This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) eLetters: Submit a response to this article Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints/Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gilbert, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gilbert, M.

A Survivor’s Journey: One Woman’s Experience with Cancer-Related Fatigue

Correspondence: Ms. Maureen Gilbert, 7 Avoca Place, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland. Telephone: 353-1-288-1504; e-mail: maureengilbert{at}ireland.com

Maureen Gilbert was diagnosed at age 45 with breast cancer in Dublin, Ireland in 2000. She had a mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction, chemotherapy, and a second prophylactic mastectomy with reconstruction. Soon after diagnosis, she began to experience fatigue that intensified to incapacitating levels with chemotherapy and stayed with her for 18 months. This experience is described in compelling terms. Fatigue was not mentioned by any of her caregivers when they spoke of symptoms and side effects. She is convinced that if the condition of fatigue had been described and validated as a symptom from the beginning, it would have helped her considerably to manage and live through it. There were some very positive outcomes from the whole experience of having cancer, but the journey would have been easier, had someone told her about fatigue.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. S. Hydock, C.-Y. Lien, and R. Hayward Anandamide Preserves Cardiac Function and Geometry in an Acute Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity Rat Model Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, March 1, 2009; 14(1): 59 - 67. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. A. Daly Introduction: All Ireland Fatigue Coalition Oncologist, February 1, 2003; 8(90001): 1 - 2. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]