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Angie1966's avatar
Angie1966
Member
11 years ago

Achy body after radiation

Hi girls, finished radiation a week ago and whilst the breast then was a fiery mess, now it is healing but still looks terrible (showed my mother in law today and she nearly had a fit).  But, yesterday I could feel my body going downhill, like a flu was coming on, really sore and achy shoulders, back etc; terrible sleep and still stiff this morning.  At least panadol helps but is this something others have experienced?  (I have googled it and it seems to be common).

Angie

5 Replies

  • Thanks for the replies girls.  I don't have a temperature and don't feel sick.  I googled this and it is apparently quite common and also quite common for the rad staff to say "oh no its got nothing to do with the radiation" - I phoned the nurse just now and got the same blurb "go to your GP" - yeah right.

  • Hi Angie, I finished radiation 3 weeks ago and have battled the daily dressings and going back to the radiation nurses at hospital weekly ever since. In fact I will go again tomorrow. I was supposed to go today but have felt unwell all week with aches and pains all over. I haven't a temperature so don't think its an infection. They gave me a dose of antibiotics the week before I finished radiation just in case anyway. I felt as though I breezed through it but from day 5 post radiation my skin under the breast has reacted badly. Maybe the lymphedema is playing up too which I have had in the left breast since March right after my surgery. Today is the first day that I don't feel that burning pain as my skin is starting to finally heal, but I don't know why the aching bones.  I just want one week since January of this year since my diagnosis where I feel really good. !!!  

    So far the only thing that I seem to be travelling okay with is Tamoxifen. I hope it stays that way for me. 

    Best wishes to you and take care.

    Ronnie xx

  • I agree with Lisa.You could have a breast infection or really coming down with the flu.I had radiation ages ago and remember still feeling low for another 2 weeks after radiation had stopped(it keeps working afterwards).I just felt very tired all over and my breast was sore and red but I didn't have a temperature and I had my appetite.Go for a checkup if in doubt. Tonya xx

  • I agree with Lisa.You could have a breast infection or really coming down with the flu.I had radiation ages ago and remember still feeling low for another 2 weeks after radiation had stopped(it keeps working afterwards).I just felt very tired all over and my breast was sore and red but I didn't have a temperature and I had my appetite.Go for a checkup if in doubt. Tonya xx

  • Hi Angie I havent had radiation yet but 2 weeks post surgery I developed flu like symptoms and it ended up being an infection in my breast. I had chills through the night, sore legs, high temp, hot and swollen breast and vomiting. I was admitted to hospital for 5 days and had antibiotics through an iv every 6 hours. Been out of hospital four days now and on oral antibiotics but breast is still sore and red. I see my surgeon again today. I have read that you can get infections while having radiation. Better to get checked out than to leave it. Lisa xx