Anyone any experience of PMR,and radiotherapy for breast cancer

[Honeydog1]

Hi,

Following diagnosis of PMR in February 2022, I now require radiotherapy after lumpectomy for lobular cancer.

I am especially interested in the level of fatigue experienced during radiotherapy.

Thanks

Jane

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Sure those that have will be along idc particularly MrsNails

[MrsNails]

Hi Jane - l didn’t have Radiotherapy as l had a Mastectomy & Chemo - l do however have a Group in PM’s of our BC Ladies so l’ll forward your question on to them to see if any of them can help.

Kind Regards

MrsN

Good Luck 🍀

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I don't know how universal the fatigue is anyway.

I did a study on r/t in BC patients and the variation was amazing. One lady wanted to refuse r/t because she wouldn't be able to do her charity work transporting elderly people to clubs but I talked her round - and in the end she waltzed through the month, walking up the stairs to my lab on Level 7 from the r/t suite in the nether regions of the hospital on Level 3 (always felt miles to me!) as a check on how she was doing. Others were exhausted after just a week!

[Telian]

Hi Honeydog1. I’m sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I had Radiotherapy following two BC surgeries and was told the fatigue comes on at the end of treatment. I did have occasional feelings staring towards the end of treatment but more so after as they had said. To be honest it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Yes you need to make no plans once it starts and to see how you are but I got through it unscathed. It lasted a few weeks everyday then started to ease off to having acceptable days in between. Overall lasted about 3 months. I suffer more now with Adrenal resurgence, second time around reaching 7.5mg and it can’t wait. I really do feel more debilitated now than after the radiotherapy. Hope you get through it okay. Good luck. 🌺

[5lupins]

Hi, I hope you are recovering well. I did not have lobular type breast cancer and with very fine skin after ten years on steroids and over 75 the oncologist said I had a choice. It was only weeks after my husband of 55 years died and I decided not to have r/t. Also node and area surrounding cancer were clear. If adviced to do so I would not let the fatigue put you off.

I now take Letrozole hormone medication and risedronate to prevent osteoporosis.

Wishing you well and hoping you have good friends and family around you.

Thinking of you. Jen🌸

[SnazzyD]

Hello, sorry you’ve joined this club as well. I had lobular cancer in 2004 aged 41, however I had to have chemo first and then a mastectomy with total lymph node clearance before the radio therapy. This may have a bearing on why by the end of RT I was on my knees after it accumulated over three weeks of intensive therapy on top of everything else. I worked in the field of cancer care and like PMRPro, found a large variation in responses to RT, indeed chemo also. Some in my cohort acted like it was merely a sun bed and did business as usual. Same with chemo actually, with a other ladies having the same chemo as me went into town for a spot of shopping where I was almost carried out to stay in bed for 10 days each time. So, keep an open mind and as Telian said, don’t plan anything just in case. You may find it ok but with the overlay of PMR and Pred I think even more you need to go with the flow and probably not over think it because of the muddy water of influences. TLC is the one thing you can control and banish the words “I ought” from your vocabulary.

[Rache]

Hi Honeydog, I had a lumpectomy and radiotherapy at the age of 64. I had assumed I would feel tired and not very well due to the radiotherapy but it just didn’t happen. There was no discernible difference from my usual condition! I didn’t have PMR at the time but I did have a shoulder fracture in the middle of the treatment which was very painful. Everyone is different - I wouldn’t worry ahead of time and just rest when you need to. All the best x

[Kaaswinkel72]

Hi there,

I have been diagnosed with PMR from May 2017, have been mostly on 3.5 mg prednison. Managed by myself.

I was diagnosed with stage one triple negative breast cancer may 2021. Just had my first check up by oncologist and surgeon a week ago. No sign of recurrence. Hurray.

After the initial lumpectomy there was chemo and radiation. Yes, I do feel I am a different person than I was before the ex cancer.

However the radiation did nt affect me in a negative way. I did get “ tired” at the end of the series for a day or two, but overal there were no physical adverse effects.

I am a great one for “ exercise” and walked on a daily basis for more than 30 min. apart from the one or two days when I was so tired post radiation. Also stopped all alcohol, which was nt much, and cut down on sugar.

One never knows whether that has been helpful but for me, apart from physical it gave me a great sense of positive empowerment, which might have helped the whole process. Inclusive possible side effects of radiation.

It is good you ask others, who have been there and done that….it is a bit of a lonely experience……

But I am sure you realise the response of each of us is different. I myself would say: grab all the team of oncologists offer and advise you, AND keep fit in the meantime, and stop the booze, nobody can take that away from me!

[BarachoisBay]

I had a lumpectomy in 2017 followed by radiation. I also had PMR at the time. I am not one to keep a record unfortunately, but my memory is of rather enjoying the routine of the hospital visits for treatment. Almost feeling like I had a job to go to again. Fixing myself up to look my best to go. I do not recall any related fatigue or any side effects. I had my 5 year all clear last March. I also was blessed through the whole cancer process with a very positive attitude and a feeling that I would be fine. Not sure where that came from, but I was/am very grateful for it. Best of luck to you, Hon! Mary