I’m wondering how many of you work with MBC? I’m only six months out from my diagnosis, mets in bones and two in liver but stable on Ibrance. My position I was laid off of last March is posting for a Fall start (school position, 24 hours/wk). I feel great right now, I just get fatigued more than I used to. I’m really enjoying being home and don’t need the income/insurance, I would work because I love the kids and it would keep me busy. But is it too much while still getting used to this diagnosis?
Thank you for any advice.
Allison
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atoth17
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Hi Allison, I continued working throughout treatment for early breast cancer in 2006, and retired seven years later at age 68. I'd been retired for six years when diagnosed with metastatic BC (MBC) in 2019. At my age, I can't imagine going back to work since MBC sapped my usual energy level. However, assuming that you are much younger than I am, and enjoy children as much as I do, I think working half-time with them would be a terrific distraction from obsessing about cancer treatments. Working, in my experience with early BC, completely overshadowed cancer thoughts, and that was a good thing, since there is so little we can do about it!
Another Allison! I still work I am 56. Back I. The office every day for the last couple weeks since vaccine. I am tired but I try to get I. Early while I have energy so I can leave at 3 when I crash. I am on Xeloda 4th round 🙏🤞
I am 58, I work as a beekeeper, I teach and keep bees for companies. I am pretty much in charge of my own hours, so that helps. I have the same mets as you, I keep fit every day so that I can continue to lift heavy boxes. In the early months of new treatments I have needed to rest more and less as I got used to them.
Hi AllisonI am 57 and work 30 hours with Mets to Bones, Nodes and Pleural. I work from home 2 days which helps a lot and 2 days in work. I have my grandson age 1 for the day I am off. All the way through breast cancer x 3 over 10 years I have worked with sick leave total of 2 weeks over the last 10 years. I think it really depends what you do and how much you like your job and how much you need the income obviously might comes into it too.I am a professional fundraiser in the Charity Sector and was working with various organisations one of which when I was first diagnosed which supported Women through Cancer with therapy such as seated Yoga so I wanted to go to work and help raise funds and I ended up taking part which was not the plan but there you go, life is so unpredictable. I now fund for Women’s Drop Ins, mental health and other issue based work and I love my job. It is not physical and does not feel like work more therapy at times.
I will reduce hours though if it gets too much in the future at any point, I would not hesitate to do this.My husband works alongside me full time in the same building so we spend lots of time together too which is nice .
I think if I wasn’t in control of my working hours, have a break when I feel like it,home working etc it might be a very different story.
I work 36 hours a week as a surgical nurse. I was diagnosed MBC in Feb of 2020. I find that I have more energy and structure in my life when I work. I plan to work until it becomes too difficult to manage. Hoping it's many years from now!!!
Hi Allison, I’m 58 and was diagnosed with de novo MBC about 10 months ago. I live in US and have to work for the income, but mostly to get a health insurance. I was working from home since last March which made things a bit easier, but still created some challenges. I’m grateful to have the job not only for the above reasons, but to get a structure, keep my mind occupied with something other than my health. sometimes it’s difficult to focus due to fatigue and occasional brain fog. I was downsized last fall from my job, but was fortunate to find a new one quickly (zoom interviews were a blessing as I don’t think I’d have an energy to go through the regular grueling in person process).
Except my old friend, nobody at my job knows about my health, and I pray to be able to work as long as I can.
I fully work for myself now so I have to say it really helps to have some control over your hours because I do have less energy than before the MBC and basically work only part time, even though I need the money. Loving your work is the key! If you love it, do it!
I was diagnosed with de novo stage 4 mbc in Feb 2021. I have my own business so I was able to adjust my hours and now work part time, about 15 hours a week. Like other ladies her, I find that it helps provide some distraction in my “new normal.” I hope to be able to continue for as kind as possible.
I work from home our office is closed on Mondays we are still reopening slowly due to Covid to recover both economically and to keep up with regulations. I make my own schedule and have been trying to go in 1 to 2 days. I now may even do some travel totally vaccinated. It keeps me normal and I need the insurance and like the work.
