How did you feel after radiation?

Pastor Rich

Hi folks;

My wife starts 5 weeks of radiation on April 4, and we have been offered a place to stay in Florida in May. We would have to drive from Ontario...

Cathy has been told she will be tired after the radiation is over (she has just finished 6 chemo treatments). Just how tired will this be? Will she be OK to go and enjoy the drive and the vacation???

Thanks,
Pastor Rich
_________________
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

Sharon

Dear Pastor Rich: I was wondering how you and Cathy were doing. She was diagnosed about the same time that I was. I, too, have finished the chemo...Yeh....I never thought this day would come. I will be starting radiation as well. I am planning a trip to Kauai in June and share your concern about energy levels. I have been told that it takes about as long as treatment to recover your energy level. I don't think anything could make me more tired than chemo. However, I will take it one day at a time. I am finally starting to sleep better which also should help with my energy level. My HGB was low related to the chemo so that should start rebuilding as well. My best to both of you. I will visualize you having a wonderful time in Florida come May. Hugs. Sharon
_________________
DX: October, 2004,age 59
Lumpectomy with Sentinel node
Sentinel node + with 5mm lesion
ER/PR +
HER2 -
Invasive Ductal with 8mm primary lesion
Dose Dense AC x 4 with Taxol x4
Radiation x 6weeks

AlaskaAngel

Hi Sharon and Pastor Rich,

When I finished CAF x 6 here in Alaska, my husband and I chose a brand-new rads facility in Northern California to do the rads treatments, because it was located within a block of my sister's workplace and only 9 miles from her home. So... it meant 4 days' driving time for us. I am self-employed full-time and have no stand-in for daily work deadlines, so it also meant working 8-hour days for me while traveling and throughout treatment, wherever we might be, including the 4-day drive back home. Sometimes it was hectic. He had to return home by plane after leaving me there, and then fly south to help me drive back. He also attended a conference for his job in Reno at exactly the time when my rads doc said I could take a 3-day break if I made up the time afterward, so we enjoyed that side trip. Everyone was very understanding about giving me time and opportunity to rest. I think the only time I got especially exhausted was when we did a 1 1/2 mile hike into a canyon and swam in a river and then hiked back up the steep canyon wall.

I have no other health conditions that could add to the discomfort of treatment. My rads doc saw me every week throughout treatment.

Our trip back was made just in time to get through Canada in a light snow, before the winter really set in. The tiredness that I had after chemo did take 2 years to completely go away to where I could exercise without getting terribly out of breath. Part of that came from being overweight from all the steroids I had during chemo. But it is quite common to have lingering tiredness from all the treatment for a long time afterward. And the tiredness wasn't the kind that interfered with my life really. It just slowed me down for that 2 years. I had to take a little more time to get things done, and a little more time out a little more often, but it was fine.

So as long as you don't plan to disco every night for fun right after she is done, enjoy your travels!

A.A.
_________________
Dx Dec 2001 at age 50
Lumpectomy Jan 2002, 1.6 cm IDC plus some DCIS
Node neg
ER+, PR+, HER2+++
CAF x 6, 35 rads+boost
NED
Tamoxfen 1 3/4 yrs
In 2 clinical trials
bc for mom and 1 sis and 1 aunt and 1 granny
ovarian cancer for 1 aunt

DiO · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:33 pm Post subject: radiation fatigue

I know everyone is different, but I was much less tired during radiation than during chemo, and was actually able to go back to work during rads. I worked part time, but as soon as rads were finished went immediately back to full time with no problem. I work in retail so am on my feet and running around the store constantly all day! I was more tired at the end of the day than before bc, but even that only lasted a couple of weeks. Also, like Sharon, I had no other chronic health problems to complicate things. I should think Cathy will be just fine to enjoy a relaxing vacation as soon as treatment is over. Just don't plan on any marathons!! Hope you have a wonderful time.

