Did you work during Radiation?

Hi Bettina,

Although I regret it, I did work during radiation.  The hospital was close to my office, but they were rarely on schedule.  Then I had to make up the time I was away.  My days got pretty long and it was just around then that the fatigue really set it.  

For you it depends on how challenging your work is, how close together hospital and work are, how many sessions you will need.  Are they pushing you to return to work?

If you do go back to work during, and then have problems and need to be on leave again, will that be a problem at your job?  I would factor that into your decision.  There's no way to predict whether or not you will have a lot of fatigue or severe skin issues - some people do and some don't. 

I worked all the way through, but I shortened my days a bit - had my rads at 9:30 and went in afterwards, and toward the end took an extra day off each week. 

As for the guilt about missing work - you're entitled to look out for yourself first.

I worked during both chemo and rads. The radiation center was halfway between work and home, and I was able to leave work a little early and receive radiation on my way home. I didn't start feeling tired or burned until the end of week four (of six). During the last two weeks, I came home and was in bed two hours later. I finished rads two days before Thanksgiving last year. I took some extra time at Thanksgiving and Christmas to get back on my feet, and was pretty fatigued and sore during that time. My skin became bright red and peeled, but no blisters, oozing or breaking down. However, by New Year's Day, my skin was in pretty good shape, and about 75% of my energy was back. I had plenty of sick leave and vacation time saved up, but I just didn't feel it necessary to take off. For me, keeping to a semi-normal routine was very cathartic.

I did not have chemo so I felt better than many feel when they start chemo.  I worked without much difficulty but I made sure to get plenty of rest at night.  I recommend you listen to your body.  There is no right answer to this question.

Good luck with your rads.  They'll be over before you know it.

Roseann

Bettina:

Yes, I worked through it all.  All the chemo and am now just completing my first week of rads.  5 weeks and 2 days to go, but whose counting!  I was lucky to get a 5:30 p.m. appt for the rads, so I leave work at about 4:00 to head up to the rads center.  We have mucho traffic here in Atlanta, GA, so to go the 12 miles, it often takes me an hour to get there.  I find that to be the most discouraging part of all of this.  Good luck to you!

Linda

I worked full time during rads. I had chemo first but felt much better by the time I started rads (about 5 weeks after my last chemo). I was lucky and didn't experience any rads fatigue. I work from home. During rads, they recommend that you not wear a bra so depending on your build, that might not be comfortable in an office setting or some other workplaces.

Yes, I worked through my 6 weeks of radiation treatments. I am a hairstylist and I would work until 3:00 and then go to radiation at 3:30. I also worked through chemo, but I would take off of work during the first week of chemo and then work half-days for the next 2 weeks until the next treatment. I will admit that I am very tired, but that is probably because for the past 10 months since diagnosis I have had one thing after another (surgery and treatments)  and won't be all done until March of next year. 

Yes, I was 63, had a desk job, but worked throughout the whole thing.  I did find that after work, I needed to STOP and do nothing.  Then, in the morning, I was just fine.

Hugs, Shirlann

I worked the night shift at that time, and still worked full time all through radiation.  Even though some nights I was up all night without a break, I was never more tired than usual either during or after rads.

I worked during rads and chemo...rads was simple since it was only a 10 min. drive...just scheduled it around my lunch...if you need to work...and yes I needed to..2 kids in college...working during rads was a piece of cake...just because it worked out that way....I worked during my 8 chemos also...before, during and when I was done...not sure how much I got done..or the quality...but I was there!   It was just a matter of well....I don't know...I just wasn't going to let chemo/rads interfere with my regular life....but people are different...you have to do what is best for you..I found that I felt much better keeping myself busy than just laying around....it was important to me to work, clean, do laundry..all that stuff...looking back..would I do that again..I don't know..but I think it did...I exercised, went out for dinner, partied with my dh and friends...damn it...cancer wasn't taking over what I always did..wasn't going to let it

I have a desk job so it was easier for me.  I really don't know if I could have stood on my feet all day...plus when I was going through chemo I feel like I was a little goofy...I'm not sure if I would have been able to do anyone's hair, let alone have scissors in my hand!

Maybe you won't feel as tired from rads as you do from chemo...remember with rads there are no drugs involved to make you tired so you may get your energy back....when I did feel fatigue from rads I went for a walk and it helped keep my energy up.

I admire you ladies who did continue to work; I chose not to. I work nights and have a very stressful job. It is a good job that pays well but it is also a 70 mile trek to and from work at night in not a very good part of town. I was really tired about halfway through the treatments. I took the very first appt in the am and that helped. Financially to offset the loss from my earnings we just cut back and it helped actually when we were down to 2 cars. Third car needs major work; in process of doing that. Anyway, last child at home son in college was working and going to school so he took one car and husband took the other one to work. I used my son's car in the summer and made it to my appt and back home before he had to go to work so it worked out for us. We have additional income from several sources so we are far from being in trouble financially. I have low blood pressure and borderline anemic so that didnt help my fatigue issues. You can only do what is best for you. I saw a number of ladies coming in, getting the RADS, and heading off to work. Regardless dont feel guilty if you decide not to work; I didnt.

I am not working during radiation.  in fact I'am on a leave of absence since the surgery and I will go back after radiations following the surgeon advice.  I have insurance at work and receive 80% of my salary.  I am lucky to work for a big company who have all kind of insurance for the employees (salary, drugs, dentist....etc)

I did not work during my chemo and while I wanted to, I had a rough time with the side effects of Neulasta. My chemo/Neulasta ended two weeks ago and I am starting to feel good again. I start radiation on January 18 for 6 weeks and need to go back to work since I will be out of sick leave on January 27th. Most of my appointments are in the afternoon, so I could work part time but it is up to my boss. He hasn't made a decision yet. I work for a municipality so what he says goes! I am an admin assistant and it is not physically demanding.

I start rads today, and will be working (a desk job) full-time, starting out 3-4 days/week in the office (which has been my usual routine, as I have a commute by car, train and walk/shuttle of 1 hour and 20-30 minutes) and then more days at home as needed as the weeks progress. If I need to work 100% at home, that's OK with my manager, but I prefer not if I don't have to.

I have a question about the daily schedule of application of cornstarch. Recommendations from my radiation oncology department are to apply the aloe gel twice daily morning and evening (no problem) and constarch 4-6 times/day. Applying cornstarch 2-3 times/during the day at the office (in the handicapped toilet stall I assume) seems like an inconvenient nuisance, not to mention posing a risk to get powder on my clothes. How do people at work in an office deal with this task?