Recovered from cancer treatment but just never feel well

[BG2015]

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 aged 52. I had successful surgery, then chemo, radiotherapy, 18 Herceptin injections and now I'm on Anastrozole for the next 5-10 years.

I also have asthma and since my cancer treatment ended in March 2022 my asthma has developed into eosinophilic asthma, so regular inhalers etc aren't effective. I've been on a biologic injection which hasn't worked so I'm waiting to try another one.

They don't know why the severe asthma has flared up,could be covid, radiotherapy 🤷‍♀️ or it could've developed anyway.

But I feel constantly ill and under the weather. My cough is horrendous and never leaves. I can't walk up and downstairs, or any great distance without gasping.

I don't sleep well, I'm permanently tired. I can't exercise because of my breathing difficulties- something I find very frustrating.

I have continual flares up of piles. I also have developed plantar fasciitis in my right foot.

I'm a primary school teacher and still teach fulltime. My job is exhausting and I've had a great deal of time off.

I know I should probably go part time but I can't afford to yet as I still have a mortgage.

I'm 54 and feel like I'm 84! I then wonder whether other people in their fifties feel like this or whether it's because of the cancer treatment.

People who I've become friends with who've also had cancer, all seem to have some sort of other health niggle too.

Gosh you poor thing. Teaching is exhausting and with those health issues no wonder you’re shattered.

All I can suggest is to rest as much as possible at weekends and in the holidays. Is there any other parts of your life that can be simplified?

Could the piles be due to diet and because you’re not exercising? Maybe look into getting more fibre/drinking more water.

Hopefully someone else will come along with more technical advice. I hope you can get some answers.

Could you consider early retirement on ill-health grounds? It's not an easy path as occupational pension schemes have strict rules, but it may be possible. Speak to your union or read up on the scheme rules yourself.

Do you have a critical illness provision in your life insurance policy? (Assuming you have one for your mortgage). I don't know if anyone might have mentioned that possibility to you.

No critical illness cover unfortunately- that would have solved a LOT of problems but asa single parent it was just that it too expensive.

I'm seriously considering downsizing next year as that would make me mortgage free and I could then reduce my hours.

I'm also aware of the ill health retirement path. I have a teacher friend who also had breast cancer at the same time as me and she is attempting to get it. Her mental health is terrible and she also has loads of other health complications too. She is finding it very stressful gathering all of the information she needs though.

I need to do something though as I'm really struggling

Thank you

Have you considered a break from the Anastrazole to see if that's responsible for some of it? That class of medicines are well-known for a range of rubbish side-effects which leads to people giving up on them despite the possible benefits. There are others or Tamoxifem, which I'm on as it's not as bad as the Anastrazole or Exemestane I tried but potentially not as beneficial either. It's like being between a rock and a hard place!

Crikey you have been through it, and working as a full time teacher even in good health is very hard work. How are you sleeping? If you always feel tired it could be that it Is making everything else worse, lack of sleep or having too much on i think has an effect on general health anyway.

Getting into a place where you are mortgage free sounds like it could really help.
Do you manage to have proper weekends off?

I'm terrified of stopping the Anastrozole. My breast cancer was very hormone respondent. I agree that it's causing me a lot of issues. But worry about not taking it.

I was previously on HRT for 4 years pre-cancer and it was a miracle drug for me. Good sleep. Happy. Life was good,

But now, I'm like a shell of my former self.

I hate my job. I just don't want to be in the classroom anymore. I struggle with my voice as my asthma causes me sore throats, hoarseness and constant coughing. I have no patience with the children and have just lost total love of the job. I'm probably depressed too.

I know I'm probably going to have to go down the ill health route, but even that worries me. I've been teaching for 28 years but I'm exhausted.

Is it a complete no to go back on some sort of hrt?

are you taking all the vits? D etc can help with bugs.

It might be that you’ve been bombarded with bugs that have made you feel depleted and maybe by spring you will feel so much better - I hope so x

I’m sorry to hear what you are going through . I had to give up my profession after breast cancer (I was a nurse), I no longer had the physical or mental stamina. I was on Tamoxifen at first then Anastrazole, both drugs have had hard to cope with side affects. I do work now though - as a supply teaching assistant. The most I can manage is 3 half days, any more than that and I get completely exhausted.

In your shoes I would go for early retirement on ill health, or downsize and go part time. I know you will feel sad about it but your body will thank you for it.

@BG2015

are you taking all the vits? D etc can help with bugs

I’m sorry things are so hard for you and I hope you find a way through the situation sooner rather than later.

just to pick up on what a previous poster said. My friend suddenly developed very bad asthma when she was in her late 40’s and nothing helped until a dr decided to check her vitamin D and Kp and behold it was very low. She was immediately put on supplements and 5 months later she was very much better.

That should be lo and behold. Not Kp

OP %@BG2015 when was your last scan/when did you last see your oncologist?

I saw my surgeon/consultant last month. Mammogram in September showed nothing severe (that we know of).

My asthma is called eosinophilic asthma. They know what it is because I've had blood tests, X-rays and CT scans. It's where your white blood cells over produce cells which then effect my asthma,the biologic injections I have, reduce the eosinophils in your blood. Sadly the first one hasn't worked.

