Fear of radiation after lumpectomy

@anjalima thank you so much for your input and I hope you are doing well in your journey! I think that sounds like a good idea trying out an AI just to see if I have any reactions. I also tend to have strong reactions to meds (and allergic reactions). I am 61 and am post-menopausal. I was originally taking HRT meds before being diagnosed with breast cancer (due to extreme hot flashes and feeling sick from menopause symptoms). I am leaning toward trying an AI (my surgeon mentioned letrozole) and foregoing the radiation, unless I can find some more definite data showing risk/benefit. I also need to evaluate based on my Oncotype results, which I have not yet received.

I am dealing with a similar situation. I just had lumpectomy for Grade I invasive ductal carcinoma, ER/PR positive and HER-2 negative. Spot removed was only 0 .6 cm (smaller than pea size). Surgeon rec is radiation plus AI. I have suffered for my nearly my entire life with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, autoimmune thyroid, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, vertigo, dizziness, swelling, severe allergies, etc. Three lymph nodes were removed and none of them tested positive. My BARC genetic test came back negative also. Surgery report says all margins are clean. I have struggled my entire life to overcome the overwhelming amount of symptoms I already have. In addition, my father died of leukemia and also my cousin on his side. My cousin on my mom's side has lupus and thyroid issues as does the entire side of mom's family. My aunt had lung cancer. With my history, I do not want to risk making my already awful quality of life even worse. So I am waiting on my Oncotype results. I too have read horrible things about AI and radiation. Radiation can bring on leukemia and lung cancer later on. I've had to cut back on work already due to my existing issues, so I can't afford to quit. I need to still work to pay bills. So far, I have not found that the benefits of radiation or AI's outweigh the risks or decreased quality of life. Unless there is some indication that you are at higher risk of recurrence. I'd like to see some studies on this topic but haven't found much out there yet. Has anyone out there found any studies on this?

I am dealing with a similar situation. I just had lumpectomy for Grade I invasive ductal carcinoma, ER/PR positive and HER-2 negative. Spot removed was only 0 .6 cm (smaller than pea size). Surgeon rec is radiation plus AI. I have suffered for my nearly my entire life with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, autoimmune thyroid, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, vertigo, dizziness, swelling, severe allergies, etc. Three lymph nodes were removed and none of them tested positive. My BARC genetic test came back negative also. Surgery report says all margins are clean. I have struggled my entire life to overcome the overwhelming amount of symptoms I already have. In addition, my father died of leukemia and also my cousin on his side. My cousin on my mom's side has lupus and thyroid issues as does the entire side of mom's family. My aunt had lung cancer. With my history, I do not want to risk making my already awful quality of life even worse. So I am waiting on my Oncotype results. I too have read horrible things about AI and radiation. Radiation can bring on leukemia and lung cancer later on. I've had to cut back on work already due to my existing issues, so I can't afford to quit. I need to still work to pay bills. So far, I have not found that the benefits of radiation or AI's outweigh the risks or decreased quality of life. Unless there is some indication that you are at higher risk of recurrence. I'd like to see some studies on this topic but haven't found much out there yet. Has anyone out there found any studies on this?

Well, I really don't want to have any more deformities and that is a personal frailty that I know should not be high on the list. However, I know what it would do to my mental health which is already suffering from clinical depression and a low self esteem. The more important reason is that I am scared to death of having any more "side effects" that will limit what I can do or add to the existing problems that I have and make me hate being alive. I have osteoarthritis and am being tested for psoriatic arthritis; neuropathy in my right foot; a constant battle with insomnia, weight gain and depression; and have low energy. After three years of constant pain in my shoulders where I couldn't sleep from the pain, I couldn't do up my bra or my apron, couldn't wash my hair etc. etc. - I finally got treatment that healed them and am back to being able to move almost normally. The relief of this made a huge difference to my entire mental and physical well being. I have suffered with suicidal thoughts and had one attempt a number of years ago. Having looked at the side effects from both the radiation and the Tamoxifen which might bring back much of that and more, I am scared of myself not being able to cope with it. Right now, about 5 weeks after the partial mastectomy, I have some minor pain that I can tolerate, I have a nasty scar that I don't like but can tolerate, my breast is a bit smaller than the other one but mostly looks normal and I can tolerate that. So I am going about most of my regular life activities without too much trouble, but if I get to the point where I can't do regular daily life without a great deal of pain and lack of energy etc. I am worried I won't be able to stand it.

Well, I really don't want to have any more deformities and that is a personal frailty that I know should not be high on the list. However, I know what it would do to my mental health which is already suffering from clinical depression and a low self esteem. The more important reason is that I am scared to death of having any more "side effects" that will limit what I can do or add to the existing problems that I have and make me hate being alive. I have osteoarthritis and am being tested for psoriatic arthritis; neuropathy in my right foot; a constant battle with insomnia, weight gain and depression; and have low energy. After three years of constant pain in my shoulders where I couldn't sleep from the pain, I couldn't do up my bra or my apron, couldn't wash my hair etc. etc. - I finally got treatment that healed them and am back to being able to move almost normally. The relief of this made a huge difference to my entire mental and physical well being. I have suffered with suicidal thoughts and had one attempt a number of years ago. Having looked at the side effects from both the radiation and the Tamoxifen which might bring back much of that and more, I am scared of myself not being able to cope with it. Right now, about 5 weeks after the partial mastectomy, I have some minor pain that I can tolerate, I have a nasty scar that I don't like but can tolerate, my breast is a bit smaller than the other one but mostly looks normal and I can tolerate that. So I am going about most of my regular life activities without too much trouble, but if I get to the point where I can't do regular daily life without a great deal of pain and lack of energy etc. I am worried I won't be able to stand it.

Turkey tail mushroom is prescribed to all cancer victims in Japan. I got some on Amazon. Unfortunately it gave me diarrhea.
I have mentioned here before that i was left with some neuropathy from the chemo, but I had no problems, except losing my hair ,and no problems with 30 sessions of radiation, just this year. I am 80. I decided not to take Tamoxifen because i had an awful menopause with no estrogen in my system, I had a lumpectomy and two lymph nodes removed.

Be sure to ask him about deformities due to location, depth and size of your scar.. I can only tell you that my scar from surgeries is a bit deforming but that is partially due to the scars that I build, any cut or surgery builds weird, angry scars for me. I like to think of them as the visible memories of my life.
I would also encourage you to talk to your doctor frankly about your body image and the depression, if this doctor cannot recommend help, ask them to send you to someone who can. There are ways to reconstruct after breast surgery if there are deformities, and honestly I don’t think any of us gets through the treatments without some depression. Even those who have never had depression can struggle mightily with breast cancer, better living through chemistry (antidepressants) aren’t always a bad thing, you are going through a lot.
Do you have a list of questions ready for your appointment?