After Radiotherapy

[Jobey68]

Me too, I think it's the first time since diagnosis we are able to sit back and reflect on what the hell weve just been though and it's a weird time , we went away for a week in the sunshine and it did me the world of good, I was just me again and not poor Jo with cancer , nobody knew me and I didn't talk about it to anyone it was heavenly!

Took me a few months before the c word wasn't the first thing I thought about every day but you get there and 2.5 years on it's almost like I dreamt it all! Give yourself the time to reflect and you will find you start to feel a little better as the weeks go on Xx 

[ann-m]

I reacted the same way, Optimissy. Was fairly upbeat & positive once the shock of diagnosis passed, then felt at my most ‘down’ in the week after finishing rads. In hindsight I was glad I took the time off work.
This does seem to be a phase quite a few of us have been through, Lozzie, hopefully you’ll feel better before long.
ann x

[ladybowler]

Optimissy

Great minds, how many times do the both of us do that 🙂 🙂

xxx

[Optimissy64]

Ho ho - Helena and I must have been typing the same things at the same time again! Not that we're twins or anything.....

[Optimissy64]

Yeah, I think that's what surprised me too, as i had been completely positive and upbeat right from the start and then suddenly I wasn't. I think that might have been why it hit me after rads, and maybe it's the same for you too? Whereas some people go into shock or depression/anxiety when first diagnosed and then gradually come back from that, because i didn't do any of that I probably needed to acknowledge some emotion that I hadn't done up till then. I probably coped TOO well, and sounds like you might be a bit the same.

Re the physical unwellnes, make sure you keep drinking loads of water each day and get some fresh air and a little walk, even if you go back to bed afterwards, as it does help. You're probably wise to leave off the hormone tabs for a bit and resume when you feel better. Don't leave it too long though. Have you chatted to your bc nurse about how you are feeling and about the hormone tabs? (To be honest I didn't start taking mine till the last day of rads as I didn't want to risk double side effects so I don't think a week or so is critical, but best check it out.).xx

[ladybowler]

Lozzie

What Optimissy says is correct there is this feeling of being lost because you have got so used to the routine of hospitals and then all of a sudden its gone xx

You could always give your rads team/bcn a call and check with them about the way way you are feeling, it is quite likely that it is linked to fatigue that you can get with radiotherapy.  You will need to rest and let your body recover, are you taking in enough fluid as that will help with the dehydration effect of the rads, which you will still be experiencing as it does carry on for about two weeks after you finish.

Sending you a hug xxx

[Lozzie]

Thank you Optimissy, I have been positive throughout my treatments, and really have not let if effect my day to day living. I just cannot understand how rotten I feel after rads physically and mentally. I am have stopped taking hormone therapy as could not deal with 2 lots of after effects. Thank you for your helpful reply x

[Optimissy64]

Hi Lozzie

I think what you are describing is very common after rads ends. Although I didn't feel ill as such, for a week or so after the last session of rads I felt a bit low and somehow a bit  "lost". I put it down to the whirwind of appointments - diagnostics, diagnosis, surgery, follow up post-surgery, rads, (particularly the relentless flogging up to the hospital each day for the rads), meaning that I hadn't really had time to process the fact that I had had cancer, but once the rads ended I had time and space to reflect, and also didn't have the "safety net" of meetings with professionals for a bit, so for a while I felt lower than I had at any point since diagnosis. And it gets better of course!!! I think this stage is one of the many that we pass through on our cancer experience, and maybe it is a necessary one even if a bit unpleasant at the time. Look after yourself, give yourself a few treats and rest as much as your body tells you to do, and then a bit more! xxxxx. 

[Lozzie]

I finished my radiotherapy on the 10th October and I am feeling so ill, I cannot seem to
Move and feel very light headed, also feel really down. Does anyone else have these side effects. I have had 3 days of this. Could anyone advise please.