Hi.
I'm a "cancer survivor."
I still can't get used to saying/typing it.
But, I'm extremely thankful.

As of Nov. '07, I finished treatment & my iron levels were at 30.
Even though I've been taking an iron supplement (ferrous fumurate, I think)
I still feel drained.
I was doing good in late Dec, early Jan., and then I got the flu.
It's really taken it's toll on me. As of this coming Wed., it will be 4 weeks that I got it.

My oncologist sent me to a GI Specialist, and a week from Monday, I'll be getting a colonoscopy, followed by Tues, an upper GI.

I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts.
I can't quite tell if it's the flu making me ultra-tired, or low iron, or being post-treatment. Maybe it's the "whole ball of wax."

I thought I was done with tests for awhile, but I suppose these tests are necessary. I think they have to rule out "internal bleeding"...polyps, ulcers, etc. By all rights, I should've had a colonoscopy when I hit 50.

Thanks for any thoughts.

First of all congratulations on your success in beating cancer :) Secondly, i believe you hit the nail on the head when you said that your tiredness could be a combo of cancer treatment, low iron and having had the flu.

Low iron does lower your immune system so that would make it easier for you to catch flu/cold. There can be some really tough strains of the flu out there which can take a while to recover from, even for someone who is normally considered "healthy", but if your body has been through cancer treatment and you have low iron then it can take much longer for you to recover. I had a basic case of the flu last year, or so i thought, and had to take 3 whole weeks off work. I can't recall being that sick in over 10yrs and i wouldn't have wished it on my worst enemy!!

While they are running further tests, has any doctor tested to see whether you are lacking in any of the required vitamins? I ask this b/c when i went to do the relevant blood test to check my iron etc, my new treating doctor added vitamin D and iodine to the list of things he wanted tested. I couldn't understand the significance of this and thought it a waste of time. When we got the test results i was found to be extremly low in these and below the lowest acceptable range.

I'm aware that while doing chemo you can't go taking vitamins etc and now that you are in the all clear you might still want to run by your doctor to see what you can or can't take. Maybe your body is low in the things which give you energy and immune assistance.

An old fashion remedy is one my mother swears by when recovering from the flu and that is mixing a raw egg yolk (not the white) with some milk, a banana, maybe some protein powder if you like (eg: sustagen), blending this and drinking it daily, but not icy cold. Whenever she is feeling weak or lacking in energy she does this. They do say that eggs are like one big vitamin tablet so maybe there is something in this theory of my mums. I make smoothies in the summer time and add a raw egg yolk and then use the white to make an omlet. I also have a juicer and make fresh juice. With the low iron situation i have been making lots of beetroot, apple, carrot, orange and ginger juice. Stuff like this is natural and would likely give you a boost. It wouldn't hurt to try while they are eliminating and other reasons for your low iron.

All the best and hope to hear you are well again soon :)

Thank you so much for your informative reply.

I called my chemo nurse & my GI nurse with some questions, and am waiting for an answer right now.

Yes, I'm definitely under the weather with this flu.
My chemo nurse just told me that the flu shot they were giving (which I got) did NOT cover this particular strain. Great. Wouldn't you just know it? They say it's hanging on for weeks,...like you said, even in "healthy" people.

I'll try your remedies. I know I should probably eat foods that contain iron. I was big into "smoothies" with protein powder for awhile. I should incorporate them in my regimen again.

Thanks so much.
S.

I hate to say it but...if you eat red meat, do so 3X weekly and it will give you faster iron absorption. FLFLOWERGIRL:)

Thanks.
I've actually been trying to eat more meat.
Prior to chemo, I was almost a vegetarian...just ate fish & chicken occasionally.
These days---gimme a burger! I don't know about liver, though.
I've heard varying theories, as to whether or not it's good for you.

Singer78--It's not good for you per say, but it works! I can't do that. I can hardly eat red meat at all. I eat a reuben 2X a month and now it makes me sick to do it. Yuck! Hope you are feeling better! FLFLOWERGIRL:)

FLFLOWERGIRL - were you ever a meat eater or did you just go off it at some point? I have always been a meat eater and couldn't think of anything tastier than a scotch fillet steak made medium rare. I couldn't imagine not eating meat and this is why it's so odd that my iron did drop so much.

Funny how some of us love our meat and others can't stand it. Sort of like the dinosaur era when you had the ones which ate meat and ones which only ate vegetation :)

Audrey,
You sound like my husband. Sometimes he gets to thinking about a big, juicy steak & I swear he almost froths at the mouth! It's like, he's GOT to have it....right NOW!
He only eats steak, maybe, 2 or 3 times a month, if even that---
Actually, our anniversary is Valentine's Day, and he offered to take me to dinner, assuming I'm doing o.k. after my tests. Sounds good to me.

AudreyB--I am a bit of a herbivore LOL! I grew up in a house of meat eaters. Liver was too frequent for me. Sometimes I would eat a burger but that's it. After 19, I then began replacing all meat with ground turkey, before it was popular. They didn't even sell it in the stores like this, I would have to have it ground special order. I eat fish, chicken and turkey, now more than ever. Before anemia I would always avoid these meats and eat veggies, pasta, and salads. My doc told me to eat the dark meat something I never thought of before so I do that now too.

Your right, eating Scotch fillet's should keep your iron levels up. Maybe this is more thyroid related than we know?

Singer78--Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Anniversary to you! When you go to dinner eat a big steak for all of us. Hope your tests are good! Keep us posted. FLFLOWERGIRL:)

I grew up on a farm so meat was plentiful and even if a chicken was killed no bits were wasted. I know it sounds gross, but even the chicken heads and feet were used to make stock for chicken soup or my mum used the heads in a special casserole along with the rest of the chicken. Basically offal of most animals had a use and the intestines were handy when they made sausages. They don't do all this anymore, but in researching iron i often come across info stating that offal tends to have more iron than other more tastier bits of the animal. A casserole of chicken livers along with a cup of white wine to enhance the flavour and some creamy mashed potato on the side is so yummm. I'm not that fussed on liver from other animals as it does have a very strong taste. I guess at the end of the day you are either a big, small or zero meat eater and making someone eat meat when they don't particularly like it would be like making me become a vegetarian and live off tofu and lentils.

Hasn't turkey come a long way. I often buy turkey steaks. My mum decided to leave out the Christmas turkey for a couple of years as over here our Christmas Day is so hot that sometimes a hot Christmas meal leaves you feeling rather ill, but last Christmas i had to insist on the turkey as i think turkey meat is tastier than chicken.

My naturopath told me that eating almonds, brazil nuts and cashews together in one lot has the same protein as is found in meat. Over here you can buy a spread made of those 3 nuts in the healthfood section of the supermarket. I sometimes spread it on a slice of bread if i'm having a salad sandwich for lunch so that i'm still getting my protein.