Fatigue after radiation

Posted by sue417 @sue417, Apr 3 4:31pm

Hi
Just wondering people's effects after radiation for breast cancer and how long fatigue lasts I just finished 20 sessions and I can't even begin to say how exhausted I am just trying to do normal things.

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@alibee

I think it can take a while, especially given all of the other stressors in your life. Without going into detail, I had a lot of stress in my life before during and after radiation as well. My cancer was similar to yours, but I was stage 1A. I would say it took me at least a good 7 to 8 months before I was back to my old self. Recovery will be different for everybody - there are those who snap right back and others, like us, who need more time. Go easy on yourself. Listen to your body. It’s essential to take the time to rest when you need it, even if it’s just a 20-30 minute nap. Put yourself first if you can, and be patient with yourself — you’ll eventually get to where you want to be. Sending you strength! Good luck!

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Hi
I wish the hospitals would tell you about the effects of radiation and have support systems. The radiologist told me 3 weeks you will be a little tired that's b.s. obviously he has never had radiation. Then there's your family and friends . Mine don't get it at all. It's frustrating. Thanks for sharing

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@sue417

Hi
Er pr + her 2 - stage 0
I finished.
Radiation, April 2nd this yr, my fatigue hit at the end of April.This is four months since radiation. I started to feel a bit better but now I am leveled again. I have had alot of deaths in the last 5 mths 4 actually. Plus caring for a mom with my sister with alzhiemers. She finally got placed this week. I don't know if it's all the stress as i have not been able to rest properly since coming back home after radiation . Or if this is the norm. Still waiting to see my endocrinologist.Because also I was taken off a hrt after 14yrs and having alot of menopause systems anxiety, hot flashes, mood swings. I just want my life back to what it was before radiation. Am I unrealistic to think?I should be feeling better. Plus have fibromyalgia

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I can relate. I had dcis,stage 0 hr+, in spring of 2022. I did lumpectomy and 15 sessions of radiation. I've been stru6wuth side effects from the sromatase inhibitors since then.
I have had fibromyalgua for over 30 tears.
I've had hypothyroidism about as long.
Recently my thyroid has been getting worse,making my fibro flare. Everything hurts,I'm exhausted. I'm hoping to get my dr to adjust.my thyroid meds. Usually if my tsh is in a certain range my fibro is better.

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@simba2022

I can relate. I had dcis,stage 0 hr+, in spring of 2022. I did lumpectomy and 15 sessions of radiation. I've been stru6wuth side effects from the sromatase inhibitors since then.
I have had fibromyalgua for over 30 tears.
I've had hypothyroidism about as long.
Recently my thyroid has been getting worse,making my fibro flare. Everything hurts,I'm exhausted. I'm hoping to get my dr to adjust.my thyroid meds. Usually if my tsh is in a certain range my fibro is better.

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Hi
Wow, this is tough to hear 2 yrs in and still bad fatigue. I am sorry. Yes, aromatase inhibitors are brutal to me not worth it. I tried tamoxifen 6 days was it. Honestly for myself. I don't believe those drugs are good at all. There's no guarantee they will keep you from having a recurrence, So why make yourself sicker? That's just my opinion . I respect what people do for themselves and what they choose. Everyone has to make their own choice. If they come out with a medication that actually doesn't destroy your health I would do it. Msy I ask what medicine you taje for your fibromyalgia. I have a new physician so I have to track all my symptoms gir 30 days then he is putting me on 1 med to deal with all my symptoms fatigue. Anxiety, sleep issues. For now I am doing cyclobenzaprine 5mg when I am bad otherwise I do cbd/cbn

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@sue417

Hi
Wow, this is tough to hear 2 yrs in and still bad fatigue. I am sorry. Yes, aromatase inhibitors are brutal to me not worth it. I tried tamoxifen 6 days was it. Honestly for myself. I don't believe those drugs are good at all. There's no guarantee they will keep you from having a recurrence, So why make yourself sicker? That's just my opinion . I respect what people do for themselves and what they choose. Everyone has to make their own choice. If they come out with a medication that actually doesn't destroy your health I would do it. Msy I ask what medicine you taje for your fibromyalgia. I have a new physician so I have to track all my symptoms gir 30 days then he is putting me on 1 med to deal with all my symptoms fatigue. Anxiety, sleep issues. For now I am doing cyclobenzaprine 5mg when I am bad otherwise I do cbd/cbn

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Hi..I don't actually take meds for the fibro now. Years ago I took ultram( tramadol)...hydroxyzine and carisoprodol.for sleep
This was maybe 15 years ago? I started seeing a chiropractor fir pain issues I was having. He does pettibom corrective work.
I.was going 3 times per week to start..and eventually went.down to 2 visits per week. That's what I'm on now. The adjustments made a difference and within 3 months I was off the pain pills,within 6 months off the sleep Ned's. I've been off them for years. Before my cancer I was able to function without the meds worked out
.etc..can't say things were perfect but even with the fibro flares I managed.
Now I think my thyroid being weird again is adding to the fibro.
Hopefully getting that tweaked will help

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@simba2022

Hi..I don't actually take meds for the fibro now. Years ago I took ultram( tramadol)...hydroxyzine and carisoprodol.for sleep
This was maybe 15 years ago? I started seeing a chiropractor fir pain issues I was having. He does pettibom corrective work.
I.was going 3 times per week to start..and eventually went.down to 2 visits per week. That's what I'm on now. The adjustments made a difference and within 3 months I was off the pain pills,within 6 months off the sleep Ned's. I've been off them for years. Before my cancer I was able to function without the meds worked out
.etc..can't say things were perfect but even with the fibro flares I managed.
Now I think my thyroid being weird again is adding to the fibro.
Hopefully getting that tweaked will help

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Hi
What is pettibomcorrective work? I have a compression fracture in my spine thoracic t7. I can't have chiropractic manipulation. I ho for muscle release and massage and reflexology. I don't have bad pain anywhere but my spine when I do too much, it's nerve pain otherwise my fibro is fatigue and muscle tremors.

