Does fatigue after breast cancer ever go away? Many women (and men) who have been confronted with the disease and especially the treatments will wonder about this. Because chemo, in particular, often has a huge impact. But radiation and hormone therapy can also leave their mark. When does fatigue after breast cancer decrease and disappear completely? And what causes that fatigue after breast cancer?
Chronic fatigue after breast cancer
Chronic fatigue is something that is common in women who have had breast cancer (also with other types of cancer). This often has to do with a combination of things, but chemotherapy in particular has a major impact on most patients. During the chemo period, the body has stopped so much that this can still be felt years later. Because not only the wrong cells were slowed down and stopped, also the good cells. The body has had a huge blow. Many people already feel this during the treatments themselves, sometimes only being able to walk a few meters. But patients often do not realize that the long-term consequences are also permanent. In addition, the mental consequences are often permanent. Most cancer patients will continue to wonder if the disease will come back.
Radiation causes fatigue
Yet that fatigue is not just from the chemo. It also has to do with the other treatments. People often also experience fatigue complaints from radiation treatments. An operation is also not exactly beneficial for the body and hormone therapy (not everyone needs it) pushes people into menopause. This also often causes someone to be even more tired than before. Because this accelerated transition is accompanied by intense hot flashes, mood swings and often poor sleep. Anyone who does not get enough rest at night will be even more tired than just from the treatments.
Chronic nerve pain and edema
In addition, some women also suffer from additional issues such as chronic nerve pain from the operation and lymphedema because their lymph nodes have been removed. Someone who is always in pain will feel more tired anyway. Lymphedema also causes a heavy and painful feeling and sometimes even a very swollen arm. An operated breast can also cause pain and edema can also develop there. All in all, quite a few causes that can cause fatigue.
Forgetfulness
Many patients also suffer from memory loss due to chemo. That is an unpleasant side effect, because it makes everyday matters suddenly very difficult. It can help to write everything down, but forgetting names, times, events and things that need to be done consume energy.
Back to work after cancer
Anyone who is sent back to work after all the treatments may find that a day is actually far too long. The fatigue after cancer is one that can also arise suddenly: one moment you are still working fresh and fruity, the next moment you can no longer do anything. As if all the oxygen has been blown out of you. Often it only helps to get some rest. However, this is difficult in a work situation. Specialized coaches can help find a good balance and look at which things give a cancer patient energy and which things drain energy. Because one thing is clear and that is that breast cancer patients will certainly have to be careful with their energy. It must be divided. Especially in the beginning, there will be a constant need to consider what can be done that day. If someone wants to do something fun in the evening, it is smart to get enough rest during the day.
Does the fatigue after cancer disappear completely?
Because every person is different, it is impossible to say how fatigue completely disappears after cancer. Even after years, most people still have moments when they feel completely tired again. Most people also need more sleep than someone who has not undergone the disease and the treatments. So it seems that the fatigue never completely disappears. But the good news is that he does get much better over the years.
To play sports
In that whole story, one thing is of the utmost importance and that is exercise. Building up fitness after the treatments is often slow, but is crucial for regaining a healthy body and combating fatigue. People often only ride the bike for a few minutes the first few times when they are already exhausted. But that’s allowed. Building up your fitness and exercising at least 3 times a week really reduces fatigue. Make sure you get enough rest in between. That is always important, but especially after cancer treatments.
Do things that give you energy
Furthermore, it is important for cancer patients to do things that give them energy. Whether that means exercising, going to the movies, chatting with someone or reading a good book. Doing things you enjoy gives you energy. For many people, the period after the treatments is therefore a time in which they decide that they no longer do things that they actually do not want to do. That just takes too much energy. They tell their boss that they can and only want to work a limited number of hours, they tell people who only cause problems that they no longer feel like it and they try to live more in the present.
Good nutrition
It goes without saying that good nutrition is also of utmost importance after breast cancer. The right fuels in the body also give an ex-cancer patient energy again. Together with sufficient exercise, fun things and trying to live day by day, you can achieve the most energy.
Own experience: fatigue and cancer
From my own experience I can say that more than 2 years after the treatment with chemo before the operation, the operation and the radiation, I feel that I have more energy again. It’s not like before, I still have to plan my activities and there are days when I still feel like a truck has run over me. But things are getting better. During chemo I couldn’t even walk 10 meters, I had so little energy. This was followed by surgery and radiation. I started exercising during the radiation treatment. In the beginning I could barely cycle for 2 minutes, now I cycle for 20 minutes, add 15 minutes on the treadmill and do weight exercises. I have to spare my arm because my lymph nodes have been removed. My chest and arm are always painful and I should not overexert myself. I also swim at least once a week. I know my limitations and don’t work much anymore. I rest a lot more, sleep more and make sure I have enough fun things to do. I only drink alcohol sporadically. Because I understand that this can cause breast cancer to return and because I don’t think it’s worth further torturing my already ravaged body. Sometimes I have a glass of wine when it’s really nice and I want to share in the joy. But then I also enjoy it tenfold. Just as I probably enjoy everything in life tenfold while I’m still alive.
