Radiotherapy started ! on left side of neck

Latest update  7 Dec 2021

Hiya,

Latest on my radiotherapy experience – last time I posted I’d had 4 radiotherapy  treatments on the side of my neck, each one approx. 2gy each.

These have continued, and … today was last one! ..yah!!

Looking back the last 3 and half weeks feel a lot longer. Getting to hospital and back, the waiting around and the treatment have become the focus of each day, and it’s like this is what a normal day is, but finally have got to the end of the schedule.

The treatment themselves are painless – lie on table, getting fitted with your mask, then try to relax and wait for treatment to complete, hearing whirring and beeps as the machine moves around you. The mask wearing became more tolerable, though never looked forward to it being fitted on and the loud click sounds of it being bolted down, but decided to see as a daily meeting with a friend offering a helping hand !

The radiographers were always very helpful, friendly and easy to talk with about how it was going.

It has become very tiring. The fatigue really became noticeable around half way through second week – it feels more than just tiredness, and can make you feel more down. But at least in winter not too bad if need to rest on the sofa a lot ! ha ha

The other effects started to be felt around half way through the second week too. The mouth has become very sore, dry, sticky, particularly on left and side. The gums feel gritty and sore, and most of tongue sore. The sore throat is really noticeable.  It feels raw painful most of time. Need to keep sipping cool water, and they’ve given me mouthwash to help, plus advised on taking paracetamol to help with the pain.

Also, a great excuse to eat bits of ice cream a lot, and chipped ice helps ! ha ha

Appetite not great, and they’ve given me Complan shakes, which help as at the moment chewing food uncomfortable and basically tiring.

The neck itself feels achy, and encouragingly I’ve noticed that the smaller lump seems to not be visible now!, and the larger lump much smaller with the area around it feeling tender.

The review nurse has said that the effects of the radiotherapy may continue getting worse over next couple of weeks or so before it all starts to feel like its improving.

I decided not to take my mask home, hope it wasn’t offended !  ha ha, but did get a pic of it  - what do think – make a good xmas card? Ha ha

Previous 

Hi,

this is just to post to say how it's been going so far with my radiotherapy treatments .

I've now had 4 treatments ( 2 Gy each), with the weekend gap.  And so far, relatively feeling OK!  Noticeable tiredness is the main effect I'm noticing, which started on third day, plus throat a little croaky.  Not sure if it will stay like this,  or start to get worse by third week - but just taking it one day at a time, and see what develops!

I'm trying to get on with my mask, but to be honest I do find mask a little irritating !  :-)  but I'm trying to see it as helping me!

Will let you know how it goes.

Take care.