Hi. I’m a high school principal. I’m currently working from home because of the pandemic, but I be going back full time next time and I was full time before the pandemic
I am a head teacher - lovely to hear someone else doing a similar job!I have reduced my hours and have a wonderful job sharer - my energy wasn’t it once was and I have two children of my own i need to keep
Up with!
Hi atoth17!
I admire all of you who continue to work!
I stopped working just after metastatic dx and find that my current modest pursuits keep me busy and active...If I were working, it would be too much.
Let me just mention that one thing you might want to consider in your decision is how disability income might be affected.
As you may know, with MBC dx, we are pretty much automatically eligible for fast-tracked SSDI. Eligibility requires something like having worked 20 of the past 40 quarters, but I think that for younger people it might be different. The amount is calculated based on...I think...your highest earning years during that time. So if folks move to part time, this might not reduce benefits? At least not for 10 years? (this is not gospel...). But might be something to double check...
From what I understand, you can collect SSDI *and* work, if your income is below a certain amount. So another possibly good scenario is to reduce work to fall just under that ceiling...my sis did this. **I know that some people object to what might be viewed as gaming the system...I object to that objection!! We or our families/communities pay into this social safety net throughout our working lives...And it behooves us to optimally manage our financial and personal lives!
But the bigger question is re: any private/employer provided disability insurance you might have. Do you have to increase hours to become eligible? That might be worth doing...Or is your job at risk of future, perhaps more permanent layoffs? Then you might consider going out on disability sooner rather than later in order to ensure what will likely be a remainder of life financial benefit...Again, this benefit is provided for a good reason and there's no shame in using it.
I love this but since I am a small biz owner with a LLC partnership I don’t pay myself a “salary” and am therefore not eligible - I need to sell my biz and get a “real” paycheck for a year in order to get disability etc SUCKS! So here I am at my desk looking at my salad again and trying to convince myself not to search BBC for articles about the royals 😎
See if you can work part time. Then you can have the best of both worlds. The biggest thing now is try your best to do what you want to and what makes you happy. Also, remember to love those around you every chance you get.
Hi thereI think you are in a great position to be able to choose if you want to work or not. If you know that you are going to feel well enough that makes the decision easier. When first diagnosed I was in pain and was short of breath, but I carried on working my 24 hour week. Now, 2 years on I am feeling much better and continue working, although shielding has meant I have had to work from home for most of the last year. I do go to the office one day a week. Although I love going into work and seeing my colleagues, I have found I am less tired when working from home.
I hope you are able to make the right decision for you.
You don’t mention how old you are. I was diagnosed at the age of 68 with mets to my spine and iliac.
I couldn’t imagine how I’d have coped with working while being treated with Ibrance. My white cells were depleted; and I was always napping. I was on the Ibrance/Letrozole protocol for 34 months before a switch to Faslodex eight months ago. The fatigue has lessened dramatically.
If you’re feeling well and not too tired, it might be great therapy to be working at something you enjoy. More power to you!!
Hi. I am custodian at elementary school. I work 8-10 hr for day It is very hard But I need work for my income and my insurance. My husband lost his job last November and I don’t have other option at this time. Some days are good some days are hard. The good thing is all time I am active. But is true. We need stop some time.
Hi Allison! I'm 60 with METS to pelvis, hip socket, and groin & abdominal lymphs. I'm on my 4th treatment plan - now on Piqray and Fulvestrant. My energy levels are definitely not what they used to be, but after 3 years of this I've learned that it's MY normal (not what someone else is doing.) Still have had the same questions of what everyone else does as far as working. I am in Real Estate part time and mostly just work by referral and past clients. It keeps the load manageable and it feels good to be able to interact with clients and do something that's fun and helpful to others! I sometimes feel I'm being a "baby" by not hitting it hard and working more. I think we all have to work through what is best for us - our age, our financial situation, our family dynamics and all of that. I have two grand babies turning 1 on April 29th and May 21st. They have brought so much joy to my life (my firsts) and focusing on them has made all of the difference in this journey!! I'm glad to read everyone's story as it helps me know I'm not the only one who has "adjusted" and I can relax a little bit about how I'm dealing with this - haha! I applaud us all because I think that whatever level of work we are doing, we are still up and at it and fighting!!
