Headaches during Radiation

calvertcrafts said:

headaches
I too had headaches during radiation and they also told me it wasn't from the rads. I told them that I was not a person prone to headaches, therefore it must be from rads and I needed something to control them. After being nice but firm the doc gave me a prescription for something stronger than tylenol.

I too began having headaches about 1/2 way into the 33 treatmnts. Mentioned this to the doctor and technicians and was told they weren't caused by the treatment yet I'm reading others having the same symptoms. Now that treatment is over I continue to have headaches at the same time every day? Was only having them at night but now wake up with a headache. I've been taking 1/2 of the hydrocodone from the surgery but DO NOT want to rely on them. Aspirin and or Aleve do nothng to relieve the headache. Radiation oncologist was willing to give me a brain scan but I said no. Now now so sure. May ask the medical oncologist for one when I see him mid March...hopefully the headaches will subside before then and there won't be a need for the scan. But they keep getting worse so ... I sure don't want to be a hypocondriac over this.

sorry to hear of your headaches. I must say I was very fortunate I did not get any side effects at all from radiation. (8wks)

I did not burn, chap, fatigue etc. I am one of the thankful lucky ones..

I am sure you will get some good advice with this posting..

Denise

Tinkerwoman1 said:

Headaches with radiation treatment for breast cancer

I too began having headaches about 1/2 way into the 33 treatmnts. Mentioned this to the doctor and technicians and was told they weren't caused by the treatment yet I'm reading others having the same symptoms. Now that treatment is over I continue to have headaches at the same time every day? Was only having them at night but now wake up with a headache. I've been taking 1/2 of the hydrocodone from the surgery but DO NOT want to rely on them. Aspirin and or Aleve do nothng to relieve the headache. Radiation oncologist was willing to give me a brain scan but I said no. Now now so sure. May ask the medical oncologist for one when I see him mid March...hopefully the headaches will subside before then and there won't be a need for the scan. But they keep getting worse so ... I sure don't want to be a hypocondriac over this.

Your not alone, I've been fighting migraines since I finished my 34 rads.  I had hardly any side effects from rads but fatigue and a slight headache during treatment. Half way through and The headaches began getting worse, and alieve and tylenol didnt do anything.  the Radiation Oncologist said it wasnt related, and just probably due to the change in weather after hurricane sandy.

I'm finished with Rads now, but still suffering from migraines..... I go back to my Medical Oncologist in April, and hopefully she will be able to find the solution for these Migraines

((Huggs))

Liz

Tinkerwoman1 said:

Headaches with radiation treatment for breast cancer

I too began having headaches about 1/2 way into the 33 treatmnts. Mentioned this to the doctor and technicians and was told they weren't caused by the treatment yet I'm reading others having the same symptoms. Now that treatment is over I continue to have headaches at the same time every day? Was only having them at night but now wake up with a headache. I've been taking 1/2 of the hydrocodone from the surgery but DO NOT want to rely on them. Aspirin and or Aleve do nothng to relieve the headache. Radiation oncologist was willing to give me a brain scan but I said no. Now now so sure. May ask the medical oncologist for one when I see him mid March...hopefully the headaches will subside before then and there won't be a need for the scan. But they keep getting worse so ... I sure don't want to be a hypocondriac over this.

Primary prescribed Bupap for the "tension headaches"...would have thought I'd have had them when first diagnosed wth breast cancer. Just seems odd they came on during the radiation treatment. Hydrcodone Acetomiophen is the only thing that eliminates the the pain. Bupap only helps for 2 hours and I'm not supposed to take them ever 4 hours so a waste. Not happy about depending on the hydrocodone but until I speak with the oncologist that's what I'll take. Can't function with my head pounding constantly. What I found odd wat the headaches would begin almost exactly 12 hours after a treatment. Honestly, the headaches have been the worse result of the cancer diagnosis, surgery, recovery and radiation treatment. Didn't have the skin issues some patients reported. 

Tinkerwoman1 said:

Headaches with radiation treatment for breast cancer

Don't think my headaches are from nerves though. I understand while have treatment but it's been a week since my last treatment and the headaches are getting worse. Morning and night whereas they were only at night at the same time each night.

