Double radio dose

Oh you poor thing- not surprised you feel a bit Bah humbug after that and it must be hard to keep a brave face up today.

 I have never heard of anyone having a double dose and know that many forum members went through treatment over the last Christmas period. Maybe others can share if they had that experience.

Dont try and hold it together for everyone else’s sake. If you need to go and rest, then do that. This is a pretty tough treatment and I’m sure that your family would want you to do whatever’s right for you. It can all feel quite pressured at this time of year but some of that can be the pressure we put on ourselves, not wanting to let others down.

 I really hope that you start to feel a bit better soon.

Sending hugs xx

I have never heard of double dosing radiotherapy, but I suppose it keeps things on track and lets you have a bit of a break now.

I am not sure it is the radiotherapy making you feel so horrible - I know I found it really tiring, but my guess would be that it might be your chemo causing the nausea and bloating. Did they they give you anti nausea meds? 

Horrible for you trying to put on a brave face, but hopefully by now (6pm) you will be able to put your feet up and maybe even have an early night. The rest of your chemoradiation treatment should be a bit more even handed and things should settle down. If you don't feel better by the time you go back in for another session, please tell the staff. They have lots of meds to soothe and help - please don't think this is it, and you just have to put up with feeling rubbish for the next six weeks.

xx

I’ve got domperidone as my anti nausea and it does work but just not for very long. I can have it 3 x a day but 4 would be better!! I’m hoping it is just the result of a double whammy and that it settles over the next couple of days as to think I have 5 more weeks of this would be unbearable. 
im back in on Sunday for the next sesh!

Awww that sounds awful, hope your starting to feel better today and managed to enjoy some of you Christmas 

get well soon xxx

Hope you are feeling a little better today Mummabear.

I'm slightly ahead of you having had 7 treatments now. 

The bonus for you is that you do indeed have three days rest and your body will hopefully settle into what is the new norm for the next several weeks. I've got two days and I'm back in tomorrow.

I've been prescribed ondansetron for the nausea and quite honestly they are brilliant, might be worth asking if you could swap onto these. I had a similar issue with the first ones they prescribed me. Also got docusate sodium for the constipation. 

I've also been prescribed a low dose of amitriptyline at night which has made my pain much more bearable and I sleep much better through the night, however I was suffering from bad nerve pain due to the location of my tumour.

I alternate between paracetamol and ibuprofen for the pain throughout the day and I honestly feel so much better considering I actually asked for the alternative operation due to being so beside myself last week! Cocodamol and oramorph have been banished to the back of the cupboard for now lol!

I've found that getting my bowel in a steady place has helped me massively. Being hydrated well (2 litres) and having little meals/snacks often has made it much more bearable. I drink water with elderflower cordial or very weak barley juice and just sip steadily and amazingly I manage to do the required amount no problem.

Shallow warm baths and just sitting on the toilet and finding your comfy position and deep breathing to relax your nervous system.

If you haven't already got one try a peri bottle to clean yourself after toileting and a sitz bath, they are a godsend and actually very relaxing once you get into a little rhythm. 

I felt exactly like you did but after the 5/6 treatment I did start to feel better not sure if it was the meds change or maybe my body said ah ok so this is it and kind of relaxed a bit?

Sending a huge hug 

Becky xx

Hello MummaBearb8d2d7 

I have never heard of that (but I am not medically trained at all) but a quick Google search told me that sometimes two sessions can be held in the same day to avoid adding the missed day on to the end of the session.

I am so sorry that you are feeling so low and hope you are feeling a bit better now.  And please let the doctor know how unwell you are feeling and ask for an alternative medication, s/he should help.  And be very kind to yourself, even if it means constantly wearing a nightdress and a cosy dressing gown - my attire the minute I arrived home from hospital after my sessions.

And please don't apologise for anything you say on here, we nearly all have experience and this is your safe place to vent.

Gentle hug

Irene xx

Hi there. I have had two radio sessions on 23rd but I am in my fifth week of treatment so I guess this is quite normal where holidays fall. I am just really tired now and struggling with the pain, more with having a wee.

I think it's very understandable that you are tearful. I was during my first week. I wonder if you had IV chemo as well as starting chemo tablets. I think it was more that that knocked me for six and I came round quite a bit by week two. 

Trying to be chipper over Christmas is not great,you don't really feel like doing anything or being sociable. All I reckon is quite understandable in the circumstances. 

I hope you are feeling a bit better now .

Sending love and understanding 

Hi Sec47c2de,

Just wanted to say I found the stage you are at to be the toughest part, so if you can just keep going, you'll soon be through. The psychological lift of knowing you are finished is lovely and although there is some lag as the treatment carries on working, it will just feel amazing to be at the top of the hill and looking forward now. 

You probably know the tips about weeing, but doing it into warm water or pouring  it over your bits as you wee is a big help to some of us. Also just check you haven't got radiation cystitis, that too is quite common and I found just some of the over the counter meds from the chemist were helpful, but you might want to mention it next time you see a radiographer just in case you have an infection.

Keep going - you are almost there xxx

Thank you so much. Everyone keeps telling me it'll get worse over the next couple of weeks after treatment. It seems bad enough now. But, gotta get through it. 

We all react differently, but my experience was that it didn't get worse, it just took a couple of weeks before I felt any positive improvement. 

Carry on looking after yourself. Make sure you have a supply of all the painkillers and creams you need before you finish. Take time to rest and let your body start healing. Eat the foods you like, stay hydrated. Don't feel you need to clean up or do any sort of work. Think of this as your time of quiet, restful convalescence and soon you will start to feel you have turned the corner. xxx