Fatigue from radiotherapy

Fatigue seems to be hitting, a common effect, but I am reassured it should not be permanent

This interesting post suggests resilience is a factor, so psychology does affect outcome. Also taking exercise minimises fatigue, so Jan is still walking quite a bit, such as taking the train to the radiotherapy hospital, no taxis or cars!

We read that patients who take charge of their treatment do better than those who are more "docile", so again psychology seems important. I encourage Jan to not be too docile!

Jan has had 75% of the radiotherapy. She refused to use "emulsifying ointment" as recommended by the NHS, but used Cavilon as trialled at Wollongong. She is known as "the lady who is using Cavilon", so it must be a talking point at the hospital. So far her skin reaction is minor...great news, but it has yet to peak 7 - 10 days after therapy is completed.... One nurse suggested her breast was pink, I suspect a lie to discourage others from refusing their emulsifying ointment!

Jan is also taking tumeric capsules, which also claim to minimise skin damage. Jan insisted on bouncing this idea off two pharmacists before taking them, in spite of me saying would you ask them if you could eat brown bread during radiotherapy? I see tumeric as just another food. Fortunately the hospital has many Indian staff, so they were not the least concerned by the use of tumeric, making comments such as "its just a spice"