It has been 85 days since my last radiation treatment. I have gotten to where I can eat alot of different foods mostly veggies. I drink my boost and ensure regular. Yet I go to work every day at 8:30 and around four in the afternoon I can hardly put one foot in front of the other. I came home today and was running a fever. This has been going on everyday since I finished treatments. why am I still drained. I read other peoples post where they are running miles and miles and excersizing like crazy but I don't have the energy. What am I doing wrong? I just want to sleep. My mom says it depression I don't know what it is. Any ideas how I can boost my energy level? Brenda

My experience was similar-- no energy for at least 3 months. I had tongue cancer- surgery, reconstruction, then radiation - 32 treatments I think it was. That was almost 10 years ago. I had a recurrence last spring, with more surgery. Got my energy back a little sooner, with no radiation this time!
Even after 4 or 5 months, you can expect good days and bad days- no rhyme nor reason to the bad days. I'm just happy I'm still here, on this side of the grass! You're not doing anything wrong--just keep eating as healthy as you can, exercise (maybe walking ) a little every day if you can, and sleep when you need to! You'll need lots of sleep to help get rid of the after-effects of all that radiation!

Laprackaun, At three months out, If I had been trying to work full time, I would have been fading well before 4 pm. We all react to this stuff differently. The radiation hits some of us much harder than others. So some of this may just be a matter of time.

However, those symptoms are also what you have when your thyroid quits working, which happened to me when I was about a year out from radiation. It is something that happens to many of us who had our necks radiated. So if you haven't had a thyroid test recently, you should ask your doctor if you can get one soon. Thyroid problems are solved by taking a small pill daily and if your exhaustion is due to a fried thyroid, you will notice a big improvemtn when you start taking the medicine.

Other symptoms that go along with a thyroid that doesn't work (hypothyroidism) are getting cold very easily and having a hard time getting warm again, mental fogginess, hair thinning/hair loss, and there are some others as well--all of which you may or may not have (so even if you don't have them, get a thyroid test).

But mainly go easy on yourself. You still have lots of recovery still to go here.

Nelie

I will ask my Dr about that test on Monday. I don't have a GP anylonger can my Ent Do it? And thanks for your answers so quick. Brenda

I wonder what that lil jumpin guy would do if he had suction cups put on his feet ? LOL He's cute

Lep,

I was also weak as a kitten for a few months post Tx and I would start to fade in the early pm. I also had thyroid problems but they weren't discovered until around my 5th month post. I didn't start riding with any conviction until my 8th month post Tx and even then it was tough getting back up to speed so to speak.

Give your body the time it needs to recover from this horrific experience. It will get better but it does typically take many many months so don't get down on yourself...you're totally normal.

Thryoid test is simply a blood test. Make certain they do a full thyroid panel with TSH. Hopefully they did one BEFORE you started radiation so you have something to compare your current TSH level to. Do NOT accept the fact that it is in-range. Range is from .5 to 5.5 which is a wide range. You want to get as close to your former TSH level as possible. I find if I am more than 1 point off, I start having problems.

You might also consider taking Zinc and a multivitamin to boost your energy level. Check with your doctor first. I was put on those plus Vit C after rads by the dietician. Zinc is supposed to help healing and improve taste. As in everyone is different I was back to work at my desk job three weeks after rads and had no faftigue problems after the first couple weeks.

Take care,
Eileen

Brenda, I don't think you are doing anything wrong!! I am one of those 'people' who are running and exercising, but believe me, the energy waxes and wanes. I haven't run at all this week. I am too tired. I am feeling far from normal and energetic. Many days I am just going through the motions. Sometimes I think I felt better last summer than I do now. Radiation is such a HUGE trauma to the body and we all react differently. Make sure you are keeping up on your fluids, because I find that I become dehydrated alot easier now that I have had radiation. Also make sure you are not anemic I am still anemic from the chemo despite taking an iron supplement each day. I have also had a bout of depression recently, which makes me completely unmotivated. Take it easy on yourself! Teresa

I wouldn't want to take his bounce away because that is how I want to feel. I see him and smile. I have been feeling like crap lately. And As hard as I have been fighting it I feel depression ramming on my door. I am scared. So lets not put the stoppers on his adorable feet. YET. LOL. Brenda

I am finding that my depression is getting worse every day. I also think that I am going to have to quit my job that I have had for 9 years because I work out side and it just drains me so bad that I don't even work a whole day. I work in a garden center and I love it. My coustomers are so great and my boss is cool but I can't give him my all. Anymore I want to sit around and cry. i start thinking about every little thing that is hurting or how stressed I am then I get sick and on and on. I have insominia again, I have taken up to 5 vicodine at night to try to sleep. The ringing in my ear is driving me insane and I could go on. I can't wait until Monday so I can blow my Drs ear away because I think I need some help in theses ares more then what he is giving me. I don't mean to come on here and moan and groan I just get started and ther I go. Shucks my avatar is happier then I am!! LOL. Heres hoping that our tommorrow is better then today. Brenda