Radiation Fatigue

Barneygirl
Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I am getting radiation to my clavicle for a recurrence in the nodes. I've had 3 treatments out of 5 so far, and today I felt super fatigued. Is this a common side effect of treatment? Doc said I probably wouldn't have any side effects, but boy I feel wiped out.

Comments

  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #2
    I was very fatigued on radiation.
    I had adjuvant IMRT pelvic radiation and vaginal brachytherapy in 2009 and rememebr how fatigued I was. Of course, with the location of my radiation, I had very loose bowels that contributed to the fatigue.

    I had radioembolism this summer (last treatment August 26th) and I still am fatigued and could take a nap every day at 4:00 and often go to bed at 8 or 9 and sleep 10 or 11 hours. When I qasked my oncologist what I could do for the fatigue, he said, "Lay down."

    I think fatigue us very common with radiation of all types.
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member
    #3
    I just finished radiation a
    I just finished radiation a few weeks ago for supraclavicular recurrence. Initially I was just to have 6, 3 x wk for 2 wks, but when Dr saw an enlarged axillary node on planning CT he recommended enlarging area so ended up doing 16 treatments, same total dose per area over time just less to each target area so daily total was not too harsh.

    However, the first three days I was quite fatigued, then had a weekend off, and then surprisingly, I was fine for remainder of treatment. My next issue was skin 'burn' which just started to be noticeable just prior to finishing but then continued to get worse and took a couple of weeks to resolve. Which makes sense as he told me effect of radiation would continue post treatment and wouldn't be able to fully evaluate results for a couple of months. Its been 3.5 wks now and the last few days I've noticed notable improvement. Yes!

    Sounds like you are the short treatment plan with the higher daily dose - but hopefully fatigue will be short-lived.
    Annie
  • Barneygirl
    Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
    #4
    upsofloating said:

    I just finished radiation a
    I just finished radiation a few weeks ago for supraclavicular recurrence. Initially I was just to have 6, 3 x wk for 2 wks, but when Dr saw an enlarged axillary node on planning CT he recommended enlarging area so ended up doing 16 treatments, same total dose per area over time just less to each target area so daily total was not too harsh.

    However, the first three days I was quite fatigued, then had a weekend off, and then surprisingly, I was fine for remainder of treatment. My next issue was skin 'burn' which just started to be noticeable just prior to finishing but then continued to get worse and took a couple of weeks to resolve. Which makes sense as he told me effect of radiation would continue post treatment and wouldn't be able to fully evaluate results for a couple of months. Its been 3.5 wks now and the last few days I've noticed notable improvement. Yes!

    Sounds like you are the short treatment plan with the higher daily dose - but hopefully fatigue will be short-lived.
    Annie

    I am having the higher daily
    I am having the higher daily dose with Truebeam radiation treatment. Very cutting edge and cuts down on treatment time. Were you able to palpate your clavicle nodes before treatment? I can still feel them but wonder how long it will take for them to reduce in size. Also very sore in that area.
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member
    #5
    Barneygirl said:

    I am having the higher daily
    I am having the higher daily dose with Truebeam radiation treatment. Very cutting edge and cuts down on treatment time. Were you able to palpate your clavicle nodes before treatment? I can still feel them but wonder how long it will take for them to reduce in size. Also very sore in that area.

    Your treatment was what I
    Your treatment was what I was expecting to do but alas it changed.

    I could definitely feel the supraclavicular nodes - they grew quite quickly and then as a result of rapid growth, CT showed necrotizing areas within the cluster - a sign of growing at rate beyond its blood supply and cell death occurring. They did shrink some while in treatment as I no longer sensed the pressure. Just today I thought to check and can't really feel anything! What a surprise.
  • Barneygirl
    Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
    #6
    upsofloating said:

    Your treatment was what I
    Your treatment was what I was expecting to do but alas it changed.

