When does radiation fatigue hit?

nye1980

I'm having a bit of a hard time finding this specific information so thought I'd just start a new post. I am due to start radiation the second week of December and I imagine it'll be for the standard five to six weeks. (I'm only halfway through chemotherapy so haven't seen an RO yet.) I am a birth doula and childbirth educator and have to begin planning for next year. I am hoping to teach classes in January, but I'm not sure if I'll have the energy for it? When does the fatigue from radiation hit--during or once it's done? Does it happen for everyone? I know many have said that rads are easy compared to chemotherapy; is this true for everyone? I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth scheduling things for January at all or just to go ahead and start in February. I have to get all of this sorted soon so can't really wait until I actually start radiation.

For reference's sake, I have found chemo to be manageable, but the first week is exhausting.

CassieCat

I found rads relatively easy to get through, and I never really got fatigued. Mentally, it was challenging, but I never got as tired as some people warned that I might. I hope the same is true for you.

ruthbru

I did chemo first too and actually found my energy RETURNING during radiation. My radiation was during the summer; I'm a teacher. I finished my last radiation sessions on a Thursday and started the school year the following Monday without any problem. One thing I did that helped is that I did keep exercising during both chemo and radiation.....very, very lightly during chemo and getting more back to normal during rads. (Of course everyone's experience is different, but that is mine.)

molliefish

I started rads 23 nov the same day instarted a new job. I took the last week off during Christmas just because there was so much going on. I didn'tstart to feel tired til I stared taking tamoxifen. Now I have trouble sleeping through the night but never know what is the cause of it.

ChiSandy

I never did get the fatigue, probably because I had the 3-week+1-day hypofractionated partial-breast protocol. I was told that if it was going to hit, it would be a few days after my last session. Didn’t happen. (Was also told to expect “profound fatigue” after my lumpectomy, so severe that I would need to sleep on the downstairs day-bed instead of my bedroom upstairs. That never happened either, though I did get severe “Scoline syndrome” upper body soreness & stiffness for a few days).

muska

Hi Nye, I hated radiation - more than chemo. I was troubled and fatigued by rads, however I am not even sure whether the fatigue was more psychological than physical in nature. Probably both. I read somewhere that full recovery after radiation takes up to 18 months.

Women with BC get different radiation treatments: some get it after surgery and don't need chemo, some get smaller doses than others, some get burned while others don't, etc. I had it after two surgeries and 6+ months of chemo, so I was pretty exhausted by the time I started. But if you asked me to choose between chemo and rads I would choose chemo.

Bounce

I worked during Rads and after my last treatment I felt exhausted and took 2 weeks off.

I have never experienced fatigue like that before or since.

Everyone reacts differently and I don't think you can know in advance what will be - so better to plan an easier start to work.