I have just had my biopsies and am waiting for results - doctor says surgery then radiotherapy most likely. Having looked at this board, I’m worried to see that radiotherapy seems quite an ordeal - I’d hoped to carry on working (I’m a lecturer, and my work is quite ‘full-on’ i.e. I am on my feet for most of the day, and work at my desk in the evenings, total most weeks about 60hrs), mainly so that I could convince my young son that everything was fine. Have others found that they need to be off work while undergoing their radiotherapy?
Hi Sue
The side effects seem to take everyone individually. If you haven’t been through chemo first and have recovered well from your op, you may find that you are OK. Obviously it will be tiring just trying to fit it all in round working.
The advice I intend to follow is: Eat well with lots of fruit and veg, drink tons of water before and after and take a brisk walk every day.
Good luck
Hi Sue. I think it is possible yes. I think the problem is you wont know how it will affect you until you have started. I worked during chemo, on and off, but have now been signed off until a couple of weeks after rads (I have 25 to get). I am way too tired now to think about concentrating on work (I am mainly desk-based but have to do statistics etc which requires a working brain!). I feel more tired than I did during chemo, but i think some of that is due to leftover chemo SEs rather than just due to rads. So if you haven’t had chemo, you may well be ok. The surgery will also tire you out, so don’t expect too much of yourself afterwards - you are allowed to rest!
Hope it all goes well for you.
Al x
Oh, just seen DJ007’s comment. Yes, agree with that. Def drink plenty of water and walking is supposed to help with fatigue.
Hi Sue,
In answer to your question - yes, sometimes - but a sixty hour week may be a bit too much, only you can decide that. I managed to work full time for the first week and a half and then part time for the next week then was knackered - not helped by the 2 hour round trip for rads. If your rads are going to be local you might be fine, and as someone else has said if you are otherwise fit and healthy…
I also found I was in a way more tired when the rads had finished - they have a cumalative effect and can wipe you out a bit for a few weeks/months afterwards - nothing an afternoon nap wont sort though in my experience!
Ruby.x
hi, I have been assured that because I recovered well from the op, am not having chemo, am not starting tamoxifan till later and am active that i will not be tired during rads.
However, I do not know how long your rads will take out of the day.The sessions are every day for at least 4 weeks, maybe longer.
My hopspital cannot tell me from day to day when the session will be, and have warned me that although they try to stick to the time, if there is an emergancy or a machine breaks down then things can get delayed.
They told me that it is the people that try and carry on their normal lives as well as rads that get tired, also if you burn then the pain of that can be debilitating. so if you go to work around the treatment and still try to run your home at night it could tire you out.
I would think that if you are a lecturer it would be difficult for you to do this during rads, because you would not know which lectures you are going to miss-- of course that is unless your hospital is more organised than mine.
Hi Sue,
Isn’t it strange how we always seem to think about Work.
My advice is to think about YOU!.
Speak to your employee as they should accomodate you and support you as you are classed as ‘disabled in the work place’ and they should have carried out a risk assessmsnet for you to ensure your well being is adhered to and your legal employment rights.
Find the booklet - The EMPLOY Charter - Breast Cancer Care’s guide to
best practice in the workplace. This helps you understand - it can be found on this website at : breastcancercare.org.uk/employ
I am an Assistant Head Teacher (secondary school) and also on my feet all day but after my 1st risk assesment I have been given a new leather chair and no longer have to do corridor supervision until my next review, milk it!!!
Take Care
Wendy
hi, I have read your question again, and am wondering if perhaps you should ring the helpline to talk about how your operation and radiotherapy is going to impact on your life.
I doubt if surgery is going to be a day clinic afair, you could be off work for some time for that–do you need to drive? i was not allowed to drive by my insurers until the doctor had given the all clear–two weeks later. Hopefully you will not have nodal involvement. It is not a problem but will make recovery longer.
I know you do not want to worry your son, but you are not going to be able to hide it from him. The surgery and radiotherapy are not as s scary as they first sound and you will be alright during it and after it you will be normal, but they are going to disrupt your life, you are not going to be able to fit them in to a 60 hour week.
i know the feeling of wanting to be strong and ignore this little hiccup and not let it change things, I have fought tooth and nail to carry on drumming, but I was realistic and took a two month step down to give myself to recover and heal and so be stronger when I got back into it
Hi Sue
I finished my rads in March. I needed 3 weeks worth & luckily I worked only 3 miles from the hospital.
I have to say I only had some tiredness after the first 2 weeks. I worked full-time (but desk-job & 37 hours not 60).
