Radiation side effects?

Kfmama2 I did the deep breath holds and had no issues except once or twice I felt like I couldn't hold my breath the whole time , but I did it, I'm sure it was anxiety. Have you started any medication yet, like Tamoxifen, that can have those side effects.

Good luck with your remaining treatments.

I so don’t get it when doctors deny or fail to mention possible and known side effects. Do they really think that side effects are “all in our heads” or that warning us will trigger a psychosomatic side effect? Once they have disassociated themselves and the treatments they have prescribed from our actual experience then aren’t they making it difficult to treat or provide relief? So much for trust...

KFmama2: I had mild nausea about three weeks into radiation. I swore it was caused from rads but the RO said it wasn't. He said it was probably reflux. He prescribed something for the reflux and, sure enough, it stopped the nausea. I haven't had any nausea since and I'm finishing my six weeks tomorrow. Good luck.

I had a very upset stomach and vague nausea and the Radiation Oncologist was vehement that it was not caused by partial breast radiation. When I told her I also had fatigue, she said that was not possible. That type of response from a health care provider is irresponsible.

I agree with gb2115, ignore them. You know what you are experiencing.

I did have nausea and an achy body. Radiologist had me take prilosec daily which did help. And drink A LOT of water. I could tell a big difference in how I felt when I really hydrated. I just kept water with me all day and felt better overall. Good luck with your remaining treatments. I am a little over a month out from having 30 treatments and feel so much better now!!

hiya. I finished my Radiotherapy 8 weeks ago . In the first week i felt a bit nauseated but they told me it was the Tamoxifen that i had started taking.Since finishing the 19 treatments i have been cold . Not just cold but very cold ! Ive gone from someone who was always warm to someone condidering wearing gloves indoors 🙄 im wondering if its somehow linked to the radiotherapy /Tamoxifen ? Has anyone else found this has happened to them ?

Thank you very much for your reply posts. I really appreciate them. I am so glad to be part of this community. Good luck to all.

My radiation was late last year. I didn't have nausea, but the RO said the left side whole breast radiation would not harm my heart or lungs, and that it was precisely platted on the computer to miss those organs. I had to see a cardiothoracic surgeon in June for an unrelated matter. I mentioned the radiation (thinking more about the skin, should surgery be necessary), and he said it was good that I'd brought it up because of the heart damage it could cause. When I told him what the RO had said, he just gave me a pitying look and shook his head, gently explaining that there's always SOME damage. Then I had a chest and abdomen CT for another issue (yep, I'm falling apart!), and that showed a little scarring smudge on my left lung, new since the CT I had last year. My oncologist said it was from radiation. So I guess the RO lied through his teeth.

I had 30 rads & throughout rad treatments I felt great! The last few rads I was burning a bit (like a bad sun-burn) but tolerable, not much pain, small amount of fatigue & overall at rad completion I felt wonderful. THEN a few weeks after rad was done BOTH my arms developed EXTREME pain! I could not sleep & was screaming in pain a lot! THE WORST PAIN EVER! Dr diagnosed it as "neuropathy". I had surgery to cut nerves in both wrists, instantly the pain stopped & I mended well with no further problems. My point is no one told me neuropathy could be a possible side effect of rad. When I asked rad Dr why this isn't disclosed he said if his patients knew all the POSSIBLE side effects they would never agree to be treated with rad.

I had my radiation in May. You know how you know you were having side effects from the radiation even though they tell you " you should not be having any"? When they start going away. It's been 6 months for me and I am feeling like I am just now getting some of my energy and stamina back. I look back and think about how tired I was! If I went to the store after work I would have to hang on to the cart for support and drag myself home to the couch. I was not on Letrozol during radiation and I was have killer hot flashes, sun and heat sensitivity, depression, fatigue and but most especially tiredness. I really feel that all of those things have subsided. So why do "they" not want to acknowledge us when we do ?
It makes you feel like you are going crazy and so unsupported, adding one more unpleasant thing about the process of trying to survive.

My opinion is YES you will most likely have side effects from having live radio active material put in your body, I don't see how you could not. We are all different and it will effect each of us differently. I am grateful after 6 months that some of my issues are subsiding and hope they continue to do so.

To 'they" I hope they start listening and acknowledging their patients and what they are feeling is real and start supporting them though it instead of denying they exist.

Have you asked how radiation affects your probability of recurrence? When I heard it would cut mine in half it was an easy decision.

A1b2c3 - my cancer was in the left breast - on the top of the breast kind of midway between the nipple and the upper chest wall. Tumor size was 5 cm and removed with mostly 5 mm margins.

The first radiologist I visited - I loved her, but she did not do the breath holding to protect the heart. She said it didn't really help even though I found published study that said it helped a lot.

So, I went with the second radiologist. They do breath holding. Some use a snorkel like thing. My MD Anderson facility did not. They did somehow know how my breath holding was doing. A couple of times they would tell me to relax a little, etc.

Because I had lymphovascular invasion, the radiologist said I needed whole breast radiation. Because of the location of my tumor, they were able to angle the radiation so that the rays went in near the center of my body and out under my arm and then they moved the machine and did the opposite. This helped to protect my lungs and heart also.

Some people the radiation exits more out the back. You will need to ask them so you can be sure to lubricate that area also.

I was also told that it would be the same size or very slightly smaller, but probably perkier afterwards.

I finished radiation at the end of July. I am still dealing with seroma issues from the surgery, but it appears that my breasts will be the same size and the "more perky" isn't obvious when I wear a bra. I am about a C or D cup so always wear a bra.