radiaton

madsters1
madsters1 Member Posts: 120
in Breast Cancer #1
Hey all,
First of all,I want to say thank you for the many, many questions you've all answered during my stay here in cancerland. :) I have yet another one though. I've just finished chemo, will have my port out tomorrow and my radiation similation next Monday. My rad oncologist said I would'nt experience much fatigue from radiation.However, my med oncologist who used to be a rad onc said it can be worse than with chemo! Yikes! Im already feeling like an old lady. I'm 48 by the way, and have a 12 & 8 yr old at home. Right around 1:00, I'm wiped for a couple of hours. I can't imagine it getting worse. Anybody have significant radiation fatigue added to chemo fatigue? Thanks again so much.

Comments

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #2
    We're all different!
    There is no way of knowing how you will react to rads.

    I was completely and utterly EXHAUSTED while on Taxol. I existed either in bed or on the couch through those 12 weekly infusions. I started rads one week after last Taxol and every day I felt better and stronger. By the end of the 25 rads, I was basically back to what I am today 2 yrs after. I also started Femara one week after starting rads - no problems.

    Just as with the different chemos, we have different responses. Some say for them, A/C was really bad while Taxol wasn't. For me (and others), it's the opposite - A/C not that bad but Taxol was NASTY.

    Be prepared with all the knowledge you can - but don't expect any particular 'thing' to happen with you.

    Susan
  • debi.18
    debi.18 Member Posts: 850 Member
    #3
    Rague said:

    We're all different!
    There is no way of knowing how you will react to rads.

    I was completely and utterly EXHAUSTED while on Taxol. I existed either in bed or on the couch through those 12 weekly infusions. I started rads one week after last Taxol and every day I felt better and stronger. By the end of the 25 rads, I was basically back to what I am today 2 yrs after. I also started Femara one week after starting rads - no problems.

    Just as with the different chemos, we have different responses. Some say for them, A/C was really bad while Taxol wasn't. For me (and others), it's the opposite - A/C not that bad but Taxol was NASTY.

    Be prepared with all the knowledge you can - but don't expect any particular 'thing' to happen with you.

    Susan

    not as bad for me
    As Susan said, we all react different. I found radiation was much easier than chemo. Yes, I was still tired, but more of a sleepy tired instead of total exhaustion that I felt with chemo.

    Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

    Hugs, Debi
  • Penny67
    Penny67 Member Posts: 65
    #4
    Only 10 rads in...
    I finished my chemo December 14 and my rad oncologist made me wait for 1 month before starting rads so I could heal from the chemo. I have 10 rad treatments under my belt with 23 to go. I have really not felt any fatigue yet and my skin is only a tiny bit pink under my arm where the arm rubs against your side and irritates it. I was literally wiped out from chemo so this is a walk in the park so far. I am not naive to think I will get through without any side effect, but I've had enough really bad sunburns in my life so if it looks and feels like that I will be able to cope. Now I just want my hair to grow back in and drop the 25 pounds I gained during chemo so I can start to look like myself. My rad one said that the chemo messed up my hormones and my metabolism so it will take a while to get things back to some semblance of normal. Good luck with your rad treatments!
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #5
    debi.18 said:

    not as bad for me
    As Susan said, we all react different. I found radiation was much easier than chemo. Yes, I was still tired, but more of a sleepy tired instead of total exhaustion that I felt with chemo.

    Good luck and let us know how you are doing.

    Hugs, Debi

    I didn't do chemo but I did
    I didn't do chemo but I did get exhausted with rads. Just the going everyday is enough to wear you out, let alone getting the treatment. I tried to get lots of sleep, eat well and to take naps. The exhaustion will sneak up on you so get lots of rest from the start.


    Good luck and keep us posted,

    Diane
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #6
    DianeBC said:

    I didn't do chemo but I did
    I didn't do chemo but I did get exhausted with rads. Just the going everyday is enough to wear you out, let alone getting the treatment. I tried to get lots of sleep, eat well and to take naps. The exhaustion will sneak up on you so get lots of rest from the start.


    Good luck and keep us posted,

    Diane

    I never thought the act of
    I never thought the act of going for rads as 'tiring'. Actually - having to get up and get there was invigorating. It got me up and out doing 'things' and being around people when IF I hadn't I'd have just been at home. It was also the last of the active fight so with each day it was closer to the end of that battle.

    Also I started rads one week after last of 12 weekly Taxol that had really done it's number on me EXHAUSTION wise and every day was better.

    Susan
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #7
    I did not have chemo ONLY
    I did not have chemo ONLY radiation: I did not get any side effects , burn, fatigue etc..I was very fortunate....I wish you the best....I wish you the best.


    Denise
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #8
    Rague said:

    I never thought the act of
    I never thought the act of going for rads as 'tiring'. Actually - having to get up and get there was invigorating. It got me up and out doing 'things' and being around people when IF I hadn't I'd have just been at home. It was also the last of the active fight so with each day it was closer to the end of that battle.

    Also I started rads one week after last of 12 weekly Taxol that had really done it's number on me EXHAUSTION wise and every day was better.

    Susan

    I agree with Diane that just
    I agree with Diane that just being there every day for weeks was tiring. I also got very tired and was prone to lots of naps and to going to bed early most nights.


    And, be sure and use any creams your rads oncologist gives you from day one.


    Post to let us know how you do,


    Leeza
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #9
    disneyfan2008 said:

    I did not have chemo ONLY
    I did not have chemo ONLY radiation: I did not get any side effects , burn, fatigue etc..I was very fortunate....I wish you the best....I wish you the best.


