My wife and I took my son to the airport today around 1pm. Back to NC in the marines. Stopped at Sams club and stopped at woodmans to pickup some groceries, While at the store I could hardly walk
a straight line and on the way home was very tired. Got home and took some roxecit and adaivan and napped for three hours. I was up at 5:30am, just wake up and seem ready to go, Still can't get used to being so tired during the day. any suggestions would be helpful, Dan

Hi Dan,
Roll with it. This is your bodies way of telling you "slow down - I need time to heal".

Wait'll you start radiation, you think you're tired now? I would spend the whole morning getting ready to go to the hospital. I had radiation in the late morning, would come home and drink my lunch then nap all afternoon until dinner then drift in and out the rest of the night. There were several months that I only left the bed to go to the bathroom, shower (sitting at times I might add) and go to treatment and that was it. I spent more time puking during treatment than my entire life combined and that took it's toll.

I felt like the bubble boy. For months I couldn't go out in public because of my compromised system -it was too great of a risk. I had to get clearance from the doctor first.

Low white cells, low red cells, antibiotics causing a near fatal candidiasis bloom.

Some don't react this way, some actually continue to work through all of this. I don't know how they do it but all the more power to them.

I am glad that I didn't try to over rule what my body was telling me it needed. I managed to avoid all but the most minor infections - no pneumonia, not even a head cold, etc.

At day 155, post Tx, I went to the grocery store by myself and shopped for the first time since December (and no I didn't accept their offer of help out to the car)-now THAT'S progress.

One other thing, my wife and I secretly delight in going to the ice cream store and having people stare at our 100 lb. + bodies and wonder how we DO this with a double scoop of ice cream. have fun with it.

Hi Dan,

You probably know that my experience has not been near what many on this board have faced, yourself included. However, even with my relatively "easy" time of it, I still get tired or run down at times.

Most recent example was last Sunday. We moved my daughter off to her college dorm. I didn't do any heavy lifting, carrying or anything. All I did was make her bed up with her new sheets, pillows, comforter. Granted, the bed is a loft, and I had to climb on the desk chair to the windowsill to reach it. What did me in? Trying to reach the far right corner of the bunk to tuck in a sheet. I thought nothing of it until I woke up Monday morning unable to move my right shoulder and neck. I stretched something weird evidently, took a lortab, called work and went back to bed.

Be good to yourself!

Sincerely,
Lisa

Dan,

Not strange to be tired at all...and when you get into radiation it will probably get worse. But, as Gary said, it's your body telling you what it needs right now.
My husband is always telling me not to overdo things, and especially during radiation my body really wouldn't let me, I liken it to running into a brick wall. Listen to your body for now. When your treatment is through you can start pushing a bit harder to regain strength.
I feel your body will do the best for you it can if you give it the nutritional tools it needs to help you fight.
Take care.
Dinah

You are definately having a normal after effect. I noticed that I felt noticibly better the day or two after I did "too much". So while you should expect to have to take it easy, I will suggest you not lay too low. It is not the cancer that is making you feel this way, it is the surgery and the after effects of the knock out drugs.