Radiotherapy side effects on skin etc.

Hi Vik63

Firstly well done to your wife for getting through the treatment. Can't remember my exact timescale but it was about  1 week to 1.5 weeks after treatment finished that my skin stopped being a problem, it wasn't completely healed by that point but it wasn't an issue. X

Hi Vil63,

Brilliant that your wife has finished treatment. It’s such a milestone and a relief not to be doing the daily journey. Although it’s a big sigh of relief, the effects of the treatment continue to peak for a while as the radiotherapy continues to do its work.

For me the side effects peaked at 3 weeks then subsided. It’s important to be aware that this is normal although it does vary on an individual basis depending on the size and location of the tumour. 

Although there is a feeling of elation at completing treatment it’s a time of lots of resting up and managing the symptoms of healing. This is time to be a period of managing pain and bowel control and reach out to your wife’s team if you need any support with this.

Wishing your wife very best wishes for a good recovery and wonderful that you are so supportive! I hope the discomfort passes soon. X

Thanks for that explanation. My wife was already making plans to do stuff - I’ll tell her to rest a bit longer

I can understand it will vary a great deal. My wife’s tumour was *large* and also external.

Luckily (?) it was a prerequisite to have had a Stoma before treatment so at least there is one thing less to cope with.

Hi Vic63,

 I also remember making plans to do things once the treatment had finished and I had to cancel most of them in the 3 weeks after!  It’s quite a hard phase of the treatment with the inflammation, burns, tiredness and pain. It will get better however and the main thing is to rest and recover and keep the pain under control.

 I think it’s natural to expect to feel that once treatment has finished everything will go back to ‘normal’ quickly and it can be frustrating to find that it takes some time.

 I do wish your wife well for the days and weeks ahead. There will be a turning point  hopefully soon. 

If anything doesn’t seem right don’t hesitate to contact the team.

All good wishes to you both x

Hi Vik63 , firstly it’s great to hear that your wife has completed her treatment. My treatment side effects peaked at day 11 post treatment, these were mainly skin related issues. The fatigue was another prevalent side effect for me though & came & went for a few weeks after my skin had begun to heal. I will say that once I’d turned that corner at day 11 the healing process for me was thankfully a pretty swift one with very few longer term side effects. The best advice I can give is for her to keep using the creams & to get lots & lots of rest over the next couple of weeks at least. 

Wishing your wife all the very best for her recovery, sending lots of healing thoughts her way. Remember to take care of yourself too amid all that’s been going on. 

Nicola 

Hi Vik63,

I was so happy to finish my treatments as I am sure your wife is and I was disappointed not to start healing straight away. The next 2 to 3 weeks will also be tough so make sure she gets plenty of rest, takes pain relief and try and be patient it will get better.

xx

Hello Vik63

There must be huge sighs of relief in your household that the treatment is over and no more daily hospital visits.  The side effects from treatment will carry on (normally) for a couple of weeks and then she should notice things are getting better.  Sitting on a hedgehog is a pretty accurate description!

The fact that your wife has a stoma will spare her from some of the pain associated with bowel movements due to the treatment; this can be quite severe but of course she still has the sores, I had Flaminal Forte too and it was excellent.

I remember your wife was in considerable pain before treatment started, so I am not surprised that she is making plans, but if she has fatigue it would be a good idea to hang on until she she is further on in her recovery.  The body is working overtime to heal itself after a very robust treatment.

But really great news that she sounds in such good spirits.

Irene xx

Hello Vik63 

My skin and soreness lasted for two weeks - no stoma so I'm sure that probably agitated it more.  I'm a month out and whilst I am meeting up with friends and getting more active with each day - I do find myself easily tired....  I'm 52 and a good weight for my height and was relatively fit and active before diagnosis - I'm continuing to be kind to myself. 

Good luck to your wife - she's nearly there - and well done to you too for being by her side!

Best wishes 

Ali

My wife thanks you so much!

My wife sends her thanks!