Is radiation fatigue worse than chemo fatigue?

Stenotio:1221: First of all, I am very impressed that your RO acknowledges SE from radiation. So many women on these boards feel that radiation SE’s are minimized or even denied. I did not have chemo, so my situation really is not relevant, but so many women over the years on these boards also state that compared to chemo, rads was easy. Hope others chime in, but because you already have done so well, I think the odds are that you may manage rads very well also. Just want to add that rads for me were very doable. I easily could have worked through them but had to travel 4 hours daily in Feb in Manitoba, Canada for treatments. My challenge was the weather. But I treated myself daily with a flower from the hospital gift shop each day and enjoyed a house full of flowers to get through it. Hugs to you.

I too had chemo, surgery then radiation. I did not have any significant fatigue during radiation although it was mentioned as a possible side effect. My side effects from chemo were tolerable. I worked from home through my treatments so it maybe a different situation and I am an accountant so my job is not at all physical. The hardest part of radiation for me was the skin breakdown during the last couple weeks. I was glad I was home at that point so I could just wear a loose T-shirt.

I had surgery, chemo and now rad therapy. So far the fatigue and other SE are different from each other. With chemo, I was also nauseated and I think that took more out of me. Radiation is every day and I have to get up earlier in the day to get there and then get to work. I worked full time during chemo and I am working full time through radiation.

Of course your mileage may vary, as they say. Good luck

Wonder if anyone can help. Last year I had surgery for a Ductal Invasive Breast Cancer stage One. I had radiotherapy for 15 sessions over Three weeks. I was very lucky as I didnt get the burn, but felt unwell during my treatment. I am just over a year since I finished my Radiotherapy, but now I am feeling extremely achy and like I have the flue and also very tired all the time. I have to go to the breast unit next week for a check up and see weather it has returned and how the site of surgery has healed. Is this fatigue normal after all this time. I would appreciate some help here if anyone can help. Thank you.

I didn't feel unwell like I did during chemo but the fatigue was real. I had to stop and take a nap on my way home from appointments and I only lived 20 minutes away.

As you can see from the comments above, everyone's experience is different, and I don't think you can predict what will happen. For me, radiation was a piece of cake compared to chemo. I actually felt my energy returning. My tip would be, no matter how you feel, to get some light exercise every day. It will help with whatever fatigue you may feel (and if you don't feel fatigue, it will jump start your return to normal). Best of luck!

Those with radiation fatigue, let us know how many days of treatments you had... and where along that line you began to experience fatigue. Thanks for everyone posting here

I’ve had both protocols (20 sessions in 2016; 33 sessions last year) and, again, it was just a few individual days for me. It’s not like it was cumulative. The first time was several weeks in, on a Sunday, and I realized I’d been doing a lot of yard work the day before. Fatigue is very different from being tired. It’s not something you can power through. I needed to listen to my body and get off my feet for an hour or two—then I’d feel better. I’m sure many women get through without any fatigue.

How long does radiation fatigue last? My wife is TNBC with extensive bone mets. In May she had several violent seizures; the cancer had gone to her brain, the Dura (brain lining). What followed was a brain operation and the most cancerous portion of the Dura was removed and a titanium mesh installed. Next she had 11 days of WBR. After that she went back on her Halaven. However she kept having seizures. It seems there's scare tissue left in the brain and that is enough to cause seizure. A recent MRI showed the cancer gone.

My wife is extremely exhausted. She's so exhausted and frail her MO has halted all chemotherapy and recommended palliative care then hospice. She has no energy and sleeps all day. Her anti-seizure meds, Keppra, also cause fatigue. After several months I see no change. I've tried lot's of things but nothing, well pain pills, is the only thing that sort'ta, kind'da works.