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@sue417

Hi
What is pettibomcorrective work? I have a compression fracture in my spine thoracic t7. I can't have chiropractic manipulation. I ho for muscle release and massage and reflexology. I don't have bad pain anywhere but my spine when I do too much, it's nerve pain otherwise my fibro is fatigue and muscle tremors.

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Pettibon is a style of chiropractic. Only certain chiropractors do it. They do adjustments but do certain things for maintenance. You can search to see if any chiros in your area do it

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Hi
I will be going into my fifth month post radiation. So
I thought by now my fatigue would be better but It seems to be worse. I Find now I Have it all day and At Six o'clock it leaves And I feel Normal. How do you keep your sanity is my question. Having brutal menopause symptoms along with fibromyalgia. I got a new g .p. Awaiting to get on some medication. He wanted me to track my symptoms for 1 month which I think is nuts because i'm suffering. But I have no choice. I see him the second week of september. He Says he's putting me on one medication Fibro, Menopause and,anxiety. Hopefully whatever it is it will work. I think that this post cancer treatment should be followed better.

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@sue417

Hi
I will be going into my fifth month post radiation. So
I thought by now my fatigue would be better but It seems to be worse. I Find now I Have it all day and At Six o'clock it leaves And I feel Normal. How do you keep your sanity is my question. Having brutal menopause symptoms along with fibromyalgia. I got a new g .p. Awaiting to get on some medication. He wanted me to track my symptoms for 1 month which I think is nuts because i'm suffering. But I have no choice. I see him the second week of september. He Says he's putting me on one medication Fibro, Menopause and,anxiety. Hopefully whatever it is it will work. I think that this post cancer treatment should be followed better.

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https://www.massgeneral.org/news/press-release/researchers-identify-hormone-that-drives-fatigue-after-cancer-radiation-therapy
According to this research LDN low dose naltrexone might help. I don't know enough or have any experience to recommend it.
I found post cancer treatment to be non-existant.
I don't expect a GP to know anything about radiation effect or LDN which is also used for pain. You might fare better seeing a pain specialist, getting a trial of LDN for pain and then see if it helps the fatigue.

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@gently

https://www.massgeneral.org/news/press-release/researchers-identify-hormone-that-drives-fatigue-after-cancer-radiation-therapy
According to this research LDN low dose naltrexone might help. I don't know enough or have any experience to recommend it.
I found post cancer treatment to be non-existant.
I don't expect a GP to know anything about radiation effect or LDN which is also used for pain. You might fare better seeing a pain specialist, getting a trial of LDN for pain and then see if it helps the fatigue.

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Hi
Well thks for the info but where i live it wouldn't even be a consideration. My oncologist doesn't seem to give a crap. He will not prescribe anything because I was referred back to him by my radiologist in another city where I had to go for treatment. He will only follow up on my mammogram. It's one frustrating time.

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@sue417

Hi
I will be going into my fifth month post radiation. So
I thought by now my fatigue would be better but It seems to be worse. I Find now I Have it all day and At Six o'clock it leaves And I feel Normal. How do you keep your sanity is my question. Having brutal menopause symptoms along with fibromyalgia. I got a new g .p. Awaiting to get on some medication. He wanted me to track my symptoms for 1 month which I think is nuts because i'm suffering. But I have no choice. I see him the second week of september. He Says he's putting me on one medication Fibro, Menopause and,anxiety. Hopefully whatever it is it will work. I think that this post cancer treatment should be followed better.

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I'm sorry you are havimg this. It seems like once you've been treated the money is gone, so no one cares. I had to beg for every PET/CT following rectal cancer. The cancer type was misdiagnosed according to the genetics of the tumor, which I didn't get back until after treatment because they forgot to send the pathology.
My oncologist was gone for the first three weeks of treatment. His nurse had migraines and wasn't there even when she was. The first pitch-hitting oncolgist didn't know how to open my treatment plan chart, the second said he wouldn't discuss it with me because he didn't want to contradict the radiation oncologist.
I had trouble getting the medication the dr had approved ahead of time because the nurses didn't recognize the generic name. The office refused to order protective strips and when the medical company Beekley sent them to me gratis, they wouldn't let me use them for the first three weeks when my oncologist returned.
My doctor moved to Florida. I had radiation proctitis. All these doctors told me that I would just have to live with it. But I found a procedure on PubMed that was successful.

I couldn't figure out why so many metastasis go wildly unchecked. Now I know: No aftercare.
It sounds like your GP is buying time until they can research radiation burns. You might send the link to them. They might refer you to a pain specialist. LDN isn't so very difficult to get a prescription for. Where do you live. Bless your struggle with luck.

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