Fatigue

[agatha56]

Hi everyone,
Friday night and soon time for my 4th shot. I am so damn tired all the time. I am o.k. in the AM but by noon I am ready to lay down on my desk and take a nap. I am an MDS nurse and work Mon-Fri  but last weekend I was on call and had to work Sat and Sun too. Talk about exhausted. I even tried telling my supervisor about the Hep C hoping she would relieve me of the on-call duty but no such luck. They don't give a damn about your situation. Only want the job done. Got my lab results the other day. WBCs down to 3.4 with neutrophils at 1.3. Hope I don't get exposed to anything at work. All in all the SE haven't been too bad they come and go. Just tired. Can't wait to go to bed at night. Also some shortness of breath on exertion. No treadmill lately. So I am praying for us all.  I think that is probably the best thing we can all do for ourselves. That and drink lots of water. HA! HA! Have a great weekend.

[annieCinMD]

I'm at the same place you are- #4 tomorrow.  I am extremely fatigued, too. Work and school are about all I can do.  I used to work out pretty regularly.  I had to force a walk a couple weekends ago when we had some unseasonably warm weather. I would normally want to do about a 6 mile walk on a day like that.  I have given up my mid-week gym trip. It was usually only 1 while school is in session. I am so glad I don't need to carry a 9 credit load anymore! Only 6 and only one class at night. I told my daughter not to ask me to cook dinner.  Sorry, but that's what sandwiches, soup and microwaves are for.  I really don't want to eat that much and I sure don't want to clean the kitchen!

[rita863]

The fatigue was one of biggest sides effects.  I eventually ended up on FMLA, and had to cut my hours (along with my pay), but for me, it was the only way I could have contiued treating.  I like NyGirl made my weekends sleep time, I slept most of the 48 weekends away.

Hang in there, it will be worth it in the end!!

[agatha56]

My MD says most people lose the sx. about 3 months into this. Most people so I hope I am one of them. Gues I shouldn't ***** too much it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would. good luck and by the way, that is an interesting name you have there.

[granitekonig]

The fatigue really started going away around week six for me.

[Kathy73]

Be very gentle with yourself. I take my shot on Thursday because I get the symptoms 2 days later and that puts me into the weekend where I try to do as little as possible. I work a 10+ hour day including a commute and haven't missed any days yet (15/48). Of course I get up in the morning, take a shower, put on lotion, lay down, get dressed, lay down, get organized, sit down. Go to work, want to be home, go home, lay down and very little else. If you can, hire a cleaning person, fix-it person, whoever you need so you don't feel like you have to do those things. Simplify and minimize.

[NYgirl]

PS NO employers really don't care at all when you get sick I found out. The boss I had wanted to fire me from the minute I told him I had hepc onwards. He made up fake paper trails blaming me for things I didn't even do he was such a PIG you have no idea at the things he'd say to me. Finally HIS boss (the owners son) took me to work upstairs for him in the executive offices...he saved my life literally (if I had lost the insurance I wouldn't have been able to complete treatment) and I've been up there with him for 3 1/2 years now.

AT the time I never would have thought any good could have come out of that horrid situation (the oldies might remember he was SO bad) but it did. Now...he has to come up and go past me to get in to the big boss.  I likie very much that it always must burn his ***!

Hang on. I just wanted to let you know as dark as it can look if you hang in there you will come out much stronger and better off in the end. Even if you can't see it now.

[NYgirl]

As said before keep an eye on the hemo and the TSH.  The anemia and hypothyroid can really drag you down big time.

Unfortunately this fatigue is common - and as far as I ever found nobody has been able to do anything measurable about it.

I made the weekends my "day of rest" on Saturday I would make myself spend all day in bed with the remote and some tea and cookies...and I'd nap in and out as much as possible. I'm not sure how much it worked but I had drastic anemia and managed to work all 72 weeks with just 3 days off so I have to believe it did help.  It seems wrong to rest like that though - to most of us (especially live up here in NY area) are on hyperdrive 24/7.  But you have to remember you are doing chemo and it is going to take a lot out of you. But it's so that eventually you are WELL.  That is the goal. Do what you have to do to survive and get through the days. Heck there were a few times when my hemo was at 9 that i even fell asleep at my desk at lunch time. My boss didn't like it much but I did make it through the days (even if it took a half an hour to walk the 25 yards into the building in the morning).......you just have to do what you have to do and remember why.

Good luck.

[simbar24]

I am in the same situation - 4th week - always tired - after lunch at work during the week I am so exhausted I can barely stay awake or move.  And when i do, my heart starts pounding, I feel winded doing the slightest thing, etc etc.  But i try taking a few deep, slow breaths when I get that feeling and it does slow things down.   I can't wait to go to sleep at night.  If this is the worst part of it, I am lucky.  I try to sleep whenever I can, drink lots of water and try to just stay home and rest when I can.  Have you lost weight?  I definitely have.   I'm hoping I can continue my fulltime job, but I'll see.  Baby yourself.  That sounds like an easy, nice thing to do, doesn't it?

[CMcH]

I am a health care worker in a hospital with constant pt. contact and I was concerned about having a compromised immune system. I am 40/48 in TX I believe and I have actually done better than most of my co-workers and family. So I think the meds actually boost up your immune system. I have heard that the first month off is the worst for getting sick. I have been able to work but have reduced my hours a little and have had to miss some days when anemic. I used to run marathons but now I am winded on a flight of stairs. It's a roller coaster but it is doable and time does go quickly.
Take good care of yourself, get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids.

[orleans]

The way I discribed it was "chronic DEBILITATING fatigue". NO WAY I could function at any where near 100%. 20% on a good day. Hang in there. jerry

[Xenigma]

What a nice response tea58.
Keep an eye on your HGB.  When it starts falling from pre-tx # you feel it.
Especially when it tanks fast - dizzy, cold sweats, heart pounds, can't breath, etc. it's no fun not to mention scary.  Just rest when you can, make sure you are drinking water and keep an eye on your HGB and THYROID.
Feel better...
enigma

[jankar]

I am in Week 20 now and don't know how people manage to work full time.  I have reduced to two days a week, mostly cannot manage because of the fatigue.  My sistersaid to day - how are you? I replied - I am ok - not great.   She said "I guess you get used to feeling like ****.  Week 20 is way easier than the first few weeks - hang in there, be strong and brave and gets lost of rest and sleep.

[aliasseven]

Hang in there and Pray Pray and Pray!!!!!! I just attained Svr yesterday and the lord answered my prayers.

God Bless

[tea58]

Hi, I just recently have been browsing around on this site....What a wonderful support.  I too am a health care professional and completed 52 weeks of tx in 2004 with only missing a couple days of work.  The first three months were really tough, but then it got much easier.  I was on Neupogen and Procrit shortly after I started and had the bone pain r/t Neupogen in addition to the s/e of the tx.  I would be so short of breath that I would stop 3 times to go up one flight of stairs at work, but refused to take the elevator.  The fatigue was always there, but I suppose you just get accustomed to it.   I am a Director of Nursing and appreciate the hard work you do as a MDS nurse.  It is very different being the patient and you know that we nurses are stubborn!!    Hang in there....it will get easier.  :)