Radiation - Can I drive myself ?

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JudyAnnW
JudyAnnW Member Posts: 28
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hello everyone -

My name is Judy, I am 54 and live in Oakley, CA.  I will be having a lumpectomy on Monday,

March 8 and will be following this up with radiation.  Can anyone who has been through this,

advise me if they drove themselves to and from their procedures ?  I will be doing this for

at least 3 weeks, and would like to drive myself.

Thanks so much.

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  • faithandfifty
    faithandfifty Member Posts: 10,007
    edited March 2010

    I drove myself back & forth to rads on the daily basis, thru 33 visits.

    It wasn't a problem for me in the slightest.

    Wishing you well.

    xx00xx00xx00xx

    Strength and courage.

    Strength and courage.

    Strength and courage.

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited March 2010

    It won't be a problem at all to drive.  Good luck!

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  • cookiegal
    cookiegal Member Posts: 3,296
    edited March 2010

    The first few weeks should be fine. I got very fatigued the last few days, and probably would not have gotten behind the wheel.

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  • billmomson
    billmomson Member Posts: 10
    edited March 2010

    Based on my experience...you will be fine driving yourself. Radiation was nothing compared to chemo. It does make you increasingly fatigued, but that is about it. For me the set up was longer than the actual treatments.

    I wish you well on your journey.

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  • rgiuff
    rgiuff Member Posts: 1,094
    edited March 2010

    I had absolutely no side effects from radiation, drove myself to every appt. and treatment.  Never even got fatigued, guess I was used to being fatigued, I continued to work my full time overnight shift as a nurse all throughout.   Made my appts. for 8:00 am, so I'd just be getting out of work most mornings and go straight there.

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  • GryffinSong
    GryffinSong Member Posts: 439
    edited March 2010

    I agree with the others. I drove every day and had no problems at all. My regular thing was to drive afterwards to a friend's house and chat awhile. That way if I felt at all tired I could rest up a little before driving home. My drive was an hour on country roads though.

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  • JudyAnnW
    JudyAnnW Member Posts: 28
    edited March 2010

    Thanks to all who answered me.  I can't tell you how moved I am to find that there are

    people out there who read my question and shared their thoughts.  Good luck to

    us all !   

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  • pj12
    pj12 Member Posts: 25,402
    edited March 2010

    Judy,

    I was a real wimp and found rads very stressful. But was totally able to drive or anything else.  Sometimes if I felt shaken I would get a soda and sit a minute but it was really all in my head and not physical at all.  You should be fine.

    Good luck.

    pam 

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  • sanaisa
    sanaisa Member Posts: 167
    edited March 2010

    Hugs Judy...I have driven myself to and fro with every chemo (x6), Herceptin (continuing weekly to 9/10) and Rads (12 rads left to go, out of 33) to date. Actually, have worked full time through the entire process (do rads on my very exciting lunch break!). I don't expect any change to this course... :)

    edited because I can't seem to spell "do" (due)...maybe I am fatigued!!! LOL

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  • rreynolds1
    rreynolds1 Member Posts: 450
    edited March 2010

    I not only drove to my radiation treatments, but I was able to work throughout.  Because I did not have chemo, I was stronger when I started the treatments.  I think it is a much tougher treatment when it follows chemo treatments.  Good luck.

    Roseann

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  • Wonderland
    Wonderland Member Posts: 3,288
    edited March 2010

    I did not drive myself to chemo treatments but I drove myself to rad appointments (33 treatments). It was an hour round trip. I enjoyed listening to music and having personal reflection time.  A few times a friend or family member wanted to drive me and it was nice having company.

    Wonderland

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  • gfbaker
    gfbaker Member Posts: 173
    edited March 2010

    I drove to radiarion appts. You are tired after a while, but no more than a bad nights sleep tired. Nothing like chemo. Good luck!

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  • Cgirl
    Cgirl Member Posts: 14
    edited March 2010

    I worked everyday, started with working out in the mornings, and I drove to each rad. treatment in the afternoon- last appointment of the day for a total of 30.  I moved the appointments to the end of the day so I could go directly home after-wards.  I was half way through treatment when i started to get side effects including fatigue.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited March 2010

    If you live far away from your radiation clinic then you might want to bum some rides, as just the back and forth gets to be wearing. I was a 200 mile round trip to my clinic. I had many friends who had said, "Let me know if there is anything I can do." So I got a calendar, pulled  it out and said, "Actually, if you are serious, you can sign up to drive me to radiation." I never had to drive even once!! If I had lived in the same town it wouldn't have been a problem, but as that wasn't the case, I really appreciated not having to worry about driving along with everything else. Good Luck!

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  • NatureGrrl
    NatureGrrl Member Posts: 1,367
    edited March 2010

    I drove to all my treatments myself, chemo and rads. No problem with either.  Radiation was a breeze after chemo. 

    Others make a good point, that if you have a long drive you might appreciate having someone else to help, but really you should be fine.

    I hope your lumpectomy went well. 

    Warm hug!  You can do this!

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  • concernedsis
    concernedsis Member Posts: 256
    edited March 2010

    Sis drove herself to 24 of 28 - last 4 she was burned pretty bad and on pain meds - wanted to do a driving miss daisy in the back sans seatbelt and b/c of the pain meds.

    Good luck!

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