I know what it feels like having a very bad headache that I can't stand the pain. The best thing you should do is see your doctor and tell about the persisting headcahe.

www.myelomacrowd.org

mdqxx said:

Even though this post is old,

Even though this post is old, replied might help others.  I am halfway through rad course and had headaches from the first.  The fatigue is overwhelming and cannot be slept away...it is the effects of radiation.  I also am experiencing nausea and dizziness when I stand.  I want to quit as I am quite miserable.  I hope others who do not experience these side effects. Not discount a patients experiences, however different it is, or play down suffering or symptoms.  I feel from talking to other patients that their side effects are not acknowledged adequately, patients feel guilty for having symptoms they are told is "uncommon." Overall, from all medical professionals involved, I have found disclosures and discussion of options. Drawbacks, side- effects to be lacking.n

By chance came across this post after spending ages on the net trying to find out about headaches from radiotherapy. 

I had cancer in both of my breasts and was fortunate for it not to have spread.I underwent radiotherapy nine weeks ago and i still have headaches. They started a couple of days into treatment along with nausea. My breast care nurse told me i must have a stomach bug and said it wouldnt be the radiotherapy.I asked a radiographer who said it was common to have nausea with rad treatment and i was given anti sickness pills.I lost heart with my nurse!! Having both sides zapped made it a much larger area of the body to treat.

The headaches have been quite unbearable,not a sort of headache i have experienced before.They have eased off a bit now after 9 weeks but have not gone away completely. My own GP has arranged for me to have a CT scan of my head just to be on the safe side. I was given stronger painkillers.

I still have heat in both of my breasts as well.Im hoping it will all settle down eventually as i long to go back to work but i know at present i would find it very difficult as i support a five year old with autism. I have my oncology check up Monday.Had to come off Tamoxifen as that made everthing worse. 

Its been a lot harder than i thought but you will get there it just takes time and we are all different and ive been told to be kinder to myself and not to expect so much,which im not very good at.

Hope you can do the same.

Why do the professionals not recognise radiation treatment to the breast causes headaches?  Ten weeks after treatment I still have 24 hour headaches . Today I saw my oncologist and she would not admit ithey were due to the treatment. I limit the painkillers as they have side effects, Hoping the pain will recede soon. Good to know I am not alone.

I too am having headaches almost daily right after my breast cancer radiation therapy.  Have also had a couple of days where I was queezy a couple of hours after a therapy.  Didnt have headaches before I started the radiation so I feel they are from them or maybe from dehydration from them.  I do drink almost a gallon of water daily though!!

I have experienced 3 separate instances with radiation treatment and a very specific “flavor” of headache. The first was 14 years ago and was of my head. The second was 4 years ago of my stomach. The most recent is of my prostate. As others have already shared, total denial of any connection with radiation and headaches! The medical profession is very litigation savvy. Everyone always blames the other specialists and is very quick to dismiss any of these experiences. These headaches always begin within the first few sessions. The sensation I have is unlike any other type of headache pain. I refer to it as my “radiation headache”. The symptoms are situated between my eyes and my temples and often involve my stomach. It feels like metal plates in my head. The eye sockets hurt and I may belch and feel like I will vomit, but I don’t. As the sessions increase, the frequency and duration also increases. I have just completed 25 sessions of about 3 minutes each for a total of about 60-75 minutes of external beam radiation. I will undergo the brachytherapy seed implant in about 3 weeks. I am concerned because I understand that the intensity will be very high for the first 10 days. The only way I can get any relief from the headaches is to sleep. With most modern procedures, the physicians deliberately don’t explain all the consequences of these procedures. The doctors and nurses have been candid with me and explained “if we explained everything that the patient would endure, then no one would consent to treatment!” I recommend that you keep a journal and record your diet, symptoms, and note the time and describe your headaches to the best of your ability. Be as complete as possible. Don’t leave out anything, even if you think it is not possible to be connected to your headaches. As for neurologists, they are about 100 years behind the other specialists. If it ain’t epilepsy, they don’t have any tools to help! Never believe that the people treating you have special insights that you could never attain. With the internet and a basic understanding of academic citations and bibliography- you are more than capable of conducting your own research!! Do I sometimes wish that the people who administer radiation or chemotherapy could experience 10 days of treatment to gain empathy and insights into our experience!? Yes I do. You are not a hypochondriac or psychosomatic! Don’t allow the experts to bully you.