Are side affects of chemo and radiation that bad?

I want to weigh in on this! So I just want to say, even antibiotics have dangerous side effects. Not knowing at what point you are in your care, or what the doctors are saying to do, let me share briefly what my experience has been. I had stage 3c ILC in 2019. Very successful surgery (good margins, 16 lymph nodes removed, 10 of which were diseased). I had two drains, out in a week. But then came about 4 months of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation right after that. Plus this was on the left side so I guess what you mention about the heart is a risk. Treatment was on Wednesday, I'd start feeling sick and tired Friday at noon, by Sat. noon I was fine and working again on Sunday. This happened without exception the whole time. Two weeks later I started radiation. Again, no real side effects and skin was fine. I remember the whole thing as a tremendously empowering time. Also, I would say that when you're reading about side effects that scare you, make sure your sources are sound. I figured out a long time ago to only read actual medical papers, and not so much other internet sources that may not be reliable, or worse, sensational. Your general health is a big factor in all this, and I have found that doctors don't talk about this enough. I wish you well in your journey!
(They gave me Neulasta to protect WBC count (and I had the AC then Taxol dose dense regimen).

What type of heart damage and what part of the therapy can cause it?? What type of damage might harm the heart!!

I’m starting my second week of radiation and I’m pretty worried about the side affects. My bc is on the left. Also have been switched from Letrozole to tamoxifen because of borderline 2.5 osteoporosis in my femur. The other two areas were normal. I’m really uneasy about my treatment. I scored ultra low in my Mammaprint. Still feeling uneasy. I’m going to Breast Oncologist for a second opinion.

I didn't ask. I didn't care. Time was of the essence if I was to have a shot at cure. I had an echocardiogram before chemo., and after chemo there was no change. Never asked about after radiation...I've just heard this along the way. I should also mention that I've been followed by a cardiologist for years for high cholesterol. He knew the treatments I was having, and he never expressed any concern about either -- prob. because he knew he was monitoring things. I just hate to see people pass up key treatments because they hear that others have had problems with them. Always best to get as much info from doctors based on your particular health picture.

Thank you for responding. I was just asking because I have so many problems with my heart now from arrhythmias that are pretty serious to an aneurysm in my aorta that I have enough heart problems to try to stay on top of that so I was just wondering what everyone was speaking about when they mention radiation and possibly doing damage to your heart. Lord have mercy.

I understand this is such a frightening and frustrating time for you-to be in the waiting phase without a clear path forward. Your biopsy showed your tumor to be high in estrogen and progesterone receptors. Your tumor needs those hormones to grow so to stop your body from making those hormones you will probably be on an aromatase inhibitor like anastrozole or letrozole. My cancer was on my left chest, close to my heart. Prior to radiation there was a body mould made so that I would always be in the correct, safe position. I was instructed how to perform “deep inspiration breath hold” that would drive my heart down and away from radiation beam to protect my heart.My chemo was 4 rounds of cytoxan and taxotare-every 3 weeks for 4 sessions. Yes, every hair on my body fell out but it grew back when chemo was completed. My plan was biopsies, surgery,chemo,radiation, then anastrozole. Your treatment will be tailored just for you based on biopsy results. We are all in different places with our cancer, find a way to relieve stress, be kind to yourself, make a list of your favorite music to listen to. Once you get scheduled for surgery things will move very quickly.

@joannemm30809 the answer to your question is it depends. There are many types of chemotherapy, and many different protocols for radiation. Without a treatment plan there really isn’t any way to answer that. I understand your biopsy came back positive for IDC. ER+ and PR+ Her2-, is that correct?
Usually (not always) the natural progression would be a referral to surgery for lumpectomy or mastectomy, you definitely get to help decide which one, doctors will give you the best recommendation but the final vote is yours.
When it comes to cancer they are risk managers, they try and help you avoid the risk of recurrence or metastasis. With that in mind they will, using assorted tests and metrics try to reduce your risk as low as possible. The worse your cancer is at diagnosis the harder it is to acceptably reduce the risk.
They will be looking at stage, size, location and type and grade of tumor. Then if there is node involvement and your age and overall health, sometimes more scans and other types of testing to see if you even need chemo or radiation, many women get away with just surgery these days.
Have you gotten a referral for surgery yet?

Yes. I go to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Fl on Monday. All my records, tests etc over past five years has been faxed to them.

I was reading being ER AND PR positive is slightly better than being negative and being HER2 negative might mean I do not need chemo.

It just seems to me that breast cancer is STILL a very very nasty cancer to deal with even if you have mastectomy, radiation, chemo, take those nasty pills for years with bad side affects etc this cancer can STILL recur. WOW.

I thought breast cancer research was farther along but it seems it’s still a very difficult cancer to try and survive.

There are a lot of variables in breast cancer, but truthfully all cancer is still pretty unpredictable. I have dealt with quite a few in my family.
I didn’t have terrible side effects with tamoxifen (5 yrs.) or anastrazole (10 yrs.) I have hot flashes and honestly that has been the worst of it. Annoying yes, life threatening, no. I had a little muscle and joint stiffness with anastrazole at first but walking really helped.
A lot of women take these drugs with little or no side effects, they just aren’t usually posting as much as the people who are struggling.
I also like to remember the monster I am fighting, I can put up with a fair amount to not lose the battle with breast cancer.

I can only share my story and each of our paths are as different as we are each a unique person. I was diagnosed in November 2022. After signing the papers for a lumpectomy, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, my sister (who is a doctor and 32 year breast cancer survivor) shared one study of the risk for radition induced pulmonary fibrosis (I have a family history of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis). I needed to put the brakes on scheduling surgery until I was able to talk with my surgeon, pulmonologist and the radiation oncologist. After I, with my husband, met with the radiation oncologist I had such a sense of peace. The radiation oncologist was able to show me how she would do the radiation treatments and how a deep inhalation breath hold technique would help move the lungs out of the targeted area. I'm sure part of the reason that this worked for me was the location of the tumor site. One of the comments my pulmonologist said during our conversation was that in his 40 years of practice he had only seen 2 cases of radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis. I have be seeing him for at least 20 years.