Radiation Therapy and Fibromyalgia

tampagr

I was just diagnosed with DCIS and had a lumopectomy. I am waiting for everything to heal then I'll be doing six weeks of radiation therapy. Does anyone out there have breast cancer and fibromyalgia that could tell me how bad the fatigue gets during treatment? I'm already on disability because of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and worry if I'll be even more fatigued

april485

Hi usernotinuse (what a great screen name..very clever!) just wanted to tell you that not everyone gets really bad exhaustion from rads. I think it is in the neighborhood of 40%. With your fibromyalgia, you might want to talk to your doctors about this subject. I know that some women have been prescribed ritalin to help with the fatigue when it is truly horrible.

Also, the fatigue can be minimized by gentle exercising (like taking a walk) throughout the time you are having rads (I was told) but if that is not possible for you, then your doctors may be able to help you. The fatigue does go away a few months after you finish rads (I was told) so it is not permanent.

Hoping you don't become more fatigued by rads. I am also in the waiting to start stage after lumpectomies so I understand. I am already exercising so I will try to continue that. Best to you!

Bluckey

I have stage 3 breast cancer and fibromyalgia. I am done with chemo and feel that my oncologist doesn't care about the pain I am in. I don't even see the doctor anymore it's always the nurse practitioner and when I tell her the problems I am having she looks up on the internet and does nothing except lower my pain medication. Since starting radiation I have severe pain throughout my body and can't sleep. I also have severe nausea and am so miserable. My doctor is trying to set me up with palliative care otherwise I am going to quit radiation therapy. K