Brain Rads....overwhelming fatigue, anyone?

MAJW

My little update....on Friday I completed 10 radiation treatments to the brain for 3 small spots that showed on my scans...talk about knocking your socks of! my two Oncologist agree 99-9% that the rads have taken care of this...next will be chemo every 2 weeks.....had my port installed last week....freaky little thing....lol. Anyone get little twinges from it?

But here's My problem...I knew up front that it causes fatigue....this is my third go round with radiation....but I have NEVER EVER experienced anything like this overwhelming fatigue.....and it set in so quickly! Some days I can barely function.....sleep, get up....sleep, get up......I feel like an invalid some days.....And about 112 years old......lol. If there's anyone who's had this I'd like to hear how you coped and how long this will last...

I see my medical oncologist on Monday morning, to see what chemo cocktail I will be having along with the Avastin that he got me approved for through the manufacturer that will replace what I use to my cancer center every two weeks.....I have a feeling he'll want to start chemo this coming week.....my fear is if this fatigue doesn't let up soon and I start chemo what will I be like? I need energy!

Thankfully I have a fantastic husband who has taken over so very much......I know it's a " woman's thing" but it's hard to watch him do all the things that I did.....he is my rock.....almost 43 years of marriage...high school sweethearts!

Sorry this is so long.please if anyone's had this, I'd like to hear from you....
Hugs, Nancy

Jean 0609

Hi Nancy,
I have been thinking about you. Sorry to hear that you are so worn out from the rads. Hopefully, not that they are done, your strength will come back to. I never had twinges from my port. Once they start using it for your chemo, you will love it (twinges and all). So happy to hear that you have a "rock" too. It makes things so much easier. Keep in touch.

xoxo,
Jean

Rague

I don't have personal
I don't have personal experience with brain mets but for what it's worth, summer before last I gave a very nice young man (35-ish) rides daily to his rads for reoccurance of brain cancer after about 12 years of NED. When he got really exhausted, they readjusted his daily steroid level (don't remember if they increased or lowered) which helped some. He was also on oral chemo and one morning we were talking (actually we talked about all sorts of 'things' all the time - sort of like a son) about how on Taxol it was almost impossible for me to keep in the normal level of potassium even taking mega doses of it. He got his Dr to run additional tests with his next weekly blood draw for additional vitamin and mineral levels and there were several that he was low to very low in. Suppliments were added to his daily and he said he did feel much better. He actually asked me to take the scenic route back to the barracks so he could take some pictures of Bear Butte and he had noticed an old barn that I never had that was quite rustic that he wanted to get pictures of - so guess he was feeling better.

So you might talk to your Drs. about a more extensive blood work to cover more mineral and vitamins and their ratio to each other than is usually done. Might help- might not but can't hurt.

Prayers!

Susan

VickiSam

Nancy ..
Cheers to High School Sweethearts! No radiation here, so I don't want to
overstep my boundries .. Just wanted you to know that I adore you, your
strength .. and ability to 'GET IT DONE', no matter what.

I think Jennifer (JC's - grand) went thru something similar around Christmas,
hopefully, she will post.

My extreme fatigue, and fainting derived from my chemo infusion therapy -- 18
consecutive weeks, no breaks -- TCH. What helped me maintain what little
stamina I did have, was keeping my body nourished with high IRON foods --
I don't know if my iron enriched foods helped with my fatigue, but mentality,
I thought they did.

Again, I am speaking from the aspect of fatigue caused by my chemo regiment, not
any radiation.

Almonds
Raisins
Cream of Wheat
Prime Rib
dark leafy vegetables such as spinach – , nuts, seeds, beans, peas, and iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas.

Strength, Courage and HOPE for a Cure.

