As some of you know I’ve had some recent radiotherapy which finished on 5th of July
I didn’t feel too bad afterwards but now I’m feeling worse...fatigue dreadful...changed my bedding this morning and had to sit down afterwards as felt so weak
I was told symptoms would peak at 2 weeks then start to improve..maybe I’m just impatient
Aldo I’m back on Ibrance after s 5 week break and started the COC drugs
Do you think this is normal to feel this way?... what side effects have any of you ladies had from radiotherapy?
I’ll perhaps speak to a radiotherapy nurse but doubt there’s anything anyone can do
I went to a friends charity garden party yesterday and felt a proper misery...couldn’t be bothered to talk to people...shouldn’t have gone but I’d bought a ticket etc
Barb xx
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I just want to commiserate with you Barb. I’m sorry you are feeling poorly. I don’t have any experience on radiotherapy as my mets are in the right lung, hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes. Hope you feel better soon.
hi maria, my mom has mets to mediastinal lymph nodes and small lumps in her lungs and is doing radiotherapy and faslodex cycles. It is strange because reading on this forum, none of you with the same problem has had radiation therapy. We live in Italy, perhaps there are different protocols here. They never proposed it to you? Sorry for my bad english!
Thanks for your reply. What kind of radiotherapy is your mom getting? Has it helped reduce the tumors? I was told that the nodules in the lungs are small and many and the mediastinal tumor is near the blood vessels. Maybe in Italy you have much better equipment that target the tumors directly and not affect the healthy tissues.
I think it's called VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy) it is a very precise radiotherapy that saves healthy tissues and nearby organs as much as possible. Now she is in the third week and she has two more to do. The side effects are fatigue and from a few days the esophagus has a discomfort when swallowing, but the onc told her that it is normal. I'll let you know at the first check scan. What is your therapy now? Thank you
Wow we definitely don’t have that here. Please do let me know how it works. I will ask if they have that in Singapore or Malaysia. I am now on Ibrance and Faslodex but the tumors are still there. Are there numerous nodules in her lungs or just a Few?
I am sorry that you feel so tired maybe is a combination of radiation and Ibrance side effects, rest and eat healthy where part of your body got radiation take care and God bless you
I don’t have a background in med field but maybe check with your team...maybe they can do some tests. I always feel really weak when my B-12 is low. Prayers you feel better soon.❤️
I had radiation years ago, lots of it and it does wipe you out. There were days I could barely lift my head from my pillow but time does help and the fatigue will wear off eventually. Do what you can as far as eating healthy etc to get your strength back and eventually you’ll notice improvement. Damn this disease for taking so much from us. Thinking of you.
Sounds like this is part of recovering from your treatment. Take this time as an opportunity to rest and do only what you feel like doing. I had radiation to breast tumor site and was told to expect fatigue. Thankfully I don’t recall any, but that coupled with Ibrance is a lot for the body. Be a hermit, don’t extend yourself socially and know that this is self limiting. Sending you my best as seagulls natter away overhead where I am sitting in Hastings enjoying a wonderfully sunny day by the sea. 💕
That sounds like the perfect solution to your exhaustion. I too was fatigued after radiation. It’s hard to tell what is causing what at that point because I started my Ibrance immediately after finishing radiation, but it seemed like it took me 6 months to get to my new normal after that. I had been chair bound for two months before that so I had a lot of general weakness to make up for as well. I don’t expect it will take you anywhere near that long to recover! Elaine
Hi Barb,
I'm sorry to hear about how bad you have been feeling. I only had one palliative session of radiotherapy 11 months ago to help with pain in my back and it left me in agony for five days. It turns out I was given a high dose. So it's not an experience I would care to go through again. I would call your doctor and find out what can be done to ease your symptoms.
I'm sure you were not a misery yesterday and that your friends were pleased to see you. Sometimes we see ourselves differently to how others see us. We think we're being a burden, whereas others don't see that at all.
Hi Barb! Enjoy the fabulous weather we are getting ... great to boost your vitamin D and with a bit of colour you will soon feel better ! I agree you are probably overloading your system after intensive radiotherapy , so take it a bit slower ... Grab a deckchair and chill ! And enjoy lots of fresh fruit to boost the immune system ! x
So sorry you are feeling poorly, and I suspect the heat doesn't help .no experience of radiation yet so can't help on whether this is normal or not but would definitely check with your medical team... I hope you will feel better soon and at least this is all happening early enough for you to be in good shape for September 😉
Excellent.. I am due to go back home to France (Brittany) on 1st August... Can't wait to jump in the sea ( mind you it would probably rain by then! 😂) Went to COC today, will do a proper " report" but was not very impressed by the guy... Anyway I will see him as my dealer 😂... Don't need to like him, trust him or make friend with him, just need him to sign off the prescriptions 🤣
Barb , I am experiencing exactly the same, started 2 weeks ago and I am putting it down to the stereotactic radiotherapy to my brain before Christmas. Cannot put it down to anything else. I have had radiotherapy on both breasts prior and no bother.