Good luck with radiation!
_________________
God Bless, Di

IDC 12/03 at age 55
lumpectomy, SNB 12/18/03
2cm tumor, 1/6+node, stage 2, grade 2 er/pr+ her2nu-
4 AC, 4 taxol, dose dense
33 rads
Arimidex started 7/04

Minnlady13

I can only offer a perspective from someone who did rads but no chemo. I was tired after finishing my radiation treatments, but we managed a nice trip along the north shore of Lake Superior and into Canada just a month or two later. I did just fine. Glad you dropped in again. Best wishes to you and Cathy, Lauri
_________________
Diagnosed 4/11/1996
Lumpectomy, 6 mm tumor
Neg. nodes
ER/PR+
33 rads
Tamoxifen, 5 yrs.
NED

Kristen · Experienced user Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 60

Congrats on your wife finishing chemo...indeed it is a great feeling to have that behind you.
As far as rads go, I think more than anything the tiredness stems from the traveling every day for a treatment that last 15 minutes for six weeks!Most people I know, myself included, have managed to work throughout the treatment. My rads finished 12/03 and I think I did pretty good, it's not the same kind of tired that chemo gives you.
I would think that a trip after rads is done would sound like a wonderful idea. I did everything I could just to get my kids to school everyday and then to work that I did feel pretty tired by the end of the day..(and still do)..
Kristen

penelopez · Senior User Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 165

Hi Pastor Rich,

I didn't think I was too tired from rads. The weekend before my last rads week, my family and I took the very early morning train to Boston (3 hours) to meet my sister and her husband. I was fine all day...a very long day. We took the 10:00 p.m. train home. I got on the train -- next thing I remember was hubby waking me....that we were home. I had gotten on that train and I was out like a light soon after. And I'm the type who NEVER sleeps on trains and planes.

So....I wasn't overly tired, but a bit more tired than I expected.

Cathy should be fine. I think the trip will be good for her. If she's tired, let her doze in the car while you drive. Smile

Have a great trip,

Margie

sgishelly

Pastor Rich,

I will be finishing my rads and my Taxol part of chemo at the end of May and I'm planning a trip to Colorado to celebrate. It gives me something to look forward to and to plan. I may not be feel like doing everything but that's ok...I'll do what I feel like doing and I'll rest if I need to and I'll be able to do it in a beautiful place. I think your wife will enjoy the trip and it will be a nice way to celebrate the ending of the treatments. Good luck and have a wonderful trip!!
_________________
Shelly
Dx Nov 1, 2004 at 40 y/o
Right MRM, Left Simple Mast. - 12/9/04
Stage 2A IDC -
Primary tumor 1cm
3+ / 14 nodes, ER/PR+, HER2-
34 rads - finished 5/25
chemo - AC and Taxol FINISHED 7/6/05
beginning reconstruction 2/06
brain mets 4/06 - now stage 4

Pastor Rich

Thanks everyone!

As it turns out we will likely fly.... Hard to believe but with the price of motels and food and gas for 2 nights there and 2 nights back it is cheaper to fly and rent a car for a week.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Rich
_________________
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

Cindy · Senior User Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 167

I was pretty lucky. I didn't have any fatigue, whatsoever. Only had mild tanning on my breast and never used any aloe or anything. Results can be so different for each individual and I am hoping Cathy has an easy go of it, as well. Blessings.
_________________
Where is the cure???
www.truefacesofbreastcancer.org
www.diepbreastreconstruction.org
www.bcsisters.org/forum
www.mybreastcancerstore.com

RachelEsther

I had 5 1/2 weeks of radiation and was not tired at all. No, correction, I took exactly 2 naps during the whole time! Worked throughout, too. No side effects except the skin burn.

For about 2 weeks after radiation (and probably one week before it ends), the irradiated area will probably be burned, like a bad sunburn. Get her doctor to prescribe silver sulfadiazine for the burning, and alternate that with the moisturizer. She will not want to wear anything tight or scratchy until the skin goes back to normal, so she should prepare clothing that is soft, and bra/bra substitutes that are very comfortable.

I don't think the drive should be anything different than it would be under normal circumstances. However, she should not be exposing the irradiated area to the sun, or at least not without lots of sunblock (ask the doctor!), so perhaps some light cover ups will be helpful.

I'm sure that you will both be pleasantly surprised at how easy radiation is.
_________________
Rachel
Age 50 at diagnosis, Stage IIIA
IDC grade 1, DCIS grade 2
LB Mastectomy, Expander Recon 3/3/2004
Dose Dense Chemo completed 07/01/04
Radiation completed 09/02/04
Silicone Implant 11/22/04, removed 7/05 due to infection (dental cleaning), replaced 12/05. Reduction RB for symmetry 04/06
Tamoxifen 10/04-10/06, Arimidex 10/06 on

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