fatigue from radiation but not tamoxifen. I was also at osteoporosis level so I opted for tamoxifen- the medical oncologist was OK with either that or an AI. I had already planned on doing Reclast infusion before the diagnosis, I had stomach issues with oral biphosphates and was going to schedule the Reclast when the mammogram came back with issues.
This year my bone density has risen so I am at osteopenia. The rheumatologist at the cancer center said the Reclast was the cause for the higher density. I travel 3.5 hours to the cancer center, so I have a local endocrinologist that handles the Reclast.
Because I had ER+ and PR + cancer I cannot, nor ever could, take HRT. My sister had BC so when my bones started to lose density in my 50s they would not prescribe HRT for me.
At my age, 18 years post menopause, I have not had any problems with hot flashes or vaginal dryness while taking Tamoxifen. In fact, it has acted as an agonist in providing estrogen like behavior in my body parts, other than breasts. I am not a high risk for thrombosis or uterine cancer, so I was willing to take my chances.
Funny not funny that I thought this was going to be a one and done last year. But it seems to be a journey.