Tired from radiation?

[betty boop]

I am finishing radiation tomorrow after 38 doses. I am so tired, just wondered how long you all felt after radiation. My doctor says after two weeks, I should feel much better.

Just wondering how everyone else did with radiation.

Betty Cline

[Don Wood]

It is normal to be tired after radiation. It is cumulative and works after the treatment. Your doc's estimate for recovery is about right. Don

[Snowflake]

I finished radiation a little over three years ago. I still don't have the energy I had prior to surgery and radiation - I take naps on the weekend just to make it through the laundry and housework!

The throat irritation started to slowly ease at two weeks for me, but the fatigue drags on, and on, and on... If at all possible, take naps when you feel you need them.

[Andrea]

I don't remember how long it lasted, but my mom was terribly exhausted from radiation too.

[blaze100]

Hi Betty, Congratulations you made it through all your treatments.

Good job, not everyone finishes all their treatments. (It doesn't help that they keep you under the broiler for extra long the last few treatments.)

I took afternoon naps almost everyday for about two years after radiation. Then gradually I stopped needing them.

So indulge yourself with afternoon naps and lots of good food now. Your body needs the rest to heal properly.

Barb

[dchurchi]

Alan is post radiation over a year now, yesterday alone he slept a 4-5 hours during the day. everyone

is different. the key is not to let the tiredness get

you down. Remember how much your poor body has just indured. It needs ample time to recover.

[chloesmom]

I had radiation for breast cancer, and I know it's different, but during the radiation, I literally could not keep my eyes open at my desk on several occasions and had to go home. I started feeling much, much better as soon as it was over and the fatigue was mostly gone in a few weeks.

My sister just finished radiation for breast cancer as well and had pretty much the same experience as me.

Sometimes I think it's just the totality of the situation, the diagnosis, treatments, stress, etc that add up to the fatigue we feel.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

Cindy

[trish2418]

I found that the effects from radiation START to go away about 2 weeks from completion of treatment. However, you slowly start to feel better it doesn't happen all at once at 14 days. Listen to your body; if you need to rest, do it. Hope it goes well.

Trish

[Don M]

In just a little over 2 years, I have had 4 rounds of carboplatin/gemzar, 33 treatments of radiation and then 4 rounds of alimta. I finished my treatment 6 weeks ago. I still get tired, but not nearly as much as when in treatment. I take 2 hour naps several days per week. I expect that I will gradually get all my energy back.

Don M

[marym]

Hi,

I found the radiation treatment did make me tired. But afterwards - like another month or so, I got tired all over again. The radiation causes pneumonitis (which can be seen on a CT). It makes you really tired for another few weeks - then it goes away.

Mary