Vicki Sam

missrenee

Rague said:

I don't have personal
I don't have personal experience with brain mets but for what it's worth, summer before last I gave a very nice young man (35-ish) rides daily to his rads for reoccurance of brain cancer after about 12 years of NED. When he got really exhausted, they readjusted his daily steroid level (don't remember if they increased or lowered) which helped some. He was also on oral chemo and one morning we were talking (actually we talked about all sorts of 'things' all the time - sort of like a son) about how on Taxol it was almost impossible for me to keep in the normal level of potassium even taking mega doses of it. He got his Dr to run additional tests with his next weekly blood draw for additional vitamin and mineral levels and there were several that he was low to very low in. Suppliments were added to his daily and he said he did feel much better. He actually asked me to take the scenic route back to the barracks so he could take some pictures of Bear Butte and he had noticed an old barn that I never had that was quite rustic that he wanted to get pictures of - so guess he was feeling better.

So you might talk to your Drs. about a more extensive blood work to cover more mineral and vitamins and their ratio to each other than is usually done. Might help- might not but can't hurt.

Prayers!

Susan

I like Susan's advice
Maybe more intensive bloodwork could identify vitamins or minerals you are deficient in that additional supplements could really help with.

Nancy--you are another one of my true inspirations on this board. I love your attitude and it helps me deal with what I'm dealing with. While I haven't had brain rads, I did just complete 14 rads to my T-12 vertebra for the bone mets and I have to tell you, those knocked me out way more than my initial breast/lymph node 33 rads 2 years ago. Maybe it's just a cummulative thing in your body--the more you get over a lifetime, the greater toll it takes, I don't know.

I hoping you regain your strength quickly and the chemo is kind to your body.

Take good care. Hugs, Renee

New Flower

Rague said:

I don't have personal
I don't have personal experience with brain mets but for what it's worth, summer before last I gave a very nice young man (35-ish) rides daily to his rads for reoccurance of brain cancer after about 12 years of NED. When he got really exhausted, they readjusted his daily steroid level (don't remember if they increased or lowered) which helped some. He was also on oral chemo and one morning we were talking (actually we talked about all sorts of 'things' all the time - sort of like a son) about how on Taxol it was almost impossible for me to keep in the normal level of potassium even taking mega doses of it. He got his Dr to run additional tests with his next weekly blood draw for additional vitamin and mineral levels and there were several that he was low to very low in. Suppliments were added to his daily and he said he did feel much better. He actually asked me to take the scenic route back to the barracks so he could take some pictures of Bear Butte and he had noticed an old barn that I never had that was quite rustic that he wanted to get pictures of - so guess he was feeling better.

So you might talk to your Drs. about a more extensive blood work to cover more mineral and vitamins and their ratio to each other than is usually done. Might help- might not but can't hurt.

Prayers!

Susan

Nancy - three time graduate- congratulation
Nancy,
I am very sorry that you have been experiencing extreme fatigue. Please talk to your doctor about it and honestly explain your difficulties. Yes, he should run your blood work after radiation, making sure your body is ready for Chemo, that a huge challenge as we know. Do not be shy he might give a week off.
Congratulations to three times graduate, having 3 degrees is a great accomplishment.
Hugs

sbmly53

No experience or advice,
just positve reinforcement. Hopefully, a little time, vitamins & Spring will help. Glad you found your Rock early! I had to look for quite awhile before I found mine.

Hugs,

Sue

natly15

sbmly53 said:

No experience or advice,
just positve reinforcement. Hopefully, a little time, vitamins & Spring will help. Glad you found your Rock early! I had to look for quite awhile before I found mine.

Hugs,

Sue

Nancy you sweet lady. I hate
Nancy you sweet lady. I hate that this is going on with you. When I had completed my chemo, I took a month off before starting rads because of my fatigue. I was in bed most of the time and I was just treating my breast cancer and not any metastasis that you are dealing with. My energy has just begun to return and my treatment was completed on June 15, 2010. I do think age had something to do with it and I also have thalassemia trait which is an inherited anemia.

Nancy your body has been thru way too much and that certainly explains at least some of your fatigue. We gals find it difficult to be knocked on our butts because we are doers and it is mentally difficult to become be-ers. I've had to come to terms with slowing way down. You are in my prayers. Sending loving hugs to you.