My husband finished his last of 42 radiation treatment on May 8th and when I tell you he sleeps all day, I'm not exagerating. Is this normal? I make him get up to shower every other day and he gets up to use the suction machine or go to the bathroom...Thats it. He started an antidepreeant last week but I'm thinking it's more physical than mental now. Maybe something else is wrong? I knew things would get worse before we could see any improvements but is sleeping this much normal? (BTY, a physical therapist is coming Monday to start.)
Thanks, Kerry

Kerry, In our case the sleeping 24\7 was normal. John had 33 rad. txs and from the 3rd week on, he slept from the minute he got home-excepting bathroom breaks and my waking him up to do a tude fee- until he had to go to rad the next day. After treatment was over, he slept almost around the clock for a month or longer. I remember being afraid that I would come inato his room and find him dead during that time. It was a really scary time. I think it is a way for the body to recuperate. It's tough, but you gotta hang in there. Amy

Also check for Fibromyalgia.

Hi Kerry,

Let him rest, he needs it. I am 1.5 years out of treatment and consider myself to be about 90%. I thought a couple of months would do it, but recovery takes a long time.

Steve

Hi Kerry --

I assume that your husband has already been checked for obvious physical causes of fatigue such as anemia. He could be depressed, this is common, but he also could be suffering from what is termed "cancer fatigue", which often results from chemotherapy or radiation and is not well-understood.

One thing that has shown some promise, and is being studied in a number of NCI clinical trials, is supplementing with l-carnitine, a derivative of the amino acid lysine, which facilitates the movement of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochrondia, and thus boosts energy. Normally one synthesizes enough l-carnitine, but some chemotherapy drugs (notably cisplatin) cause the excretion of this material. Some initial studies have shown benefit to "cancer fatigue" patients by supplementation with 500 mg/day of l-carnitine. This is readily obtained in liquid form at health food stores as some sports enthusiasts feel it boosts energy for performance. (This is apparently not borne out in controlled studies, as most people have enough normally). However the story appears to be different for cancer patients.

In any case, with approval of his doctors, Barry took 500 mg l-carnitine (mixed with juice or water) all through treatment and maintained good energy levels, and was back to normal within a few months (he still takes it). We told another chemorad patient about it -- she had been complaining of wanting to sleep all the time after her treatment - and she recently emailed me saying that she had an almost immediate positive effect. OK, only two data points but worth considering...do a google for "l-carnitine for cancer fatigue" for some recent abstracts.

Of course, never take a supplement without clearing it with your doctors!

Gail

Besides the above good advice, consider that after treatments I too probably could have slept all day. Radiation fatigue is felt but sleep doesn't help you feel better. Instead of staying in bed I would resolve to get up and do something-anything to keep in motion. I also want to say don't worry if he still wants to sleep either.

I should add that there are some studies which showed that moderate exercise actually reduces cancer fatigue. And that total inactivity actually increases it. Your husband should try to do something, even if it is only walking down to get the newspaper or the mail, or to the corner and back.

Gail

How much pain med is he on, that's probably also effecting it. When my husband was in the hospital he slept alot(or was delirious) but when the pain meds were reduced he woke up.

Kerry,
I wouldn't worry about it too much at this point. Cancer fatigue is a well known side effect of the treatment and it's pretty normal while the body has been that beat up and add the healing process. Almost everyone has some degree of anemia early post Tx and coupled with malnutrition and other factors it's a long slow process. The narcotics might make a difference but he should be fairly adjusted to them by now.
Just make sure that you keep a log of his food and fluid intake - that's the most important thing right now.

Like Steve, it took over a 1 1/2 years for me to get back to 80-90%. After 3 years post Tx I am almost 100%. The Tx took it's toll however and I do have some relatively minor side effects but nothing I can't live with. Some mild neuropathy, neck muscle spasms, etc. but no trimus, salivary or swallowing problems.

Like Amy I think my wife feared that she would find me dead also but the human body is amazingly resilient.

It is amazing how tired on can get going thru this. I was absolutely wiped out the past couple days after final treatments...but coming back a bit now.

Kerry,

As everybody says, fatigue is normal. Mine got worse for four weeks after the radiation, when I thought I should have been getting better. I absolutely had no energy - the only times I went ouside was to go to the doctor, and then rested from that until the next visit.
I did not have a tube for food, so I had to spend most of my awake time drinking liquid yoghurt through a straw very slowly (it was the only thing that would go down and most of the time stay down).
Two years post-radiation, and I still have to pace myself - or maybe I am using it as an excuse? Might be I'm just getting old?
Give him time - and encouragement, but try not to push him. "moderate exercise" means very, very moderate. He probably needs a half-hour rest after a walk to the bathroom.
It'll get better
Leena

Spending 24/7 in the bed means you will major muscle tone. Not a good idea. I spent major amounts of time in bed because I was 'freezing to death'. If I had gotten out of bed and walked around the block, I might have solved that problem. If he is really that wiped out that he can't even take a walk, I'd talk to the dr. Minor exercise should help.

Take care,
Eileen