RADIATION FATIGUE - POLL

I had 37 rad treatments with the last 6 being boosts to the cancer site...I didnt do chemo....I too thought it would be a walk in the park, but at that magical 3 wk mark the fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks!! I take tamoxifen as well as blood pressure meds. I also have an autoimmune disease that causes sever fatigue so I think its the combination of everything mixed together...

Im about 2 yrs, 4 months out of treament now and still have issues with fatigue...I generally feel fine but once in awhile it comes at me from out of the blue and I have to slow down for a few days to catch up.

Best wishes

Jule

I had 28 rad sessions.

I found by Thurs / Fridays I was fatigued...but ok by the Monday to start the rads again.

After the 5 weeks I was exhausted for about a week...then it got better everyday.

Didn't have chemo but did have 33 radiation treatments, 5 boosts. I didn't notice any tiredness or really anything out of the ordinary. Just got tiring going in each day. I am retired so if I had been working maybe I would have been fatigued..just don't know.

I also continued to walk my dog each day and go to Curves 3 times/week. They said, whoever "they" is that exercise really helps to prevent fatigue. 

I had the same dx as you bluejay. I had no chemo, 33 rads including 5 boosts at the end. I never had any fatigue. I took a walk after every treatment, and tried to eat very healthy. My radiologist said that I am proof that exercising through treatments minimizes side effects. I had only mild burning too. Even though it was easy for me physically, emotionally, I was a wreck. I had a lot of meltdowns because the whole thing scared me so much. I still wish I had said no to rads. Since my nodes were clear and I had wide margins, I just do not think it was worth the expense and trauma in my case. I also decided against arimidex which, may be another reason I had an easier time physically.

I had no fatique whatsoever during my 33 TX, which included 5 boosts. I'm usually pretty active & had no loss of energy at all. I had no chemo before, I was lucky. I ate healthy & drank lots of water. Did not start Aromasin until the day after my TX ended, didn't want anything to interfer & that was what my onc said to do anyway.

Val

Pattilou,

  I think there's a relative contraindication to radiation when you have lupus, as your skin may react. There's a link on this website to it

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/radiation/question/lupus.jsp

I seems like you should speak to the radiation oncologist before you make your decision.

Good luck, it sounds like you're in the early days of this process.

Kira

Who finished radiation 8/08, and still doesn't think my energy level is back to "normal"--I'm on tamoxifen. It is getting better. 

I had 6months chemo before surgery then 5 wks rads after mx.  I am 1month since rads ended.  I am still falling asleep every evening by 9:30. Thats not normal for me.  I have added exercise now in hopes to get more energy back I am feeling better but still wiped out so early every day.I also am on Tamox daily for over 1 month now.I am only 49.

Finished 25 rads txs about 3 weeks ago.  No fatigue at all.  Found myself yawning a bit in the afternoon towards the end of my txs, which is odd for me, but not tired enough to rest.  I did chemo (TC x 4), but had the "luxury" of a few extra weeks between chemo & rads due to indecisiveness on whether or not to do rads (I've had a mast), and then by the time I decided, it was early December, and my rad onc wanted me to wait until Jan, so as not to miss any days due to our separate vacation plans, as well as the holidays.  So, I had a few extra weeks to get stronger after chemo, which I think was a huge help in sailing through rads.   Deanna

i was about three weeks out of fec+ taxotere chemo, had 28 rads and finished this past Friday. Am on BP meds, and so far no big fatigue issues. I am a little tired today BUT have been outside more in the beautiful weather, I had more fatigue on the taxotere than anything. I guess after feeling that bad any fatigue would be easier than that. I do notice that bedtime comes a little eariler for me than it used to. I still get tired around 4-5 but that's been going on for years. I will start tamoxifen Monday as onco wanted me to wait until rads were over. We'll see what that does.

No chemo before rads,but thought I was feeling fatigue within the first week or so. Turns out I had low potassium, causing me not only fatigue but dizziness and nausea. I think that happened mostly due to a miserably hot and muggy July, drying medications, and eating less than my normal diet following the stress of diagnosis and surgery. Potassium-rich foods and keeping hydrated helped solved the symptoms. I had 33 treatments, including eight boosts. The boosts made my breast and surrounding area very sore and swollen. Like some others above,I didn't really feel tired until after the treatments ended. Part of that fatigue was the emotional letdown that follows treatment. The last treatment was Aug. 25,2008. Six months later,my energy level is back to normal. My effected breast is a "new normal", but thanks goodness,cancer-free. You're in my thoughts and prayers. There really is an end to this. Plan something special to celebrate the end. In the meantime,pamper yourself and eat healthy and drink plenty of liquids!

so you are not taking tamox?

I had a Lumpectomy, resulting in a diagnosis of DCIS (grade 3), followed by a re-excision for clean margins. I ended up with an infection a week after my surgery, treated with oral antibiotics and then started radiation less than 2 weeks after the infection. I had 30 treatments and my fatigue started after 3 weeks. My biggest challenge was not being able to sleep at night, thus increasing my fatigue symptoms. I was working full-time as a Director and had my treatments every morning at 7:30 before work. By week 4 I was exhausted. I was forgetting things and had a hard time staying focused. It also affected my emotions. I tell you this, because it took me too long to give in to the fact that I was going through a major physical challenge in my life and I did not adjust it accordingly and put myself first. Once my doctor ordered me to cut down on my hours and start napping during the day, I was able to sleep at night after about 7 days. My fatigue persisted for about 2 weeks after my treatment, however, it progressively improved during that time. I am 3 1/2 weeks post-treatment and I feel great. I still have a lot of breast soreness, however, my energy is back!

If you are going to be going through treatment, start by taking care of yourself and putting yourself first.

I am four weeks post chemotherapy and three days into rad therapy and the fatigue is already hitting me.  I am convinced that some of this fatigue is left over from chemotherapy and is now not being helped by the radiation. 

 I'm supposed to start some light exercise tonight with a personal trainer.  I just hope I can get through the next 6 weeks of radiation without falling asleep at my desk!

Chemo finished Oct 24th 2008, 4 weeks of rads finished Dec 19th 2008. Terrible fatigue after the first week of rads.  I had fatigue with chemo too, but it was different and not so constant. With rads I felt so tired, I wished I could lie on the floor in the middle of the day and sleep. Maybe it was in part because I had the treatment very early in the morning and was going directly to work afterwards.

The fatigue got better about 2-3 weeks after finishing rads. Now I am on Herceptin since January and still get suddenly tired in the afternoon. Probably some remaining SE of chemo and rads.  

I also was under the impression that rads would be relatively easy.  I go to rad oncologist next week to discuss my treatment plan.  Oncotype is low so no chemo.  I was thinking I would do the rad tx mornings and then go put in a full days work but now I'm not sure.  Maybe it would be better to do the treatment at the end of the day instead?  That way I can just go straight home and crash.  How to know what to do.  You seem to not even be able to plan ahead.   Guess have to take it one day at a time.

Thanks everybody for posting your experiences.  It does help.