I didn't see this and answered your other post first - so my answer is going not in order, sorry!
Personally
A Sitzbath - a portable bidet available on Amazon, wonderful to fill with luke-warm water and soothe your nether regions.
Stick-on incontinence sheets, my bowels were decidedly iffy all during treatment and I wasn't up for changing bedlinen in the middle of the night. I didn't need them but slept more soundly.
Lots of moisturising cream - apply it liberally and frequently where a bikini would cover.
Easy food - you will probably have fatigue from treatment and food preparation is low in importance.
Our other forum members will have lots of helpful suggestions for you too. I wish I hadn't been quite so late to the forum!
I don't know of any who had zero side effects, but the important thing to remember is that they don't all come at once; generally heading towards the end of week three. I found keeping a calendar and marking off the days of treatment useful, it was so uplifting to get past the half-way mark!
And, totally unrelated to your question, but you will feel a lot more in control when treatment starts, and 7th April isn't long to wait.
Moisturise moisturise moisturise. For me water wipes and mens baggy boxers were my essentials. Like Irene75359 has said once treatment starts you will feel more in control. Good luck for the 7th. Sending hugs. Xx
Echoing the other recommendations - a sitzbath was just amazing and my oncologist told me to use about four teaspoons of salt in the water. Use water wipes once things start getting painful after going to the loo - I had a little bin by the toilet as they shouldn’t be flushed and you do use a lot! Wash and moisturise with unscented products and hopefully you’ll be recommended a cream to help with itching and discomfort. And pat dry, don’t wipe! My oncologist was spot on with his timings - he told me that for two weeks I might think that the radiation isn’t doing anything at all, but it does start to ramp up after that and lasts for two to three weeks post treatment. If you think that something doesn’t feel right, hopefully a nurse will be able to check you over and reassure you that everything is looking as expected, because the sensations can be a bit confronting. You’ll be coming into the warmer weather hopefully, so it should be easier to wear loose clothing - tight trousers will be out of the question for a little while! It’s all a process and while confronting at times, will get you 100% fit by the end of it. We are all thinking of you and sending our love.
Tez thank you so much for your very clear, honest and thorough description of your experience and recommendations. This is so helpful and encouraging for me. I feel I can take lots of positive steps to prepare for what will be a difficult journey. How long ago was your treatment? Are you still having regular check ups? Please only share what you want, always understand we all have our boundaries. I share a lot because I work as a counsellor and I am always encouraging others to share!!!
Happy to share Freya73! I was diagnosed early September 25 and started treatment mid October. I had the usual 28 days of pelvic radiation and chemo tablets (couldn’t face having a pic line in!). I had my first scans post treatment two weeks ago and was there was no further sign of the tumour or any spread, although I do now face the prospect of a ‘flexible sigmoidoscopy’ in April for a more in depth view, a PET scan in June and further scans and consultations for a while yet - which I’m actually quite happy about. My diagnosis came about purely as a result of a random routine colonoscopy (my first!) where I’d had absolutely no symptoms at all. My GP just wanted to check on why my iron levels had been low for a while. I was very lucky in that my tumour was T1 (although recently I saw it had been labelled as T2) and so was very small and caught early on. My view on life has certainly changed since my cancer experience and I know that although at the moment I’m cancer free, I feel very vulnerable. Which is why I’m very happy to be monitored as much as the medics like! The whole experience has made me realise that anyone at any time can be affected by this wicked disease and receiving effective treatment after a timely diagnosis is a blessing. Do stay in touch with us all and let us know how your treatment goes. xxxx
I was in the dark too! It’s a bit like a less intrusive colonoscopy - the surgeon has a look around with a camera just to check the area surrounding where the tumour was. You fast beforehand but nothing like a colonoscopy prep.
I’m glad you found this space, it really helps not to feel alone in this. Starting treatment can feel like a lot, but taking it step by step makes it more manageable.
It might help to write down questions for your doctor, understand your treatment plan, and prepare both physically and mentally.
When I was reading about this before, I also came across some helpful info and treatment overviews on PlacidWay, which gave a clearer picture of what to expect.
