I'm on Afinitor, Letrozole & Xgeva. I'm doing really well on this combo, as far as getting rid of the cancer, but quality of life...none. I literally sleep about 20-22 hours a day. I get up, I'm up about an hour and then all I want is to go back to sleep. I'm usually up for about an hour or 2 in the late afternoon and I'm in bed no later than 6 or 7 pm. What is going on? Is there something I should be looking at in my lab work?
This has been going on for at least a month.
Melinda
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bankusboysmom
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Do talk to your oncologist about it. Fatigue is a very real side effect. How long have you been on these drugs? I was very tired in the beginning and still sleep about 12 hours a night. My daughter plans activities and I go along with some of them, but I spend much of the day just longing to go to bed. It’s all I really look forward to. Many people say exercise helps, but I’ve never worked up enough energy for that. Importantly, be easy on yourself! Get the rest you need, the situation may improve over time. Good luck 🍀
Talk to oncologist. Take a walk keep moving and possibly a psychologist. When one is depressed you tend to sleep but yours sounds more like side effect of drugs. Just suggestions that I found help
Yes,,definitely talk to your oncolgist. It may be the drug is to strong for you and needs to be lowered, It will still work or at least that is my understanding. Also if it continues get a second opinion.
I started taking Wellbutrin when I started on Ibrance/Fulvestrant and was just so tired sometimes. The psychopharmacologist np -- who was the only one looking at side effects and interactions, unfortunately retired this summer - said there was a study showing that it was helpful for breast cancer patients experiencing fatigue. It is an anti-depressant, anti-anxiety drug. I don't think it helps with those symptoms, but I might not notice. She put it down as treatment for that. I find it helps some, but I was never as sleepy as you.
Exercise really does -- but it is impossible to get going when the fatigue is so strong. It feels wrong at the time, but if you can get yourself to walk during you short awake times, it might help.
I have not been on that combo, but I wonder if you are getting a triple whammy from those three meds. We all react so differently. My oncologist -- not the most supportive -- said the fatigue could be from my cancer or the meds. I think I had fatigue when I was NED but on three meds, and didn't when I was on one experimental med. Maybe wishful thinking.
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