My diet is good, lots of fruit, veg etc. and I take some supplements.

I think I'm going to have to go for ill health but don't know how long that will take and it will mean going off sick, effectively ending my career.

I know my headteacher wouldn't be surprised if I decide to go down this route as we have talked about it.

Lots to think about

Maybe more of a pause in your career. I am sure you’d be snapped up if you apply for new jobs in six months or so

No, I'm done with education. I've been at my current school since 2001. It's a lovely little rural school. Very few people leave.

Asthma can get worse at the menopause which might partly explain why yours has got worse. Sounds like you’ve got a lot to cope with.

Does teaching bring you into contact with lots of germs? Would private tutoring be easier if you’re in an area with demand? My MIL found tutoring easier as she got older.

Are you able to increase your fitness at all? Even exercise to strengthen your muscles can help as they will use oxygen more efficiently (not sure I’ve explained that well!).

I work in an HR dept of a school and we have retired people due to illness (one lady had had breast cancer, she was in remission, but other health conditions had become apparent due to the cancer)
it is a fairly long process, a few hoops to jump through, but definitely worth it in the end. It was fully supported by SLT.
She felt better knowing there was light at the end of the tunnel x

@BG2015 have they excluded aspergillosis or any link to mould-related allergies? I'm interested in whether that might have become an issue/trigger when you were immune-compromised during your chemo. I also agree with the previous poster who has mentioned the impact of menopause/change in hormones on lung function as women with chronic asthma etc sometimes notice increased problems at this life stage. The last thing I would also highlight , if you had a mastectomy rather than lumpectomy, that there can be postural /muscular/connective changes around your shoulder girdle/chest wall that can impact on your breathing pattern. Given your symptoms i would look into the mould related problems first if your consultant hasn't already.

I had a lumpectomy.
I've been tested for all allergies and they all came back clear. It's specifically eosinophilic asthma.

I have ER+ breast cancer (currently having chemo, with radiotherapy to follow), but have already decided to give ET a swerve full stop as I had a terrible time during a premature menopause (quite a few years before I had bc), and chemo has already bought back so many of the issues HRT saved me from. For me, it's about weighing up my quality of life vs. the impact of shutting down the remaining oestrogen receptors I have. Have decided doing so just isn't worth it. And believe me, this is in the full knowledge that I have a hormone-fed cancer and v. rare double BRCA mutation which puts me more at a risk of not just breast cancer, but cancer full stop.

Probably not what you want to hear, but many with hormone receptive cancer stop ET well before the recommended 5 or 10 years are up due to the detrimental impact on their health. Heck, many don't even last a year. Most are fine.

Cancer and its treatment, particularly chemo can really cause havoc with the way your body works. It can take a lot of time for things to return to how they used to be, and for many, their bodies have been impacted in ways that can't be fixed. I sincerely hope this isn't the case for you. I wish you well ❤️

I hope your treatment is going as well as it can.

I've been so tempted in the past to stop the Anastrozole but I'm terrified.

I've been on it for 20 months now. I'm so tired.

You really need to talk to your oncologist. What’s the point of recovery if you’re feeling this bad? Just how beneficial is the anastrozole in the grand scheme of things if this is the impact? Go back and talk to your doctor. This is no way to live. Best wishes x

Sorry you feel so ill. I have breast cancer x 2 a similar time (Nov 21 to Aug 22 treatment, surgeryx2, chemo, radio) now on Tamoxifen for 10 years and awaiting reconstruction (about 4 year wait).

I am 50 and I actually feel very well physically apart from a few chemo lasting effects like some neuropathy, constant sinusitis.

Advice - give up work if you can, you may qualify for PIP and ESA, medical retirement, Macmillan may be able to help but clearly its too much for you. Reduce it if not feasible to give up.

Vitamins - maybe get tested. I take Wellwoman 50 at least once a week and they help, more if I feel weak.

Definite no to HRT. Hormone tablets speak with an oncologist and see what options are. Tamoxifen for me I get water retention and insomnia but otherwise fine, rubbish for teeth so get yourself a good dentist who can prescribe high fluoride toothpaste and see them regularly. Mine are fine but many people have issues. I would consider paying privately if you can't get NHS oncologist which is rubbish but should be one meeting only.

Exercise - this really helps me and I swim 3 times a week around a mile each time. Swimming is much easier for me than walking and you can build up and relax in sauna, steam room, jacuzzi. And now my walking is improving and can do 5 miles or so. There are exercise at home videos but anything at all can help. Even housework or gardening.

Get tested for the breathlessness - maybe heart and lungs to see if an issue. Maybe try an anti-histamine to see if allergy related. I take an anti-histamine.

I also had ER+ BC. I couldn’t cope with Anastrozole and stopped taking it (oncologist agreed). Am currently on letrozole (low dose) and feel much better on this one. I’m a bit older than you (62) and have retired - it’s been over 2 years now - and highly recommend if at all possible 💐

@BG2015 Aspergillus infections can be linked to eosinophilic lung conditions hence why I was asking if they’d specifically tested for it. However eosinophilic lung conditions that are drug induced/treatment induced have also been reported in people who have received cancer treatment .You are sitting between 2 specialities as it were and sometimes it can be a combination of things that are causing problems and hence why it can take a good bit of digging into.