Jump to content

Chemo And Radiation Lasting Effects


BBB

Recommended Posts

Hi Again!

I was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer in 2015, and am in remission.  I had 5 treatments of Chemo, and 6 weeks of radiation, followed by 10 days of brain radiation.   I felt so horrible for well, just getting a little better now in March of 2017.  I already had a diagnosis of Depression before treatment, but now it seems to have taken hold and is overwhelming.  Has anybody else experienced no energy, sleeping all the time, and increased depression as long as 2 years after treatment?  My Oncologist says it it due to my use of pain killers which I have taken for at least 10 years, and has nothing to do with the treatment.  Now I have a ruptured disc in my back, and several compressed discs in my neck, Fibromyalgia, which I've had for years, BOOP, COPD, etc, etc.  My hair is dry and my scalp is itchy, and my skin is horrible... dry, flaky, and itchy.  I'd like to hear about other peoples' experiences after chemo and radiation.  Did it make you forgetful?  Were you overly emotional all the time?  Confused?  How long did it last?  I thank you in advance for any way that you could help me. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BBB,

How was I after 18 infusions of Taxol and Carboplatin?  Is chemo brain real?  I have two maladies working side-by-side that affect my life, now 13 years after my last treatment: chemo brain and aging.  I don't know which is more troubling but I do know there were things I could do 13 years ago that I can't do now.  I just forget what they are!

Seriously, there are long term affects from pain killers (and I've had them), skin problems (and I have them), and mental processes (am my wife swears I'm a mental case).  In my case, they appear to be lasting problems and part of my new normal survival and aging processes.  I accept them, find something to enjoy, and move on.  Who cares if I can't do complex mathematics in my head anymore!

Stay the course.

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.