I’m sure this has been covered multiple times but this is my first time here so Please be patient.
I’m genuinely suffering with what I assume is radiation fatigue.
I completed 5 sessions of radiation 8 weeks ago for DCIS aand LCIS.
At the time of surgery I also had a squamous cell skin cancer removed from my back which they had to redo since the margins weren’t clear. That incision got a severe infection which had to be reopened to drain the infection.
I’m also a caregiver to a partner that is palliative so yes, I have a lot going on!
My issue is fatigue. It’s not like anything I could have ever imagined. I’m not sleeping but have more energy in the mornings so I do a tiny bit of house work and walk 2000 steps. By noon I’m done. I’m so exhausted I feel nauseous.
The rest of day I take lots of rests, do sedentary things like read or watch videos interspersed with occasional meal prep, gardening or house work for only a few minutes at a time.
My question is this … why is this happening? Is it normal? Will it get better? When?
I am waiting to be admitted into a breast cancer clinic but have no time line for that.
Has anyone else experienced this level of fatigue with what I thought would be a simple cancer treatment.
Dear Summary57,
Welcome to the forum, we are here for you with love and support.
So sorry to read you are suffering from fatigue, this is a tough one as it could be from radiotherapy or this terrible infection you have had. I think a bit of both.
After I had a Mastectomy I had a terrible infection which took months to heal and left me extremely tired and weak, however 3.5 years later I need radiation on the other side which again left me feeling very tired, however I did get over it quite quickly.
I think i would contact my cancer team or my GP, explain how you are feeling maybe they will subscribe some medication to help you sleep, or suggest a blood test to find what’s going on with you.
You have been through a lot, and need building up again. I do wish you well with health and happiness going forward.
Please let us know how you’re getting on.
Hugs Tili 
,
Hi @summary57 welcome to the forum, I hope that you find the support you need here. In answer to your question, fatigue is a very common side effect of radiation. Like most of the breast cancer journey, there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why some people get bad SE and others don’t, resulting in very personal experiences. I had the five day rads in November 2022 when I had just turned 67. Had no skin breakdown or anything untoward. In February 2023, so three months later, WHAM! the fatigue hit. As the spring progressed, it carried on and, say, the thought of driving to the supermarket was unthinkable. Friends would invite me out for coffee and I’d say “you may as well say, we’re going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro - in flip flops. Do you want to come?” I couldn’t imagine a time when I’d feel normal. But I did, I’d say, three months later. It will pass. The received wisdom is to do gentle exercise every day when fatigued as counter-intuitive as it sounds. Others will be along to give you their stories soon, I’m sure but rest assured that it is completely normal.
Hello @summary57
Welcome to the forums and I’m sorry read about your fatigue
As both Tigress and Tili have both said what you are feeling is not necessarily out of the ordinary when recovering from breast cancer treatment.
It was explained to me that the effects of the radiation treatment is to create a different make up of cells in the affected area and your body doesn’t like it so reacts to seek to change the cells back again. This means that a lot of your body’s energy reserves will keep trying to do this, until eventually it accepts that they can’t be changed back: this process can take months.
Similarly with your infection again the body is fighting this to protect you.
I also find that I have days where I am suddenly hit with fatigue some four years after my treatment: this doesn’t necessarily correlate to my physical exertion that day but if I’ve had to concentrate for long periods at work, or had a particularly trying day mentally and emotionally this can impact on my fatigue levels
I would certainly speak to your GP to check there are no other underlying physiological causes for you feeling this way and see if they can help in anyway
I really hope you start to feel better soon, but sometimes listening to your body and slowing down and being patient is what is needed
Sending you lots of love
AM xxx
Fatigue seems to hit people at different times after treatment but my answer is yes it’s normal not everyone gets it but anyone can get it. In your case it may have been aggravated by the fact that you are getting over an infection and second that you’re a care giver .
I had had an episode of fatigue once before after having labyrinthitis but I think if you’ve not experienced it before it must be quite frightening and it can also be hard to explain to others.
Despite living 80 miles away from my Dad I was his main support as his health was deteriorating just after I had my surgery and I spent a lot of time with him and going to and fro whilst I was awaiting radiotherapy and during the treatment . I had 5 sessions and felt good initially but 3 days after finishing I woke up and could barely get out of bed and couldn’t eat - that lasted for 3 days after which I did get up and do stuff but kept having to stop . Fortunately my brother who lives even further away from Dad than me was able to look in on him twice in a week and my lovely neighbour popped in on him as well as I just could not have gone for the first couple of weeks at all. If I didn’t stop and rest when I started feeling the need to stop then like you I felt nauseous and slightly dizzy and then would have to rest for longer . It gradually improved but took 3 months to go altogether. I found that food and drink with ginger helped the nausea.
If you can increase your fluid intake it might help you as the treatment can cause you to be dehydrated . You are doing pretty well by the sound of it - small amounts of activity interspersed with periods of rest but if there is any help you can get either with your husband’s care or with housework / gardening then I would recommend doing that . You mustn’t feel guilty about resting - fatigue is not tiredness , rest and even sleep won’t banish it and it’s a fine balance between keeping going and overdoing it and you need to listen to what your body is telling you. There’s no way to say how long it will last but hopefully you will see some improvement soon. I’m not really a daytime napper but when I felt exhausted I found it helpful to lie down and listen to Headspace to remind me to be patient or to music to help me to relax .
Sending love xx
Thank you! I love your humour! It helps to know I’m not alone.
I like your explanation about the cells working extra hard. Thanks for responding and helping me feel less crazy
Thank you so much for your kind words and normalizing what I’m going thru. I feel so much stronger knowing this isn’t affecring just me.