When does radiation fatigue hit?

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nye1980
nye1980 Member Posts: 69
edited September 2016 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

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.

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  • CassieCat
    CassieCat Member Posts: 1,257
    edited September 2016

    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. :)

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited September 2016

    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.)

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  • molliefish
    molliefish Member Posts: 723
    edited September 2016

    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.

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited September 2016

    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).

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited September 2016

    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.

    Scared

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  • Bounce
    Bounce Member Posts: 574
    edited September 2016

    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.




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