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Fatigue worse after radiation: And still have fatigue, what helps?

Posted by sue417 @sue417, Feb 23 5:17pm

Hi
In march I will be going into eleven months post radiation. I feel since winter hit my radiation Fatigue and fibro has gotten worse. I am struggling horribly with this fatigue and now i'm getting depressed. I live alone.It has been a very. Difficult. I did not think the fatigue would be this debiltating this far out. I am sure my fibromyalgia Is playing a big part also. My fibro has been very much under control with the odd flare but nothing like this. I will be starting counseling at the end of March and I will be starting grief counseling at the beginning of march which i've been waiting ten months for. I am hoping some of this makes a difference. I had four deaths during my treatment, Plus having to care for my mother when I was finished in April quite a few nights a week.Finally got her in a nursing home in August.She has alzheimer's , that also has been brutal. Wonder if others with fibro have had this much trouble recovering from radiation.

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Rubyslippers | @triciaot | Jul 8 1:35pm
In reply to @green1 "no one has mentioned anything about low RBC. But I am very very tired all the..." + (show)
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no one has mentioned anything about low RBC. But I am very very tired all the time . I do have regular blood test . I take Proila and anastrozole. since June 2024 My memory is bad and confusion also. I am so embarassed ( cant spell any more) I left my car running all night last week, didn't turn it off ( push button)

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@green1 My experience with age related memory problems, - from what my doctor says, and what I’ve researched, usually involves episodic memory - the what, where, when, of daily events. Where you parked your car, when is an appointment, what you needed at grocery.
Confusion isn’t really on that list, I don’t think. (I’m not qualified to give you medical advice! This is my experience, I’m 71!) I did have some confusion, and brain fog, on a higher dose of tamoxifen. I don’t have those on a lower dose.
I do now have to think twice to spell some words I’d normally just know. I think my memory is a little worse with the lack of estrogen due to the hormone therapy.

Leaving your car on? Can happen to anyone with the keyless systems. At 63 I left my car on in the parking lot at work when I arrived and a coworker noticed on her way in. Back then my brain was working quite well. Well enough 🥴 to be embarrassed in front of my work group!!!!

As others have mentioned here, a change in the type AI, dose adjustment, might help reduce confusion.

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aubreybill | @aubreybill | Jul 9 12:53pm
In reply to @sue417 "Hi So post surgery and treatment last year ended April 2024. Currently I am still having..." + (show)
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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.

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Soon to be 73 and have done surgery, 16 rounds of radiation for mop up - have been taking Antrolosa since last year when cancer was discovered in my lymph nodes - same estrogen positive breast cancer I had 30 years ago (had a mastectomy and tamoxifen). Yes noted the fatigue & had sleep issues - found the best way to deal with it was w/a short nap and kept walking even when I felt could not go on/very determined to not give up on the fresh air and sunshine. My oncologist prescribed a CDK4/6 - started on Verzenio 150MG twice a day to prevent reoccurrence, this is what knocked me physically down - ongoing digestion issues with diarrhea/horrible lower GI pain - these issues reoccurred often and often more intense. I know it sounds awful but worse issue surprised me/terrified me a little - the black mood the descended over me that I had never experienced in my life - friends said I was a changed person. I stopped Verzenio last week - one week off - 75% better but the side effects are still lurking so wondering if I can fully recover. Beware - the CDK 4/6 protelcal is very strong and may not be for all - I thought I was tough enough to tolerate - disappointed I could not tolerate.

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sue417 | @sue417 | Jul 9 3:32pm
In reply to @aubreybill "Soon to be 73 and have done surgery, 16 rounds of radiation for mop up -..." + (show)
Profile picture for aubreybill @aubreybill

Soon to be 73 and have done surgery, 16 rounds of radiation for mop up - have been taking Antrolosa since last year when cancer was discovered in my lymph nodes - same estrogen positive breast cancer I had 30 years ago (had a mastectomy and tamoxifen). Yes noted the fatigue & had sleep issues - found the best way to deal with it was w/a short nap and kept walking even when I felt could not go on/very determined to not give up on the fresh air and sunshine. My oncologist prescribed a CDK4/6 - started on Verzenio 150MG twice a day to prevent reoccurrence, this is what knocked me physically down - ongoing digestion issues with diarrhea/horrible lower GI pain - these issues reoccurred often and often more intense. I know it sounds awful but worse issue surprised me/terrified me a little - the black mood the descended over me that I had never experienced in my life - friends said I was a changed person. I stopped Verzenio last week - one week off - 75% better but the side effects are still lurking so wondering if I can fully recover. Beware - the CDK 4/6 protelcal is very strong and may not be for all - I thought I was tough enough to tolerate - disappointed I could not tolerate.

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Hi
Wow that sounds rough. I hope you get feeling like yourself again. ❤️

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sue417 | @sue417 | Jul 27 1:20pm
In reply to @sue417 "HiSo I am 11 months out from radiation and my fatigueis getting worse.I'm starting to get..." + (show)
Profile picture for sue417 @sue417

HiSo I am 11 months out from radiation and my fatigueis getting worse.I'm starting to get scared.I went to My naturopath ti get testing . My hormones. Nervous system and thyroid are very low. I have wicked depression which I have never had and anxiety. I am going back to my gp this week to see if he will put me on trazadone Which my pharmacist recommended because it will help with sleep , depression and anxiety. I have tried a couple supplements months ago for depression and I could not tolerate it. I just want to feel normal again and have some energy. I just did a deep clean in my bedroom and clean my window And I can't even function.😒 Has anyone struggled like this so far out. I did not take the AI meds

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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

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