Help me out here. I am roughly 10-12 weeks post chemo/radiation and am still extremely tired and weak. I am been trying to wean myself from tube feedings and stay hungry most all the time. I am 120 lbs. and getting about 1600-1700 a day. What could be causing my weakness?

I also may have lung mets. I'll find out tomorrow for sure.

Lynn

Hi Lynn,

One question I would ask is, how much weight did you lose? I lost quite a bit for my size and later found that the body will preserve fat and eat muscle first in a quick weight loss. Besides just the fact of radiation/chemo can make you weak.

Another rule of thumb for things such as energy levels is "one month of recovery for every week of radiation"

I hope these are the things making you tired, I find that sometimes I personally have to force myself into doing some things, just to try and stay active and build up some energy.

Another thing that the doctors could check is your blood counts - low hemoglobin and red blood will both lead to tiredness. That is what Procrit and Arenesp are for.

Good luck and PLEASE keep us posted when you get your results. As I said in my private message, email if you need any information.

Dinah

Hi Lynn,

I lost about 70 lbs from Aug to Jan and even eatin garound 2000 calories per day didn't help. I later started eating high fat, high calorie everything including Boost Plus with extra fat and protein. I read that thrush can prevent the body from gaining weight so I have been attacking that. I started eating many meals a day but smaller amounts and I gained back about 18 lbs in a month. It is hovering around there but I feel so much energy compared to even a month ago. My hemoglobin has been low since October but they are not giving me anything for it. I started riding the bike and excercising and the energy is rebuilding rapidly.

Good luck tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you and praying for you and your family!

Ed

Ed,

You sound like the example Mark uses all the time. "A body in motion, stays in motion" Or something like that. (sorry if it's miss quote Mark)

Dinah

Lynn,

Don't for one minute think that the worry over the lung mets won't bring your energy level way down, you may be in a bit of a depression (what could we all have to be depressed about?). I am not at a point where I should be symptomatic but I sure as hell feel a lot more tired than I did a month ago, and I shouldn't! Also, a good point has been made about keeping active.

Glenn

Hi Lynn,

I am 5 months post radiation and I don't have my
precancer energy at all. I used to get up and hit the floor running at 6am.
I now find that I don't have that morning energy anymore. Part of it is depression and part is the treatment effects.
Are you able to take naps? I sure took my share three months out. I'm back to work but I have to remind myself to not over do it. I am much more in tune with my body. I try and go to bed early and get at least 8 hours of sleep. I deserve it!!!!
Remember to measure your progress in weeks not days. I hope your test comes back negative. I'll
be praying for you. Dan

Lynn,
I am praying for you everyday...I am praying especially hard for you tonite as you are waiting some possibly hard news. I pray that it is not lung mets, as you have been thru so much already. Dan has CT and MRI on April 14th and I am already a bit crazy trying to deal with what they may say.
Remember - "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me" Phil. 4:13 - my favorite verse and keep remembering it to get you thru.

Love,
Deb

Hi Lynn,
Remembering back to when I was 10-12 weeks post radiation/chemo, I was a trainwreck. I had lost 60 lbs. and had to sit down in the shower. Poor nutrition, anemia, muscle atrophy were among some of the reasons, the pain meds didn't help and I suffered severely with constipation. Radiation sickness and toxic side effects from the chemo didn't help either. It took a while but I am now almost back to normal. Easter was my turning point last year. But it took another month or so to feel any difference. Progress was very slow in the beginning. As soon as I was able to start taking in larger quantities and better quality food, things started to turn around. An exercise program helped too but I had to wait on that until I had enough calories to burn to sustain it.

You should be at the turning point.

Lynn, I was ready to celebrate when I finished rad/chemo, but ended up in isolation in the hospital with nearly zero white cells and very few red ones. I went downhill until I seriously needed help to get out of bed, and could not have walked across the room for a million dollars. This scared me more than the cancer ever did. So, have the doc check your blood levels. Being anemic can cause great weakness, and radiation can do that to you, although not usually to the extent it got me. Please note, however that I recovered and was running - not jogging - two months later. You will get your energy back!

Thanks everyone. I have lost about 18 lbs total from the beginning of diagnosis until now. That is from 138 to 120. I think stress may account for most of the lethargy. My counts are within normal ranges. I felt better Friday. I didn't get my results back. I guess I'll have to wait until Monday.