Cycle 12 Chemotherpy Completed

Well done, Darla, for making it through. Any level of side effects can get you down after a while. I, too, am doing weekly chemo (Taxol) and have just completed week 9 - 3 to go!! I'm so looking forward to being where you are now. It may take some time, but I'm sure you'll notice a gradual improvement in how you feel. And you'll know that you were tough enough to get there.

Like you, too, I've had a dose reduction, in my case due to some mild peripheral neuropathy. I'm quite happy for it not to get any worse! I also did some reading and found out that they start by giving you the maximum dose that is generally tolerated. Then they can adjust it down to the dose that you as an individual can tolerate. So really, you have still hit the cancer as hard as you could. Sometimes it all seems a bit hit-and-miss.

Anyway, enjoy your new chemo-free life.

Very best wishes

Sue

Congratulations on finishing treatment!  It's perfectly normal to be tired.  I heard two different estimates about how long it would take to get back to "normal."  My oncologist said at least a year.  Another source said for every month in treatment, it will take a month after treatment.  Since I was in treatment 8 months, that sounded better than a year.

The truth is that my recovery was more like a stock market chart (before our recent financial woes) with drastic fluctuations but with a gradually upward trend.  Every time I'd feel better, I'd do more and set myself back a little.  Then I'd rest and bounce back again.

The trick on the exercise is to build very gradually.  If you are too tired to walk a block, walk half a block.  When I was recovered from abdominal surgery once, my goal was to walk to the mail box.  The next day I walked to our next door neighbor's mail box.  I added a house a day.

So expect it to take a while, but push yourself just a little to get back to your usual routines.  Good luck as you recover.