Radiation, driving and fatigue
I was hoping to hear about any experiences of driving and fatigue while undergoing radiation. I've been told to be aware of fatigue. The radiation oncologist and nurses have raised concerns and eyebrows when I've told them it's a one hour drive door to door, so two hour round trip x 15 sessions. I'm also maintaining hope that I can continue working part time in an outdoors job where lately I'm doing 14k+ steps a day. Ultimately I'm going to see how it goes. I'm not going to break myself. If I get too tired then I have backup people to help with the driving (public transport isn't an option around here), reduce my activity at work or take leave, or get accommodation near the hospital for some of the sessions. I'm wondering if some people have got through radiation without fatigue? Or if fatigue has occurred has it affected driving? And how fast the fatigue appears - might you have been okay one morning and zonked in the afternoon?
Post chemo / zoladex & letrazole side effects (hoping for some hope - please!)
Hello ladies, I finished 6 months of chemo (doxy then paclitaxcel) recently and then started on zoladex and letrazole last week. I am feeling VERY anxious all the time, very tired and flat - not like "myself" at all and really pretty non-functional. I can barely make a cup of tea and seem to just stare at walls when I'm home alone (often). I managed surgery and 6 months of chemo basically alone and unsupported and I coped. Now that I'm closer to family I seem to have really mentally crashed. Motivation is zero and the smallest things are an effort. I was more functional than this DURING chemo... Is this normal post chemo? A crash? Or is it the new hormone suppressants? Will it pass? Can anyone PLEASE offer me any words of wisdom or hope around recovering from chemo and the adjustment times to the hormone suppressants? Wishing you all so well. SDM.
TC chemo 4 vs 6 cycles
Hello I’d like to hear from anyone who has had more than 4 cycles of adjuvant TC. I’m coming up to cycle 4 next week and I still don’t know whether that will be it or whether I will have to do more, because my oncologist has been on leave since straight after my first cycle. I’ve had a different oncologist and he has been consistory saying 4 but now is back tracking and saying it will be up to the other one! She won’t be back until early April, just before cycle 5 is scheduled. I am finding the side effects and mental toll very challenging. The uncertainty around how many cycles is playing into this because I can’t give work a definitive answer of when I’ll be back. I’m also a single parent and the fatigue is crippling. So I’d like to get an idea of in what cases would 6 cycles be given? If you had 5 or 6, why was that decision made? And what questions should I be asking of the replacement oncologist at my appointment next Tuesday to get some certainty around the timeline?Does life go back to normal?
Hi! thanks to BCN for putting me onto this discussion page. I was diagnosed with ER, PR & HER2+ breast cancer June 2024 at the age of 53yrs. Had surgery to remove two (R) breast aggressive tumours, three months of chemo and 4 weeks of radiation. I’m now on Anastrozole. I feel I got off lightly and just thought I’d get back to my normal life. That wasn’t so easy. I’m gradually returning to full-time work, exercise and trying to return to my once active single social life. I’m having acupuncture to help with immunity and general wellbeing. I had beautiful long blonde hair. Spent lots of money on my hair and nails. My question is… what do all you amazing women do to get back into fitness, to avoid the tiredness, and to help with your hair and nails? Are there any good vitamin supplements? Am I able to use collagen? Thank you for your advice xx
1/2 through radiation, and I'm Knackered,
so here I am on week 3 of 6 of this radiation treatment, and I'm so over it! After my last post on tips and tricks on how to get through and all the updates about my horrible radiation team, like that horrible Dr and Nurse, I found the courage to put in a formal written complaint to the manager of said clinic. It was dealt with immediately and with in under 12 hours I had a new Dr and now only see the nurse manager, and the centre manager makes a point of saying hello and being super helpful Good out come all round. But it should have never needed to get to that in the first place. But now I have discovered I have folliculitis on my chest and neck :neutral: thanks to the radiation - my skin is holding up thank goodness, its only slightly pink, I hope I have not just gone and jinx myself. My throat is now sore and swallowing is fun, not! But this fatigue is killing me, All the things I could do pre cancer, pre chemo and now pre radiation, is like a distance memory, well not really, my mind say yeah we can do this, the body clearly has other ideas. 3 more weeks to go (including this week) then just, maybe just - I can start putting my life back into MY hands and not the medical teams hand who seem to be pulling all the strings. that's my update. Happy Hump day everyone :)
Feeling cold all the time
Anyone else feeling cold all the time after treatment? Had surgery and radiotherapy last year & started Letrozole in June. Had a few side effects from the Letrozole - occasional hot flush, big weight gain, occasional trouble sleeping (but that could be because my brain comes up with plot ideas as I'm an author...lol), diarrhea. Continual fatigue since radiotherapy. Anyway now it's autumn and although the temps are around 20 I'm feeling cold all the time. Rugged up, sit wrapped in a blanket, etc. I simply cannot get warm. Never used to feel this cold until the temps were in the low single digits...lol
Chronic fatigue on Tamoxifen
Hi all, l am a year out from finishing chemo and almost a year after a double mastectomy. I am still experiencing chronic fatigue and am now certain it's from Tamoxifen, as l have changed the time of day, l am taking it and the fatigue has moved from the afternoon to morning. I am considering changing it to the morning and maybe the fatigue will be while l am sleeping. Has anyone experienced this and have any advice? I would really appreciate it, l want to improve my quality of life!!!Pain after breast cancer
I am almost 2 years post breast cancer diagnosis and omg the bone pain is horrendous. I’m currently on Letrozole, Gabapentine, vitamin D and calcium my pain is 24/7 from my feet to my head and I’ve had a continuous pain in the middle of my back. I have an appointment to see a rheumatologist this week… but omg I just need some relief from it….I have looked in to medicinal cannabis what are everyone’s thoughts please
Radiotherapy and Fatigue
Good morning, I'm only 5 fractions into my 15 day radiation treatment (post BC surgery, no chemo) and i'm feeling like I've been hit by a bus. My skin is holding up well (so far) but even after a short walk yesterday I needed to rest. I realise that the effects are cumulative, so I'm a little worried about the next 2 weeks. Any tips on how best to manage this, on top of gentle exercise and rest? cactusk (Kelly)