Radium fategue

Hi I am 27 month post treatment for tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes,I still occasionally have a 20 min power nap.In my case it was a good 12 month before the worst of the radiation fatigue eased.It used to come in waves, I did find gentle exercise every day as strange as that seems it really does help.

The is also an article online by Dr Peter Harvey After treatment -What happens next? He really explains what we have been through it may help.

Well done on completing  treatments onwards and upwards from here.

Hazel 

First welcome to our little community and well done for getting through the treatment and getting the all clear

Unknown said:

it would be interesting to know how long it took people to get over the radium fategue thanks in advance 

Radiation Fatigue can still blight people's lives long after treatment but it does get better. Nearly two years on I still feel absolutely stuffed if I have been working on the veggie plot or garden for a few hours whereas before I was ill I could be there all day. But it is improving. Don't fight it is my recommendation. Hazel has the right idea. Power naps 

Good luck

Hi there  thanks for the reply yes excersise is good I try to walk every day when I can and can cover a couple of miles at a steady pace at the morment when I was half way through my treatment on the first round I could walk about 8 miles at a steady pace 

Hi l1963

I'm now 27 months post treatment for base of tongue cancer and still find the fatigue will suddenly hit me.

It has steadily improved as time goes on and I've learned to pace myself and take a rest when it hits.  Like you, I have walked every day both during treatment and afterwards which I find helps.  Please remember we call recover at different speeds so it's not always helpful to compare yourself with someone else.  

If you havn't had one done yet I would strongly recommend you have a thyroid test to check it's working properly.  As we've had rt to the neck we should have our thyroid function checked regularly but not all teams advice their patients of this.

So pleased to read your scans have been clear after all your treatments.

All the best

Linda x

LindaWT said:

I'm now 27 months post treatment for base of tongue cancer and still find the fatigue will suddenly hit me.

You’re spot on Linda. 
I was raking leaves this morning and all of a sudden a wave of absolute tiredness nigh on poleaxed me. I had to stop and breathe through it. 

Hi Linda thanks for that I have had my thiroid checked just over 3"months ago now I have appointment with ENT on Thursday as for some reason ornacoligy have passed me back to them because my post treatment scans were clear so I will ask the question by the way mine was allso at the base of the tongue on the right hand side with spread the limph nodes on the left hand side and I am getting all sorts of late after effects like aches from the site of the origanal tumour

 and a sore throat that comes and goes

Hi I was passed back to r n t it’s not unusual many trusts do that after your scans. Oncologist is there for treatment snd the weeks after at my cancer centre now have been seen by e n t for last 2 years . They are the people who found my cancer so I have faith in them. Aches n pains aren’t unusual either but yes mention at your appointment
good luck Hazel  

Hi RadioactiveRaz 

Thanks for that one I will do and see what they have to say as I mentioned it the the specialist nurce and she did say they were possible but then said if I had any doubts make contact with my GP and I thought that was strange 

Hi l1963

Like Hazel I was also passed onto ENT for followups up once my treatment had finished.  Most of the consultants are part of the team anyway.

I'm with Hazel also on speaking to your team about any aches, pains etc when you next see them.  Not because it sounds suspicious necessarily but it's useful for them to know.

Linda x

My nursing team did say this was the last thing to go

At three months post treatment, it is still a big thing for me, i work in IT - nothing physical, but after working 5 or 6 hours i crash, literally i am asleep half hour after working.