Leg weakness

It sounds more like radiation fatigue. You can ask your colleagues about radiation to the Posterior Cranial Fossa.

It's why we get weak and why we gat waves of tiredness. Targeting the throat with X-ray still leaves an exit beam which can hit the brain stem. It does get better. I was largely over it in nine months or so but I know others who have had to have naps during the day for longer.

I know it can poleaxe you out of nowhere.

I think that's the likely explanation but do run it past your oncologist.

The other thing to get checked is your thyroid function. RT can cause hypothyroidism.

I hope you feel better soon

Hi Specrad

i finished my treatment after 5 rounds of chemo and 35 radiotherapy sessions in mid February. for the first few months I was like bambi on ice. In the last couple of weeks I have felt the strength in my legs starting to return even though I have not put on any weight. It will take time but it will gradually build back up…try not to push yourself as we need time to recover  regards Angela x

Thank you for replying. I'm aware of PCF radiation effects but the legs in isolation don't fit. I've been fortunate enough to not need a nap for a couple of months and other than my legs I have no tiredness at all. 

I actually saw my consultant yesterday. He thinks the most likely explanation is muscle wastage due to the extreme weight loss I've experienced as I'm not stuggling in any other aspects, so I'm just going to carry on as I am and hopefully things will start to improve soon.

I have bloods done for my thyroid, amongst other things, on a monthly basis too as I'm on a trial so no worries there.

X

Thank you for the reply. It sounds like you're a couple of weeks ahead of me as I finished treatment at the end of February and also had 35 and 5. Hopefully I'll feel some improvement soon as my consultant checked me over yesterday and is pretty certain it's muscle wastage causing the weakness.

X

That makes sense …and it is similar to me as I lost just under 3 stone in weight by the end of the treatment. strength is gradually coming back…good luck regards Angela x

Ah yes. I didn’t realise you’d lost so much weight. I managed to lose very little thankfully. What I did find was that for 18 months I could eat like a horse and put no weight on. It was a bit of shock when it started creeping up. 

Hi Dani that’s really interesting as I am been eating more than I would normally trying to put some of the weight back on and I am stuck on the post radiotherapy weight. That helps to know you had something similar x

I think the RT puts us into a sort of hyper metabolism. It’s strange that it lasts so long. 

I will enjoy the new slimline me for a while then x