Hi atoth17 -I was diagnosed sep of 2018 and a retired nurse. I miss it sometimes but not enough to go back. My cancer has spread to bones with spinal involvement but mainly left femur lightening up now and lesion they are watching. SUV has increased from 5 to 11. If you feel like you want to work it’s great and will keep you busy with your mind off of things. Why not start light? I am fatigued a lot and nursing is stressful so I haven’t been back and retired in 2016. Take care and be strong as Ibrance is great in pushing the cancer away. I am not the way I was and there are side effects such as hot/cold flashes and rashes -respiratory too. I opted out for chemo or radiation. I put it in the hands of god. Good luck and god bless you..❤️🙏
It truly inspires me more reading posts that lift up the name of God and ladies putting their trust in Him more than any med or Dr. Dont get me wrong I know that God works through Drs and medicines however in the scheme of this ugly disease He is who we can rely on because He is all knowing and forever faithful!! Blessings to you on your journey. He has given us the opportunity to glorify Him through it all and that alone is amazing! He is a loving Father and the ultimate healer! ❤
I am not a cancer nurse -psychiatric for many years . I guess you could say I think off the grid but my faith is strong and I believe. I know my time will come and I lived a good life just not wanting to suffer . I put myself in Gods hands. I wish the best for everyone as we are in this thing together. God bless you and keep you. ❤️🙏✝️
Hi Allison, I live in the US and with MBC you can get on social security disability and they pay you as if you're retired at age 67. I'm 57 so chose to go on disability. Nice not to have to work in between all the treatments.
I stopped working after my diagnosis, but I really hated my job and didn’t feel fulfilled by it. If I’d really loved my job, I might’ve stayed with it, as a way to keep my mind off cancer and my mortality. At 38 years old, I felt (and continue to feel at 40) very lonely being “retired.” My husband is a mariner and is gone for months at a time, and we have no kids, so I’m alone all the time. My friends all work.
I understand your desire to go back, and I also understand your concerns about it being too much. I’m on Ibrance too, and it makes me really tired sometimes. I also never used to get sick, but since being on Ibrance, I’ve had the flu, a sinus infection, a stomach bug, bronchitis, shingles, and a small cut that turned into a terrible infection. Our immune systems are very compromised, so be sure to get vaccinated and take lots of extra precautions if you’re going to be around young people (vaccinations aren’t as effective for immunocompromised people because they rely on a strong immune system—still better than nothing).
If money/insurance isn’t a factor, what about volunteering first? That way you can see if your body is up to the task, and if it proves to be too taxing on your health, you won’t feel guilty leaving.
Thank you so much for all of the WONDERFUL stories and advice. The biggest "bummer" about my position is that they were hiring for it the last two weeks but it won't start until September. I decided that I would not apply and just focus on getting "settled" in with my diagnosis and medicine. I am going to volunteer as much as I can and I can sub at the school as I really love and miss the kids. I feel really good with my decision, it gave me a sense of control and I will be able to do things on MY timeline.
I am 47, walking each day, have almost zero pain so I am going to enjoy this time. I am so blessed to have this community.
I was diagnosed with MBC October 2022 I am 63 years old I still work I’m a self employed hairdresser I love my job! I get a little extra fatigued so I work 4 days instead of 5. Well working on cutting back anyway . I worry too much when I have free time. I’m going to work on getting my fitness level back up. I take Verzenio and arimidex and an antidepressant I going to keep it up till I can’t
I have found that continuing to do the things I love and enjoy, has helped both mentally and physically. I had taken some time off, and found myself feeling sorry for myself and dwelling on everything that could go wrong. Now, I am busier than ever, but rest when I really need it.
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