First 2 weeks my appts were all late afternoon but they were late most days. Take a good book; during week 3 appts went to early afternoon & I arranged to go part-time (still on full pay due to being covered by equality act)but mostly as I have a very understanding line-manager. I was also given a couple of days after rads to rest up.
I found by having my other half able to take me after work for the first 2 weeks & not having to drive home (20 miles; not far, but city rush-hour), this really helped.
In week 3 I drove myself a couple of days, hubby had dose of “Man Flu” & wisley didn’t want to infect anyone. My old dad stepped in bless him for the rest of the week.
Apart from that I didn’t feel tired enough not to work and although I couldn’t go swimming I did try to do some exercise on OH exercise bike for a bit each day. I took it easy at work & didn’t overdo it. My work diary was kept quite light & if I had to visit a client (I’m an auditor) a colleague drove me.
I’d advise listen to your own body if you haven’t had chemo rads generally don’t exhaust you as such but you do need to watch it as fatigue can creep up. I was told it is not a question of being tired or not is just when & how much it effects you.
Keep yourself well hydrated; in the waiting room (Oxford) they have water available & most were using it.
Take care
Lynne
Hi
I didn’t, but felt I could have. My appts were in the middle of the day and an hour travel each way so it wasn’t really practical. I felt it was a bit of a skive actually, but know lots of others, especially if you’ve had chemo first, have found it tiring. I used to come home and do 30 minutes on the treadmill some days. I felt the RT was the easiest bit, its the s*dding side effects of letrozole that I’ve finding the hardest.
Just remembered - I did some work at home, but mine is all desk based so it wasn’t too stretching.
S
Sue, fingers crossed for your results - I was given the same treatment prognosis but when results came back, I also then had to have chemo 
Hope the result fairy is on your side.
Anyway, if hubby hadn’t had the ‘need’ to take care of me (IYKWIM) I could easily have gone back to work the day after surgery (no mobility issues or pain/discomfort). I then worked through Chemo - bar 2 days after each cycle to let the chemicals ‘do their thing’. I’ve now got 18 out of 23 Radio zaps under my belt and the only reason I’m not at work is the 3hr return journey + appt schedule negating any useful time at my desk.
The best advice I can give is to listen to your own body and if you need to rest/sleep - don’t fight it - we’re all different but I hope you’re as lucky as I’ve been.
Hi, Im currently having radiotherapy, had 14 sessions and have 10 to go. I had chemo first then WLE and axillary clearance. With me, radio has been easy compared to chemo, docetaxel was horrid so this has been fine. I walk every day for 30-45 minutes and drink more which I think has helped. Im not working though so cant comment about working and having treatment. I think the amount of hours you work will be difficult with radio but maybe speak to your BCN. xx
Hi,
I had chemo first and still had some side effects remaining when staring rads. I didn’t feel that radiotherapy made me any more tired - BUT - I made that my ‘work’ for the day. What with travelling, waiting etc, it took 3 hours out of each day.
I did do a little bit of work - I only work part time now anyway and mostly flexibly. I used to teach and think and I wouldn’t have been able to do that, logistically you can’t dip in and out of teaching an infant class for varying parts of each day. Apart from the actual being there, you have to know how all the children are progressing, plan etc, etc.
If you can get early or late appointments and you don’t have a long journey, I’m sure you could continue to work - but not 60 hours a week. Something will have to give a bit - make sure it’s not you.
They will sign you off after your op for two weeks - don’t forget an op and anaesthetic affects the whole body and you will need at least a week to recover.
Also as Minimunchkins says, you have not had your results yet. Many of us have learnt that they tell you first your minimum treatment which they know will happen. Other things may get added in after results as happened with me and Mini.
Basically be kind to yourself - accept that you probably won’t be able to do as much. Don’t push yourself as it will build up and you’ll crash at some time.
We’ll keep our fingers crossed your results are as you hope.
Good luck. Stella xx
Hi Sue
All I can do is to tell you my current experience of rads as it affects everyone differently. I have had 2 ops, after 2 and a half months off sick I then went back to work on a “phased return to work” basis i.e. approx. 4 hours a day every day. This was fine for 2 weeks until I started rads. I am having 3 weeks rads. I was so exhausted towards the end of the second week that I had to go off sick again. Then last week tried to go back to work and was getting more and more tired and by Thursday evening I felt sick and headachy, very low and tearful and completely wiped. A friend said I looked awful so have decided that even though I only have 1 more rad to go on Monday that I am going to be kind to myself and take the whole of next week off sick to try and get myself 100 per cent. Am also taking Tamoxifen and getting a few hot flushes which is probably taking my body a while to adjust to.
Hope this is helpful - I think we probably try to push ourselves too much sometimes!
Love Lynn x