How people feel during week of radiotherapy?

Ipt  down to the individual I think. For context, I’m 47, sporty and active pre cancer and I managed to motorbike over to the hospital (an hr each way) for 10 days without any problems. I worked through the whole experience too and didn’t feel any side effects at all tbh. However I’ve read that other people felt tired during radiotherapy and didn’t want to do a great deal.

I think this is where personal levels of health/ pre-illness activity/ age kick in sometimes and dictate peoples capabilities when going through something like this. If you were pretty active before and haven’t had problems with the exercises I think I you should be fine. In my case I’d have done it. I just wanted life to return to normal as soon as possible.

That is very reassuring Blade46

I too just want life to get back to as normal as possible

Have you started on The Aromatase  inhibitor Letrozole yet and can you be as upbeat about that. ?

Hi 

I felt absolutely fine during my week of radiotherapy, the only issue being that my skin felt slightly tender (but I could still wear a bra).  So on that basis I’d say yes.  But of course everyone is affected differently, as Blade46 rightly points out, and you know best your own general health (and stamina!)

As I’m pre menopause I’ve been put on tamoxifen rather than Letrozole, so can’t comment on that I’m afraid. However hormone therapy was the part I was most concerned about in this whole process but touch wood, I’m doing ok there too. Sometimes I think it’s easy to look at people’s experiences of certain drugs on these blogs and extrapolate that everyone’s experiences will be the same I.e not great. However, I think it’s important to remember that (unfortunately) thousands of people go on these hormone treatments every year, and the vast majority who feel ok don’t post on websites to tell everyone that they are doing ok, they just take it as a given and crack on with their lives!  So I guess I’m hear to say, I’m ok on hormone treatment and it’s not automatically all bad!! 

I was fine during my week of RT and went to the theatre one night during that week. I did feel pretty tired as the 5 days were coming to an end and had a few afternoon naps but I was still walking and meeting friends. 

As others have said, it can vary between individuals. I had 15 days of radiotherapy (right and left side, which meant up to 40mins a time).  I was fine the first couple of weeks and driving myself back and forth to the hospital.  I arranged lifts for the last two treatments as I was beginning to feel drained by the end of the appointment.  I would say accept the invitation - nearer the time if you feel too tired hopefully your fellow diners would understand.

I'm taking Letrozole.  I was ok the first few weeks, then they seemed to kick in and I suffered badly with night sweats and was getting little sleep.  My consultant prescribed Venlafaxine to counteract the effects of the Letrozole, which really helped with the overheating and I'm now sleeping well again (sleeping has always been a talent of mine!).  I am getting joint pain in my fingers, and very occasionally in my wrists.  I've seen others say that this settles down after a time.  It's worse first thing in a morning, but soon passes.  

I think the important thing is to keep talking to your consultant/breast care nurse about concerns/symptoms - I've found they just want to help, and usually have an answer/advice, but can only do so if you ask the questions/tell them what you're experiencing.

I hope you enjoy your dinner!

Hello grumpy. I was fine during the treatment, it was about 10 days after that i started to feel the side effects 

Thanks for posting this, I haven’t even started chemo yet + radiotherapy to come and an already terrified of tamoxifen side effects, which is crazy making. Guess it’s the TEN years rather than three months timesacale. Also I can’t cope with the number of side effects leaflets, they just keep coming!

Yes it the timescale that makes it daunting for hormone therapy I think. I had a lumpectomy and radiotherapy which are both short term treatments and I just focused on getting those out of the way and powered through. However the thought of hormone therapy for 8 years seemed like much more of an issue. (Why I think that when I was on the pill for 20+ years without a second thought, which in effect was just a different form of hormone treatment, who knows?). 

But as my husband pointed out, if you read the possible adverse events/ side effects of  paracetamol or ibuprofen, it would probably make you think twice about taking it again, but it’s just because they have to list every possible side effect that’s ever been reported, however minuscule the population. The same with Tamoxifen. At the end of the day, this is a drug which is going to reduce my risk of bc recurrence, so when I look at it like that, it’s a no brainer.

For me throughout this whole experience, a positive mental attitude was so important. I didn’t waste mental or emotional energy on what I couldn’t change (eg now in having to take tamoxifen), I just focused on what needed to be done. My lumpectomy op happened the day after Sarah Harding sadly passed away and I made a vow to myself there and then to look on whatever treatment they could give me to beat this disease as a blessing. Sarah Harding and thousands of other fabulous men and women would give anything to have that opportunity, so I chose to embrace it rather than fear it! 

Hi Grumpy, I'd say go ahead and accept your dinner invitation. It's not like you're going to be running a marathon that evening, or are you? I was absolutely fine while having the radiotherapy. For me side effects didn't kick in for about 6 weeks when I developed a very tender boob and started suddenly falling asleep in front of the TV in the evenings. Boob is still very tender but so long as I don't accidently knock it or roll over in bed awkwardly it's fine. Still falling asleep too but without feeling tired first, it's like someone flicks my off switch!! I'm 6 months post radiotherapy and that's my experience. As I'm sure you know everyone is different. I wish you well, best wishes, Mog