Radiation

faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy

roseyposey333 said:

I am tired too but try to exercise
I am about 2/3 through with my radiation and have days when I feel beat up but I force myself to go to yoga 2 times a week and I think it's helping a bit with the tired feelings.
I do take naps or just lay down on the bed even if I don't sleep and it seems to help. I am lucky enough not to be working right now so I can rest when I need to. I have 2 weeks to go and that keeps me moving along but it seems like forever when you are just starting.
Maybe eating some healthy veggies would help too, I am a sweet freak but I am trying to cut down as I know it's not good for my energy level or my cancer so I try to eat some greens every night at least.
Just keep telling yourself, 'THIS TOO SHALL PASS'

not TOO tired...
I am more than half way, maybe 70% through radiation and have been wondering if they have actually been treating me. I slather on either Aquaphor or Udderly Smooth in the evening after my shower, don a crappy old sweatshirt, and hit the sheets. My skin looks as it did before radiation. I too, have been exercising...my choice walking in the mornings before the heat moves in...between 3 and 4 miles a day.

Like roseyposey, sometimes just resting works for me.

I think the most annoying aspect of radiation for me, and maybe the fatiguing, is the waiting...everyday...same rad time, same rad channel. I feel sooo limited, "Sorry, honey, mom has to go to radiation at..." She understands, of course, but I hate that our world is revolving around me.

I'll echo roseyposey...this too shall pass.

LynnKT

Radiation
I'm sorry that the radiation is making you tired. I have heard from people who have experienced fatigue and those who have "breezed" through it. My sister had BC 14 years ago and said that the rad for her was no problem. I start my rad. on 9/8. I had double mast. w/ reconstruction surgery in 11/09 and finished chemo in 3/10. My doctors left the rad decision to me. My husband & I both opted to go ahead with rad. I will be receiving 25 treatments. I had hoped it wouldn't affect me too much since I have kids. Take care of yourself!

cindycflynn

My experience
was that I felt some energy returning during rads compared to how I felt at the end of my chemo, but then toward the end of the rads I started to get tired again. I also worked through most of my treatments. I took 2 weeks off for my lumpectomy, and 3 days off for each chemo. During rads, I got my treatments in the morning and went to work after that (usually 6-8 hours)

The rads tired was different than the chemo tired for me. Chemo just made my whole body tired. I would get out of breath easily, and just walking from one room to another in my house would just make me feel like I needed to sit down and rest. I really noticed it in my legs. With the rads, my body didn't feel as tired, but I just wanted to sleep more. Unfortunately, the need for sleep hasn't gotten much better since I finished rads at the end of April. I still feel like I could just fall asleep sitting at my desk in the afternoons, and I am sleeping a lot more at night than I have since I was a teenager.

I have also heard that exercising is supposed to help with the fatigue, and I'm really, really, really trying to keep motivated to do that, but it's not easy.

Hang in there - your halfway there now! Take some time off of work if you can to get more rest.

(((HUGS)))
Cindy

cahjah75

Waffle
I'm so sorry you're surprised by the fatigue you're feeling after rads. I don't know yet if I'll be getting rads after chemo. Both my husband and my 2 sisters had 6 weeks of rads and yes they were all tired. However, they all bounced back afterwards. {{hugs}}
Char

Wolfi

It's not over yet
Waffle,

I did not have chemo but was surprised by how tired I felt during radiation. I was fine in the beginning but found I got tired faster as I neared the end of radiation and for weeks after it was over.

Keep up with the lotions and TAKE NAPS whenever you can. Don't try to do too much if you are tired - your body needs to heal and sleep will help that happen. Even a 10-20 minute nap can help you get through the day. Sometimes I would just close my eyes in the car ride from radiation back to work (my husband drove me every day).

I finished rads last November and don't get tired like I did but I still like to take naps when I'm able to on my days off.

Take care