Does radiotherapy cause brain fog?

Hi 

@rose  i did 20 sessions rads no chemo.  First 16 sessions for whole breast didn’t impact me much wrt fatigue

 The last 4 targeting the lump site (“boost”?) knocked me six ways of Sunday. Thankfully first session was a Friday so I could migraine for the weekend, then really tired shortly after second. After third I went into head inflammation (felt like viral meningitis coming on), migraine and intense anxiety - really ugly space. Oncologist okayed that I delay the last one by a day. I turned grey 10 minutes after the fourth treatment and stayed super tired for about 2 weeks. 

i asked what the difference in the two treatments was, and they said first was protons which go deeper and second was electrons which are shallower, and in theory the boost should have fewer side effects, but they seemed to think that my response was probably in the range of normal for me. 

I think for some reason boost treatment kicked off low blood pressure, which has caused those sort of symptoms for me in the past and it just took about two weeks to settle thank goodness. I don’t understand it, just grateful not to be stuck in that head space I was in during last four treatments. 

@rose I just finished my 25th session and my brain is mush

@Sister You know I think you need to pull this lever now. It's your turn, and your health. 🤨

That’s one way in which I’m lucky - work is only 10 minutes away. Nothing’s very far away in Canberra...

Ha!  I will drive the distance from Adelaide to Darwin return this school year.  (It used to be more but we're all in one place, now.)

@kmakm that is interesting. My work is about an hour each way by public transport. It is very tiring getting there and back. The commute was one of the reasons I did not go back to work during radiation. The hospital is only 10 minutes from my house and the logistics of getting to work and back with the appointments at all different times of the day was too overwhelming for me.

One of the key criteria in my job search is the location. There was a job advertised in December that was really close to where I live now, but I didn't have the energy to apply for it then. I'm sure something else will come up in the next couple of months 

@KarynJ @rose @Emim A couple of years back a heard a guy interviewed on the radio about a book he'd written on what are called the blue zones (also the name of the book). They're the places where humans live the longest, five different locations. He'd studied them extensively and looked at what they all did in common that he felt contributed to their longevity. One of them he talked about was living and working, at the most, twenty minutes away from each other. Ie, a 20 minute commute, be it on foot, bike, car or public transport. It is a very legitimate lever to pull in order to reduce stress in your life. K xox

Hi @rose good to hear the brain fog is drifting away.  Hope things start to improve for you at work.  I'm glad you can work at home.  It helps with reducing "transport" stress getting to and from work.  Travel can make a work day just seem so much longer.

Hear hear! Thanks Emim!

@rose - I feel you. If this experience has taught me anything it is that life is far too short to be unappreciated and to work long hours for little recognition. It has opened my eyes that there is more to life and I want to have time to experience it. I hope you can find something that works better for you than your current role.