    I could definitely feel the supraclavicular nodes - they grew quite quickly and then as a result of rapid growth, CT showed necrotizing areas within the cluster - a sign of growing at rate beyond its blood supply and cell death occurring. They did shrink some while in treatment as I no longer sensed the pressure. Just today I thought to check and can't really feel anything! What a surprise.

    So glad the radiation worked
    So glad the radiation worked for you! Hopefully you won't need any further treatment.
    I will need to start chemo again very soon and should find out this week what the plan is going to be.

    Laura
  • AnneBehymer
    AnneBehymer Member Posts: 738 Member
    #7
    Barneygirl said:

    So glad the radiation worked
    So glad the radiation worked for you! Hopefully you won't need any further treatment.
    I will need to start chemo again very soon and should find out this week what the plan is going to be.

    Laura

    Barneygirl,
    I love the pic
    Barneygirl,

    I love the pic of your dog I had a westie but Had to put him down due to bone cancer. What made it even sader was the fact that I found out two months later I was fighting cancer also. That hit me real hard his name was Lord MacTavish But I called him Mac. We still have his sister she is almost 11 years old. It has been less than six months since I lost him but sometimes when I look at his sister her name is Lady MacTavish we call her Tavi I see him. So it was nice to see your westie.


    Anne

    P.S. sorry if this was not the time or place to tell you how I loved the pic but when I saw it I just had to say something
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member
    #8
    Barneygirl said:

    So glad the radiation worked
    So glad the radiation worked for you! Hopefully you won't need any further treatment.
    I will need to start chemo again very soon and should find out this week what the plan is going to be.

    Laura

    Laura, my radiation was just
    Laura, my radiation was just palliative. I have other nodes as well to deal with. Currently, I'm just taking a break, have a short trip planned nd then will get updated PET CT and ca125 and evaluate next steps. What chemo will you be doing?
    Annie
  • upsofloating
    upsofloating Member Posts: 466 Member
    #9
    Barneygirl said:

    So glad the radiation worked
    So glad the radiation worked for you! Hopefully you won't need any further treatment.
    I will need to start chemo again very soon and should find out this week what the plan is going to be.

    Laura

    Laura, my radiation was just
    Laura, my radiation was just palliative. I have other nodes as well to deal with. Currently, I'm just taking a break, have a short trip planned nd then will get updated PET CT and ca125 and evaluate next steps. What chemo will you be doing?
    Annie
  • Barneygirl
    Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
    #10
    AnneBehymer said:

    Barneygirl,
    I love the pic
    Barneygirl,

    I love the pic of your dog I had a westie but Had to put him down due to bone cancer. What made it even sader was the fact that I found out two months later I was fighting cancer also. That hit me real hard his name was Lord MacTavish But I called him Mac. We still have his sister she is almost 11 years old. It has been less than six months since I lost him but sometimes when I look at his sister her name is Lady MacTavish we call her Tavi I see him. So it was nice to see your westie.


    Anne

    P.S. sorry if this was not the time or place to tell you how I loved the pic but when I saw it I just had to say something

    Thanks Anne. This is my
    Thanks Anne. This is my little sweetheart. I adopted him in May 2004 and was diagnosed 1 month later. I know how hard it is to lose a pet, as I lost my beloved cat of 15 years this past January. These little creatures do bring us such comfort and joy don't they?

    Laura
  • Barneygirl
    Barneygirl Member Posts: 90
    #11
    upsofloating said:

    Laura, my radiation was just
    Laura, my radiation was just palliative. I have other nodes as well to deal with. Currently, I'm just taking a break, have a short trip planned nd then will get updated PET CT and ca125 and evaluate next steps. What chemo will you be doing?
    Annie

    Hi Annie, I have one more
    Hi Annie, I have one more rad to go tomorrow. When you say palliative, I understand they are being reduced as to not cause pressure, but the rads should take care of them and then all you have to do is address the other nodes with chemo. I'm not sure what they are doing with me at this point. The tumor board meets Wednesday and I should know soon what the next step is.

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