Enjoy your break and the weather but remember to protect any skin that has had radiotherapy.
Hi Barb, Just wanted to ask if you were temporarily given steroids? I had
radiotherapy nine years ago in both breasts and found it very easy. In January this year I had radiotherapy on my spine and was schocked by how dreadful I felt. When I went back to my oncologist when the treatment finished she was amazed to see how awful I looked and felt. I totally underestimated radiotherapy to the bone. The steroids really helped as did the treatment( after a few weeks). Thinking of you and sending love from sunny Bangor Co Down. Weather so beautiful and unfortunately I have a full day at hospital for my IV chemo xx
Oh Barb I do feel for you. There's always a lot going on for us anyway but with this and the new COC cocktail, your body is coping with a lot so there's no wonder you're feeling it.
When I had radiotherapy back in 2010 I recall being extremely tired so I think that's quite normal. I don't recall anyone mentioning the two weeks peak, I just remember the effects lasting for a good few weeks after my last session. Also, I didn't use enough moisturiser nor for long enough afterwards and paid the price. It was like I had leprosy, skin falling off. It was horrid so please keep the area well mousturised, even if you think it's out of your system, i'd hate for you to suffer from that too. Definitely chat through with specialist nurse, I'm sure she'll have some advice for you.
Thanks for that...my skin seems ok but I’ll take your advice and slap on the moisturiser...I stopped the COC regime yesterday...I rang to let them know...and I’m sure I feel slightly better today...could be just that I’m away for a few days and the weathers lovely so that is a tonic in itself...also I’m not feeling guilty not riding horses...they’ve gone on their hols as well...just s different field!!!
I had 20 sessions of radiotherapy as part of my initial breast cancer treatment. I didn’t realise it at the time but it took me around 6 months to fully recover from the fatigue it caused. Though i’d also had a course on intravenous chemo before it so I wasn’t in a good place to start.
The oncologist told me that the radiotherapy wouldn’t cause fatigue, but it did.
I felt intense fatigue for a month after it finished and then thought I was ok, but looking back I now realise it took longer but gradually diminished.
Be kind to yourself and don’t expect too much too soon. It does get better.
As I said I thought I was ok after a month, but I now realise it took longer. The assurance is right, just take it steady and don't push yourself too hard.
During my initial dx I had radiation and the fatigue was terrible. I think the combo of the radiotherapy and starting Ibrance again along with the other drugs is all contributing to your fatigue. All of which is normal and to be expected.
It will lessen as you go farther from the radiotherapy and your body will readjust to the Ibrance again.
Get as much rest as possible. I know how frustrating it is too feel so fatigued. It is so frustrating. Especially when you are used to doing everything.
I pray you recover quickly and get back to your old self pre radiotherapy.
Sorry you are feeling this way. When I had radiation I had reactive pain right away- steroids for few days. I remember it was 2-3 weeks later really felt it with fatigue and malaise. Took a while to pass. Just rest and take it easy. Hope you get past this bump soon♥️♥️
You shouldn’t get too tired raising glass to mouth repetitively!!
On a serious note. Have you tried Pacing? I’m completely rubbish at it but it might help with the fatigue. I was told to think of an activity that you would normally do and cut it down to a fifth. Start there and build up (slowly). Make time for relaxation/meditation during the day. My friend that has Chronic Fatigue does her relaxation about 3 x a day when she is bad.
my guess is it's a combination of being back on ibrance, and starting the new COC protocol, plus the radiation, all bombarding you at once? maybe? sending prayers! <3 xo
Yes, 6-1/2 weeks radiation 5 days on 2 off repeat for the 6-1/2 weeks. Was quite tired by the end of it. Prior to that total hysterectomy, chemo port out procedure, before that 4 months of chemo, before that port in procedure, before that MRSA infection in second (to get clear margins) cancer removal surgery, first cancer removal surgery, biopsy and testing, before that found lump myself. This all occurred from Friday 13, June, 2008 day I found lump to - February 26, 2009. Heck no wonder we are all tired by the time radiation is finished.
I had radiation for a month years ago when the cancer first moved to my bone but don't remember feeling fatigued. I do remember though when my mom had it she was extremely tired. I am sure it will get better and trust me, we are all impatient when it comes to wanting to feel better faster. Sending you thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery from the fatigue.
My mum was ok at first but as the end of the first week approached she was exhausted and it had burnt all her oesophagus she was in agony and sick constantly for weeks it was awful. She suffered really bad side effects after her radiotherapy. X
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