I'm new here so hi

It’s great that you’re surrounded by supportive friends & family. What better goal to aim for than getting married eh? Congratulations

Nicola

I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I am 2 days post treatment. I was also very scared, especially about the pain from the radiation. I don’t know if this helps but this is what I did:

I have been taking Epsom salt baths twice a day, reapplying the cream each time I go to the toilet and using the sitz bath when going to the toilet (to do number 2”s) I used Silverderm which has been brilliant ( it has silver in it ) and I had new skin already under the burns and my skin didn’t break. I also kept taking painkillers every 4 hours to keep the pain away ( putting an alarm in to take a painkiller at 4am). I used cold chamomile tea to cool the burns 

I kept my diet to eating potatoes, toast and Greek yogurt with berry’s and honey, (it was all I could manage) and drinking lots of fluids. 
I also stayed in bed for most of my treatment, ( I’m still laying in bed now!)

I hope this information helps, a little, think

pos, I always tend to think the worst and hope for the best!  I didn’t find the treatment  so bad, but everyone reacts differently.  I have been told my tumour has shrunk by 40% and I have scans in June. 

Hello Tigger

A warm welcome to the forum although I am sorry to hear of your (late) diagnosis.  Sadly there have been quite a few forum members who have had similar experiences to you and I am relieved that you persisted.

I completely understand you feeling scared and apprehensive, but truly, once you start your chemo/radiotherapy, you will feel a lot more in control than you do right now.  The treatment is tough, but doable.  And it is important to remember is that not all the side-effects come at once, most of us didn't started feeling them until perhaps mid-way through the third week.  And the chemotherapy side effects can vary too, I wasn't really affected apart from feeling tired and I didn't pick up anything apart from a urine infection.  The biggest problem for me was coping with the tablets (I have difficulty swallowing any tablet) but it must have been mind over matter, I managed the entire course without retching once, it truly must have been mind over matter!

Your treating team will keep a close eye on you and please let them know if there is anything that you are worried about, if your side effects (burns in particular) are really painful, they have a whole array of painkillers and dressings at their fingertips to help.  And please remember, now is not the time to 'grin and bear it', take full advantage of the stronger painkillers, co-codamol and morphine should you need them; it won't be for long.  

And there isn't anything that you can't discuss on here; we all did and still do.  And we are always here to help support you through this should you need it.

Big hug

Irene xx

Hey 

Thanks for the info, so was your silverderm prescribed by oncologist or docs? 

Have you been having the chemo tablets alongside your radiotherapy? 

I'm the same always think the worst, that's fab that your tumour has shrunk that much already! Good luck for your scans.

I’m in Spain so my medication might be slightly different . Silverderm was prescribed to me by the Radiotherapist. I had other creams but I found this one worked really well and I could put it everywhere. I did 30 days of chemo tablets and radiotherapy plus 2 lots of intravenous chemo. 

Ok thanks for that, I can only ask my radiotherapist hopefully I get something that works. 

Hello Tigger,

Just a quick hi, and to say I had the same treatment that you will be having. It can be quite harsh but is very effective, and this forum is a great place to get support and information, so if there is anything you are concerned about, ask away.

I finished treatment three years ago and have fully recovered, so keep focused on the fact that this treatment will hopefully help you heal. 

You should find the staff where you are treated will be fully aware of the effects it will have on your body; my advice would be tell them as soon as you start to feel any discomfort, and if what they give you doesn't work, keep trying different things. 

I wish you all the best, there are lots of friendly people here with masses of experience. 

Hi 

Thanks for that, I have had a lot of messages and read some files on this site today and has helped me greatly and eased my mind a bit seeing all the success stories, even if I have to put up with this side effects of it all then I'm happy so long as they cure me. 

Thank you for that very welcome advice.  I will bear that in mind. I also wonder how you manage having to get to and fro fro the hospital every day

Hi Tigger,

Welcome to the forum. It’s a great place for everything related to treatment and support.

Im sorry about your diagnosis and it sounds that like so many others on here, including myself, you had a long and difficult road to getting diagnosed.  I can understand your fears as well remember that awful time pre treatment while you’re reeling from the diagnosis and terrified of what’s ahead.

You need to hear some positive things right now. I too was diagnosed with T2 N1 last August and finished the same treatment as you in November. It’s not easy but it’s doable. You will finally have a team to support you and having supportive family and friends makes a massive difference.

 I had my 3 month scan in February and results mid March. Complete response to treatment. The treatment works. 

You have your wedding to look forward to and that’s a wonderful goal to have. 

Sending hugs x