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How long will fatigue last after treatment?

Page last modified on: October 16, 2008

Question from Tina: Should a breast cancer patient treated with only a bilateral mastectomy feel tired 2 years after her surgeries, and if so, how long will this continue?: Answer —Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: Fatigue is a very common side effect of any form of breast cancer treatment. The duration and the severity of the fatigue depends a lot on the various treatments you've received as well as your general medical condition, your emotional state, and plenty of other factors which we've touched on this evening. As we grow older, we tend to exercise less and gradually gain weight, and eat comfort food, all of which can drain some of our energy away. Alcohol may have a greater effect on you than it did before, as well as other chemicals and medicines. It may be time to pull into the "shop" and get checked out by your doctor and tune up a bunch of things that may lead to higher energy and greater strength of well-being. We have a whole section at Breastcancer.org on managing fatigue.

On Wednesday, January 17, 2007, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Sleep Well: Healthy Habits for Good Rest. Helena Schotland, M.D. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about ways to improve your sleep.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Helena Schotland, M.D. specializes in sleep medicine and is the director of the Pulmonary Diagnostic and Wellness Center and the co-director of the Sleep Laboratory at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.