Hi
Sorry to bother you again. I don’t think it is normal
My last 15th session of radiotherapy of 40.6 grays in total was on 25th July.
27th July I started to have extreme fatigue.
Doctors told me to drink plenty, small meals, rest, small exercises. I did all.
It was getting worse to point I wasn’t able to do anything. They did blood test and all seems fine but I’m not getting any better.
It’s 10th August and I still have extreme fatigue plus headaches, nausea, feeling unwell. Yet still all I’m getting is advice to drink water, take paracetamol and rest. I don’t think it is normal recovery pattern. I look through all kind of forums and all women are saying that radiotherapy was a breeze.
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@kateunlucky I think like all of the different treatments that radiotherapy affects some more than others. My sister in law found things like fatigue, aches and pains and weakness, much worse, and longer lasting, than the chemotherapy she had. Personally I found it easier than chemo though I did find I was fatigued about a month after for a while. Also, and I am now 4-5 months post RT, I have developed aches in the ‘poorly’ breast, and it is bigger and firmer and itchier than it was. I’ve seen the doctor and he said it’s effects that he would expect at this stage and that you can go on getting side effects for up to 18 months.
You are only 2 weeks post radiotherapy which is really no time at all in the scheme of things. Be kind to yourself, rest, eat and drink well and see how things go. I know that’s not really any help, and notwhat you want to hear, but not everyone springs right up straight afterwards and I’m sure there’s lots of people who don’t.
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I was told that radiotherapy keeps working for a long time after the therapy finishes - up to 6 years in fact . I was also told that it reaches it’s peak effect 2 weeks after the end of treatment - which is about where you are now .
Some people breeze through radiotherapy but many do not - I certainly didn’t I don’t regret having it but it finished on the Wednesday and I felt fine then Saturday morning it was like a truck had hit me . A woman on my Moving Forwards course said she had managed to work all throughout chemo but radiotherapy put her in bed for 2 weeks .
I’m wondering if it might help you to ring the helpline on 0808 800 6000 tomorrow - if they speak to you one to one they may be able to determine if there’s more to this or anything else that might help.
hang in there Kate xx
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Unfortunately, Ive found that radiotherapy can have allsorts of different and strange effects for a long time after. I did have a lot at 48Gys. Latest, 1 year after, took my bra off to find a petechial rash.
Despite being worn out, do your best to keep up with arm stretches - do them in bed if you have to, as mobility in the area can become restricted from cording.
Definitely give your BCN a ring for advice. If on hormone blockers, they can be compounding the tiredness also.
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Thank you for your message
I have no issues with mobility. I had double mastectomy and axillary clearance done in November 2024 and January 2025 respectively, I have managed to “snap” cording after both operations.
The worse is this extreme fatigue. I eat high protein food, drink water, tried a bit of moving around. But last 10 days I can’t walk more than 5 meters and struggling to eat. Eating makes me tired 
They keep saying it is normal, I am not sure😢
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I ate what I could to begin with - food and drink with ginger and mint helped with the nausea . Unfortunately I ate a fair few ginger biscuits and after eight mints - certainly never made a meal or let my partner make me one for quite a few days. Ginger kombucha became my favourite drink . Keep hydrated xx
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