Radiation Therapy

I am fortunate to work for a organisation that has given me unlimited sick leave :) I am more concerned that I will commit to something that I can not complete due to fatigue etc. 

I had my first day back at work today (pre treatment) And everyone was wonderful !! I will have a home assessment completed, so I will be able to do what I can from home. I will come into work as often as I can. My Dr has suggested I should not drive myself as he is concerned about the distance I will be travelling each day (390km round trip) I will just play it by ear and see how I am feeling.

Thanks so much for everyones help, I feel so much better already :)

I was lucky and had lots of sick leave and annual leave which I took whilst having radiation.I just didn't want the added stress.I got very tired about halfway through treatment and would just come home after the zap and have an afternoon nanna nap.As soon as I was zapped,I'd go into the toilets and lather my boob with pure aloe vera gel then a cotton hankie over it.Most nights I'd soak in a warm salt bath which soothed the redness.I'd put vit e cream on afterwards but I believe Moo goo is good.My skin never broke down but my boob was glowing like a hot plate at the end.It's scary to start with but it soon becomes a daily routine.Best wishes, Tonya xx

I will get onto the Moo Goo, and chase up the R1 and R2 through Radiation care :) Thank you so much :) :)

Hi Shezza I worked through the entire 35 sessions and went to work straight after , I felt great only tired towards the end where one evening I just had to go to bed as I thought I would fall asleep in the car one evening. I found putting a ice gel pack which I took to treatment each time and put onto the breast on the way after on the drive to work seemed to cool the breast down beautifully , and I used aloe vera gel and sorbelene I even put it on at work every time I went to the bathroom . U nfortunately I did burn severley on the last 5 sessions , but I actually found it not to bad. Its more time consuming to find a parking spot and undress hA ha . hope all goes well for you regards Adean

I am sort of the middle here; i liked being able to work as i found it useful to have life continue as is and enjoyed being able to concentrate on issues other than my own--so i think you can probably work whilst having radiation but easy for me as 20 mins on bus and 10 mins to work on a bus..but i work 3-4 days pw but it is a bit surreal having radiation and then going off to work..however it became routine.  Depends on the work --i found i am able to do slightly less workload which supported the whole work/treatment issue and would do this to support other colleagues 

Build in a bit of flexibility is a good idea; as you never know you are going to go and so work being a bit supportive-ie dont minimalise the whole thing--whilst not overdoing it -one of my managers said 'if i survive radiation'' which is probably not helpful either!

Well im in the middle of it; and there probably is a variety of experinces but heres mine--i thought the tiredness might come later but it arrived about 2-3 weeks into treatment and i had a week off--the fatigue is like nothing ive experienced-although a bit like skiing all day ..ive also organised two weeks off in the last two weeks of treatment and then two weeks off 6-8 weeks later. Other than that odd little 'electric shocks' that has only happened once and itchyness which the radiation dr suggested aloe vera whch has worked well.  Ive also scaled back things--so lots of rest and organised a cleaner every fortnight etc so i think thats been useful.  Your driving might need some support as i found ideas of even walking post treatment from the 3rd week on a bit diffiuclt--just seem to be a bit fatigued right after-which gets better but comes up again later in day.  

good luck

Hi Deanne,

Thanks for that :) The tiredness is what I have been told consistently. I have to travel 100km there and back each day for treatment so I guess tiredness may play a factor for me. I had a wide local excision and sentinel node biopsy. I have a rather large hard lump at the node excision site, which is rather painful, so hopefully it all will settle soon. 

Thanks for sharing your info, and the best of luck with your journey.

Sheree xx