Working Through Radiation?

i worked through it - went before work each day - lucky though that rads were 5 min from  home, and work 5-10 minutes from there. If I had to commute the way I did when I lived in Californi, I do not think I could have done it every single day. I was fine the first few weeks, then it can start to exhaust you. About when they were done I was beyond exhausted, and am just starting (I think it has been 4-6 weeks since I finished) to feel some energy returning. We are all different with so many other factors to account for - commute, children, etc. Good luck with your decision! (one thing I may hve done different would be to schedule them for the end of the day - I didn't do that because in my job it is near impossible to actully leave on time for n appt (partly my fault cause I can't say no when someone has something they say is important to get done) but at least then I could have gone right home after. Just a thought!

(and sorry, the "a' key is only working part time on  my keyboard!

I just finished two weeks ago.  I chose to work half time (office job).  I took a nap almost every afternoon from the third week on, and even now that I am finished I still do.  I guess it just depends on the person.  My skin started to blister and peel around the 3-4 week mark.  It hurt so much I had to take painkillers, which zonk me out!  

 I am 47 and have been at the same job for 24 years.  Only one kid left at home and he's working and hardly there.  I was ready for the break to focus on my well being.  Trust your instinct!

 Laura 

I worked outside during my radiation doing very physical work and had seven weeks of treatment.  I found it more tiring than the surgery and chemo - maybe it was the accumulation of all of it.  If you find yourself tired at the beginning of the last week, I would arrange for a ride home on the last 2 or 3 treatments, if you can.  Sometimes neighbors, friends, volunteers will do this for you.

My butt was dragging so bad during that last appointment, I'm sure you can still see the marks in the hospital parking lot - I wished that I had anticipated this and arranged for my husband to pick me up.

Make sure to use whatever ointment they suggest right from the start; don't wait until you start to get red. Don't put any on in the morning before the zap, but I brought a tube with me so I could slap some on right away in the dressing room when I was done and then again before I went to bed. I didn't blister at all; just had a hot, red boob the last two weeks.

I've been working full time as a manager of an inpatient nursing unit.  I have my appts during my lunch hour.  It actually takes 1.5 hours due to the commute to and from the radiation center; my employer has been very accommodating with this arrangement.  I will agree that keeping active has kept my mind off bc which has been a blessing.  I've completed 14 of 36 treatments and I do get pretty tired by the end of the week.  Listen to your body; it'll tell you what to do.  Best wishes during your treatment.   

Katarina-I worked during rads but worked 5 hours a day.  I had an hour communte both ways to rads. About the third week in I started taking a nap when I got home and that got me through dinner and whatever night time activities I had.  But I still wanted to be in bed by 9pm.  The last two weeks I had friends go with me because of the commute I would get very  sleepy driving  home.  Also I had pretty bad skin problems and the last week of rads I was on painkillers and could not drive as well for that.  The fatigue lasted about 5 weeks after rads and then got much better after that.

I don't work and there is no way I could have worked if I had a job.  Half way through I tore my rotators cuff so I was on major pain meds for that and slept every afternoon.  I too was one that burned horribly.  The fatigue was doable until I hurt my arm.  In my area they make you put your arms behind your head and hold on to something back there. 

Good Luck and as all said use your creams like they tell you too.

I think you do what you have to do.   I think there are some women who probably could have worked through it, but were able to take off.   

Katarina, if you are in a financial position where you don't have to, why put yourself throught the extra stress right now?   I say make your life as easy as possible right now.

I worked throughout my six weeks of radiation, which ran from mid-October 2008 to Thanksgiving. I'm a desk jockey in an isolated office, so I didn't have the stress of office politics to deal with or physical considerations. The radiation facility was half-way between work and home, so I stopped in on my way home from work.

I felt pretty good for the first four weeks of rads; then the fatigue set in. My skin was also getting rather crispy around this time. After rads each day, I went home and slept. I had some vacation time to use up (or lose) by the end of the year, so I took two weeks off around Christmas. I slept the entire first week. Then I started getting my energy back. By New Year's Day, I was hiking in the mountains. The two weeks I spent taking it easy may have prevented the long-term fatigue that a lot of ladies suffer from. I've been high energy ever since.

I wish I had not worked. Had rads first thing in the morning, went home for breakfast/shower, then to work. Toward the end, I worked from 10 to 4. Extremely fatigued, both mentally and physically. Desk job. I was seriously afraid of losing my job if I were not around -- layoffs were (and continue to be) always on the horizon.

Another girl at my company, different division, was encouraged to stay home after her surgery and not return until after rads were complete. She napped, exercised, took care of herself. I wish I had gone that route. Years later, I still fight fatigue (from Tamox, I guess).

I worked too, school secretary. my rad treatments were at the end of the day. so i left work an hour early.  i only stayed home towards the end when i was really sore from the burn.  and that was maybe 1 day.  i try to push myself too , during chemo i was really tired and sometimes they would send me home from work, what wonderful people i work with....

It is so individual. I really didn't slow down my schedule at all. I was just tired of going and getting 'zapped' every day!

Do you think you could have done it if you had bilateral breast radiation? I have bialteral disease & had BMX. I knew I was in for radiation on the side with positive nodes. Now it's being suggested for the other side because of lympatic invasion of that tumor. I do believe that a BMX is probably harder than a uni  but I'm not sure I can or should apply my logic here. I was hoping to bounce right through it. I'm a very active person. I was even going to swim through it if possible. I know someone who did. RO says it should be OK. But both sides?  I'll slow down if need be. I hope twice as much area being radiated doesn't equal twice as tired.