Tiredness after breast ancer

i ahd breast cancer 2 years ago had a lumpectomy and radiotherapy, all of this made me very tired and i had to sllep quite a lot, but the thing is i still feel tired! im at uni all week and as soon as i come home i want to sleep, been the doc and he told me to go for a 45 min walk when i get home of an eve, trouble is if i have to up and down the stairs a few times im out of breath and my heart is pounding any ideas?? or am i just very unfit? lol!

I'm a breast cancer sister. I was diagnosed with breast cancer last November, went through a lumpectomy in November, and just recently went through a mastectomy this last March. I understand what you're saying about being tired. Even though you're two years past your breast cancer, your body is still feeling the effects of the treatments that you had. As a profession, I am a fitness trainer/instructor and I have a certification as a cancer exercise specialist. It appears that the doctor has suggested that you begin a walking program - but 45 minutes every day can be a bit intimidating and challenging since, I can guess, you haven't been participating in a consistent exercise program. You probably looked at your doctor when he told you to start walking 45 minutes a day and said "how in the world can I do 45 minutes when I can't even go up and down the stairs!"

I would recommend that you begin small - start walking about 10 minutes a day and slowly build up your endurance. Take your walk slow and if you feel out of breath, slow down a bit. There will be days when your energy will be good, take advantage of them, and go a few extra minutes. On the days you don't feel well, limit your walk to 10 minutes. Becoming consistent with your walking program with help you get stronger. As you become stronger, increase your time to 15 and every two weeks or so increase your walking minutes and gradually build up to the 45 minutes your doctor suggests. It might take you 6 months or more to work up to 45 minutes, but research has proven that exercise helps us diagnosed with breast cancer and also helps recurrance. You'll help yourself by doing some physical activity and as time goes by your energy level will get better. I know cancer is a damn disease - and I'm sorry that we are in the same club. Cancer sucks. There's no other way to put it. I don't know where you live, but look on line at www.thecancerspecialist.com. There may be a cancer exercise specialist in your area that may be able to help you get motivated.