Skip to content

Expectations of recovery too much?

Page last modified on: October 7, 2008
Question from Bartlett: I'm 9 months out from my last radiation treatment, and 15 months out from my last chemo. I'm still having trouble with fatigue, concentration, anger, and mood, among other things. Exercise helps a lot, but it's tough to motivate. Am I rushing things, in expecting myself to be able to use self control, getting along in relationships which were once blissful, by now?
Answer —Lidia Schapira, M.D.: Women recover at different speeds, but if it's been 9 months from your last radiation, and 15 months since your last chemo, I'd expect you might be feeling better than you describe. Some women do experience trouble with concentration and mood swings for over a year, but again I think it's important to check in with your medical team, and make sure there are no physical reasons for these problems that you describe.

I also want to comment on the fact that you say you're angry, and that I worry about too. Dealing with the physical symptoms, as well as the emotion that result from the diagnosis and treatment of cancer is equally important to having a good and speedy recovery. You mention exercise helps, so perhaps go ahead and use exercise and other things in your life that make you feel good, to help you along and find joy in the relationships that you describe as having been blissful. There is help, in the form of support groups and individual counseling, and other ways. Remember, you don't need to do this alone.

On Wednesday, March 15, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Coping with Your Changing Feelings and Relationships. Lidia Schapira, M.D. and moderator Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. answered your questions about facing your fears head-on, handling moodiness and depression, diffusing tension with your partner and feeling close without sexual activity, as well as issues of self-image and femininity.

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.

A production of LiveWorld, Inc.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

wellness_dvd_promo

Email Updates

Stay informed about current research, online events, and more.

Please leave this field empty

Meet the Experts

Lidia Schapira, M.DLidia Schapira, M.D. is a medical oncologist at the Gillette Center for Breast Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Jennifer Armstrong, M.D.Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. is a breast cancer oncologist at Paoli Hematology-Oncology Associates in Paoli, Pa., with a special interest in physicians' communication skills.

Back to top

Breastcancer.org 7 East Lancaster Avenue, 3rd Floor Ardmore, PA 19003

Learn more about our commitment to your privacy

© 2009 Breastcancer.org - All rights reserved.

Breastcancer.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing information and community to those touched by this disease. Learn more about our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information.