    Denise

    I had both chemo
    and then radiation. I was so happy to be done with chemo, that for me, rads seemed like a breeze. I pretended I was actually going to work during those 33 treatments, but my work day was only 20 minutes long!

    I really felt better during rads than chemo--but I did feel fatigue creeping in toward the last 2 weeks of treatment. I never really burned and never got blisters--just a slight sunburn looking area toward the end. I religiously slathered on the greasy Aquaphor ointment at night (wore an old t-shirt) and Eucerin cream during the day--I believe that really made a huge difference.

    Oh, and because they had to do lymph nodes at the base of my neck, during the last couple of weeks I experienced esophagitis--very minor and just felt like I had a pill that wouldn't go down. It cleared immediately after rads stopped.

    Best of luck to you--you're going to do great and soon this part of the journey will be over too.

    Hugs, Renee
  • pinkpalette
    pinkpalette Member Posts: 112
    #10
    missrenee said:

    I had both chemo
    and then radiation. I was so happy to be done with chemo, that for me, rads seemed like a breeze. I pretended I was actually going to work during those 33 treatments, but my work day was only 20 minutes long!

    I really felt better during rads than chemo--but I did feel fatigue creeping in toward the last 2 weeks of treatment. I never really burned and never got blisters--just a slight sunburn looking area toward the end. I religiously slathered on the greasy Aquaphor ointment at night (wore an old t-shirt) and Eucerin cream during the day--I believe that really made a huge difference.

    Oh, and because they had to do lymph nodes at the base of my neck, during the last couple of weeks I experienced esophagitis--very minor and just felt like I had a pill that wouldn't go down. It cleared immediately after rads stopped.

    Best of luck to you--you're going to do great and soon this part of the journey will be over too.

    Hugs, Renee

    I just finished up my radiation treatments
    about four weeks ago, but I was and still am getting chemo Herceptin infusions. The daily rad treatment was so speedy quick, I pretty well rushed in and rushed out. Not a moment to really relax, except on the car ride to and from the center. It was more tiring to get myself prepared to go each day, but the entire procedure is not more that a blip of time.

    Your body is going thru so much. If you need to rest, take the time. I often rested after my radiation treatment. I felt I needed it. My radiation nurse always asked if I was tired - duh... YES! But then she asked, if I was getting my chores done. It was the Holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and my son's Birthday for me. I managed to get through it. It will go by quickly for you too! Take care.

    Hugs, Debbie
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #11
    missrenee said:

    I had both chemo
    and then radiation. I was so happy to be done with chemo, that for me, rads seemed like a breeze. I pretended I was actually going to work during those 33 treatments, but my work day was only 20 minutes long!

    I really felt better during rads than chemo--but I did feel fatigue creeping in toward the last 2 weeks of treatment. I never really burned and never got blisters--just a slight sunburn looking area toward the end. I religiously slathered on the greasy Aquaphor ointment at night (wore an old t-shirt) and Eucerin cream during the day--I believe that really made a huge difference.

    Oh, and because they had to do lymph nodes at the base of my neck, during the last couple of weeks I experienced esophagitis--very minor and just felt like I had a pill that wouldn't go down. It cleared immediately after rads stopped.

    Best of luck to you--you're going to do great and soon this part of the journey will be over too.

    Hugs, Renee

    I slept a lot during rads
    I slept a lot during rads and found that I was always tired. But the good thing is that I got my strength back quickly after I finished rads.


    Best of luck,

    Kylez
  • Different Ballgame
    Different Ballgame Member Posts: 868
    #12
    Exercised While Getting Radiation
    I walked one hour per day, at least 5 days per week while getting radiation. I also worked full time. Did not show signs of fatigue. Who knows...did the exercise help me during the rads?

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #13
    Rague said:

    We're all different!
    There is no way of knowing how you will react to rads.

    I was completely and utterly EXHAUSTED while on Taxol. I existed either in bed or on the couch through those 12 weekly infusions. I started rads one week after last Taxol and every day I felt better and stronger. By the end of the 25 rads, I was basically back to what I am today 2 yrs after. I also started Femara one week after starting rads - no problems.

    Just as with the different chemos, we have different responses. Some say for them, A/C was really bad while Taxol wasn't. For me (and others), it's the opposite - A/C not that bad but Taxol was NASTY.

    Be prepared with all the knowledge you can - but don't expect any particular 'thing' to happen with you.

    Susan

    Worked full time
    durring both chemo and rads. I never called in because of rads but I did because of chemo. I noticed durring rads (33 sessions) that after a couple of weeks I had to give up a few activities that were time consuming so that I would have the opportunity to get more rest if needed. I did not always need extra rest but by giving up the non essential time consuming things I could get more rest when I needed it.
  • missingtexas
    missingtexas Member Posts: 146
    #14
    Different Ballgame said:

    Exercised While Getting Radiation
    I walked one hour per day, at least 5 days per week while getting radiation. I also worked full time. Did not show signs of fatigue. Who knows...did the exercise help me during the rads?

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle

    I agree Janelle! I
    I agree Janelle! I exercised and felt pretty well throughout.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #15
    Different Ballgame said:

    Exercised While Getting Radiation
    I walked one hour per day, at least 5 days per week while getting radiation. I also worked full time. Did not show signs of fatigue. Who knows...did the exercise help me during the rads?

    Lots of Hugs,
    Janelle

    Exercise will help with the
    Exercise will help with the exhaustion from rads. I know it doesn't make sense, but, it works. Good luck and keep us updated.


    Jan

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