Hi all,
I've just reached the end of week 5 of treatment and while my oncologist has said I've been doing fairly well with my skin condition (I took the advice of a few folks here and got the StrataXRT gel and used from day 1) I'm starting into the worst of the radiotherapy side effects. My nerve endings down there feel like they are constantly on fire, and I'm dealing VERY much with the broken glass shard bowel movements. All my lady parts are swollen and very very sensitive and as the cancer has spread to the lymphnode in my groin, I have some very exposed and open skin in that region too. Thus far my doc has given me some diazapam based cream to help the anal area, but I'm in too much pain to be able to put it where it needs to be. I also have tablets that are suposed to help with neuropathic pain, as often the regular painkillers like ibuprofen and paracetamol/cocodamol can't touch the burning sensation, thus far they've not done anything to help. I'm using Flamigel forte and hyrdo during the day, reapplying strata in mornings and evenings before bed. I sitz bath after/during every bowel movement (even peeing feels like acid, but it's only on the outer skin, not the same pain as a UTI, which I'm familiar with!)
It's keeping me awake until I'm so exhausted I fall asleep despite it. Any tiny air bubbles that get trapped down below are like someone setting a nerve bomb off that is impossible to turn off. Monday is my final meeting with the oncologist for a month and due to some roundabout circumstances, I'm almost a two hour drive from the hospital I'm being treated at, so won't have the ability to 'pop in' to see my treatment team without a couple of days notice.
So, I'd love to know if anyone else had similar effects from the radiation and if anything helped? Especially if there were any post-radiotherapy ointments, pills or creams that helped that I could ask about. I'm aware I'm one to play down my symptoms (stiff upper lip and all that), so I'd like to go in on monday with a bit more info and perhaps with some vague idea of how severe/commom these symptoms are.
Thanks so much in advance!
