blood cell count low

Hi Folks, I am 7 weeks post treatment. Doing OK, not ready to wressle a bear yet though.

I do have low RBC and experience lots of fatiegue. Have any of you experienced the same? did you take EPO

Thanks

Steve

My husband is also 7 weeks post treatment. His blood counts were fine the last time they checked but like you he is very tired all the time. He gets in a 40-45 minute walk daily, then sleeps for a half hour or so. Lots of cat naps during the day. He washed the car this afternoon but needed to take a break and rest before he could finish. He is trying so hard to make it through the day without a nap but he's just not ready for that yet. Sounds like you are doing well.

Steve and Tootsie,

          My family Doctor who had radiation at one time told me that the one side effect was fatigue and it could last up to one year. I then asked my Radiation Oncologist about it and he said the same thing.

           He did add that it may not be like that for everyone, some people take less time to get over the fatigue effects. The radiation makes us a bit anemic and we may need to take in alittle extra Iron. You may want to check with you Doctor about this first. You may need to get some blood work done to find out for sure. That is what I did and my Doctor suggested different things to eat and a one-a-day vitamin.

            My Best to You Both and Everyone Here

Well, he sounds like me! I can walk a couple of miles but get quite tired, same thing cut the lawn take a very needed nap.

I am trying to tsy out of bed during the day, maybe nap on the couch

I am also getting off pain meds , morphine, that does complicate things a bit.

God luck to your hubby

Steve

Hi Steve:

You didn't say what treatment you had - I went thru 6 weeks of radiation and 2 rounds of chemo. The radiation really knocked the bejeezus out of me. It was about 6 months before I started to feel "normal" again. Needed naps during the day and generally slept long hours at night.

A year is not unusual and a PA said to me that it took some patients as long as 2. Not to say that the fatigue doesn't start reversing - just that the energy level comes back slowly.

Keep an eye on your blood levels. At every followup with my oncologist, they took blood samples. Anemia is a risk with treatment.

Work on nutrition and especially hydration. Take it easy on exercise and give yourself time to make a comeback. You'll get better and your energy level will return. And remember that everyone is different - some get better in 4 months, some in 6, some longer.  Some shorter.

As is sometimes said, your mileage may vary!

Best of health to you and wishing you a quick recovery!

- Jeff

PS - And no bear wrestling! They're just too darn big...

Hi Jeff, I had 40 daays rad and 8 chelos, cisplatin and eubitex. The ENT is a friend of mine and hedid say it tales a year. I am learning the new word ...... patience. It is tough.

There was a great quote in here a couple of weeks ago. It sais see how far you have come in the last two weeks and thing how much better you will be doing in 2 weeks. I take it to heart. I know I will do better and I do get a bit better every daY

Thanks to all

Hey Steve!

During my 7 weeks of treatment, twice my RBC was 1-2 points below and they gave me the EPO shot.  It was expensive I recall, but it sure helped me 110% on that fatigue issue! Seemed too like the shakes with protein, ice cream, egg and some other stuff hubby use to make me gave me a little energy, but didn't like eating all that sugar, again, the EPO was a big differance!

God Bless and Good Luck to you!

Patricia