Angie,
Welcome. I truly understand how scary the prospect of radation and the side effects can be.

It's not without reason; they can be miserable. Radiation affects each person differently, and while the side effects can be potentially difficult, there's no guarantee that they will be .

You will probably not notice much difference in the way you feel for the first couple of weeks. Between week three, and 2 or 3 weeks after the end of rad, things will be more and more unpleasant.

For me, week 5 was when things got really bad. They stayed that way for three weeks after Rx ended ( a total of a month) then, things started to improve.

It's tough, but you can do it. We're here to answer any questions you may have along the way. If you haven't talked to your Doctor about anxiety yet, do so. They can help a great deal
Wayne