Does anyone else feel wiped out for hours after radiation?
Hi everyone,
I’m currently halfway through radiation treatment, and I’ve been noticing that I crash completely about 2–3 hours after each session. It feels like my energy just disappears, and I need to lie down for the rest of the day.
I expected some fatigue, but I didn’t realize it would hit this hard, this early. Has anyone else experienced this kind of exhaustion that kicks in a few hours later? Any tips for managing energy throughout the day?
Grateful for any advice or reassurance. 💗
Jhonn
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Hi @jhonnmarie, What you are experiencing is par for the course. Unfortunately fatigue tends to get even worse for a while when treatment ends but it does clear up. My hospital offered free acupuncture for those undergoing radiation which I found helpful. I paid for some sessions myself after active treatment ended. I was working at the time so I scheduled my sessions toward the end of the day. That way I could crash without it interfering with my job as much.
There were signs up in the waiting room reminding everyone to stay hydrated and eat plenty of protein, fruits and veggies to help the body heal. It was easier for me to eat multiple small meals to consume enough protein.
I was in a clinical trial that measured levels of immunity during the whole course of active treatment for all kinds of cancer. They discovered that radiation lowered the immune system much more than anything else (even chemo.) The fatigue is a physical symptom of that. Rest as much as you need to and don’t push yourself too hard. Things get better a month or so after rads ends.
I hope the rest of your treatment goes well.
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Hi Maggie, I hope your course of radiotherapy has been completed without further issues other than the fatigue at the time. I wanted to ask if at any time this continues, you might want to get your medical team to check out the state of your adrenal glands. I have other health issues which had left me on steroids for over 20 years, and was on those throughout my two bouts of cancer treatment which included reconstruction and a revision reconstruction, removal of an implant for a chest deformity which had been in place for over 40 years, and daily steroids plus gramming on occasions. Basically, my adrenals no longer function at all, and they cant tell if is due to my rare autoimmune condition, or the steroids, so Im steroid dependent for life. BUT, since getting that diagnosis in 2024, and a recent diagnosis that I'm just on the edge of pre-diebetes, I have changed what I eat. I'm eating very much more fruit, veg, nuts seeds and protein, learning to "cover the carbs" before I get onto carbohydrates, and eating a lot more low fat protein like cottage cheese, oily fish etc, I've cut out ultra-processed foods, no added sugar, sweets or biscuits, and the difference is amazing, no more falling asleep in front of tv, dozing off and having to go to bed at stupid early times like 7 pm. The best bit now is that when I do go to bed, I actually get to sleep, and sleep deep, except for an occasional trip to the bathroom. I've gone from doing almost no moving around to a reasonable 20-30 minute walk, albeit on crutches, each day, and my nails are growing, whereas before they just crumbled. My dreadful fatigue, dizziness etc has stopped. The only difference in my life is my determined change to what I eat and drink, my meds are the same, and I monitor blood pressure and blood glucose daily at present, and will review it with my local doctors surgery in 3 months from when I started the change. It takes commitment to stick to such an unprocessed diet,and I'll admit to having 2 pieces of Christmas pudding, but only one slice of cake in 2 months is a record!. I wasnt aiming to lose weight but have already shed over 20 lbs.
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