Is it normal to feel tired after radiation

The differential diagnosis of tiredness: a systematic review. BMC Fam Pract. Trajectories of fatigue in patients with breast cancer before, during, and after radiation therapy.

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American Society of Clinical Oncology. Side Effects of Radiation Therapy. In some cases, though, the treated skin will stay darker and might be more sensitive than it was before.

Radiation therapy can cause hair to be thinned or lost in the area being treated. Most people find that their hair grows back after treatment ends, but it can be hard to deal with hair loss. When it does grow back, your hair may be thinner or a different texture than it was before. Ask your cancer care team if you have any questions or concerns about hair loss.

If you do lose your hair, your scalp may be tender and you may want to cover your head. Your local American Cancer Society office may be able to help you get wigs or hats. These blood cells help your body fight infection and prevent bleeding.

If your blood tests show low blood counts, your treatment might be stopped for a week or so to allow your blood counts to return to normal. People with brain tumors often get stereotactic radiosurgery radiation given in one large dose if the cancer is in only one or a few sites in the brain. Side effects depend on where the radiation is aimed. Some side effects might show up quickly, but others might not show up until 1 to 2 years after treatment.

Talk with your radiation oncologist about what to watch for and when to call your doctor. If the cancer is in many areas, sometimes the whole brain is treated with radiation. The side effects of whole brain radiation therapy may not be noticeable until a few weeks after treatment begins. Some of these side effects can happen because radiation has caused the brain to swell.

Treatment can affect each person differently, and you may not have these particular side effects. Radiation to the brain can also have side effects that show up later — usually from 6 months to many years after treatment ends.

These delayed effects can include serious problems such as memory loss, stroke-like symptoms, and poor brain function. You may also have an increased risk of having another tumor in the area, although this is not common. If you get radiation therapy to the head or neck, you need to take good care of your teeth, gums, mouth, and throat. Here are some tips that may help you manage mouth problems:. If these measures are not enough, ask your cancer care team for advice.

Mouth dryness may be a problem even after treatment is over. If so, talk to your team about what you can do. Radiation treatment to your head and neck can increase your chances of getting cavities. This is especially true if you have dry mouth as a result of treatment. Before starting radiation, talk to your cancer care team about whether you should get a complete check-up with your dentist.

Ask your dentist to talk with your radiation doctor before you start treatment. If you have one or more problem teeth, your dentist may suggest removing them before you start treatment. If you wear dentures, they may no longer fit well because of swollen gums. If your dentures cause sores, you may need to stop wearing them until your radiation therapy is done to keep sores from getting infected.

Your dentist may want to see you during your radiation therapy to check your teeth, talk to you about caring for your mouth and teeth, and help you deal with any problems. Most likely, you will be told to:. If you have radiation to the breast , it can affect your heart or lungs as well causing other side effects. To avoid irritating the skin around the breast, women should try to go without wearing a bra whenever they can. If your shoulders feel stiff, ask your cancer care team about exercises to keep your shoulder moving freely.

Breast soreness, color changes, and fluid build-up lymphedema will most likely go away a month or 2 after you finish radiation therapy. If fluid build-up continues to be a problem, ask your cancer care team what steps you can take. See Lymphedema for more information. Radiation therapy may cause long-term changes in the breast. Your skin may be slightly darker, and pores may be larger and more noticeable. The skin may be more or less sensitive and feel thicker and firmer than it was before treatment.

Sometimes the size of your breast changes — it may become larger because of fluid build-up or smaller because of scar tissue. These side effects may last long after treatment. If you do see changes in breast size, shape, appearance, or texture after this time, tell your cancer care team about them right away. This is not as common today as it was in the past, because modern radiation therapy equipment allows doctors to better focus the radiation beams on the area with cancer, with less affect to other areas.

Getting these nutrients from foods rather than from supplements is best. But if you aren't eating very much because of treatment side effects, ask your doctor about taking a multivitamin.

Also make sure you're drinking enough liquids, especially water. If you have side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea, you need to drink more liquids than normal. Besides water, good choices are fruit juice, milk, and broth.

Caffeinated beverages coffee, tea, soda pop actually can dehydrate you, so stick to other choices. Learn more on our Eating When You're Fatigued page. To read more, visit our Managing Fatigue section. Create a profile for better recommendations. Breast implant illness BII is a term that some women and doctors use to refer to a wide range Sign up for emails about breast cancer news, virtual events, and more. Subscribe to our podcast for conversations on the issues that matter most.

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