Radiotherapy help!!

Hi Lou.loou, I had 28 sessions of radiotherapy in 2019 and I was very lucky that I had no side effects at all. I kept asking if they were sure the machine was working. I even went stand up paddle boarding during my treatment. Everybody reacts differently but hopefully you'll get through with none or few side effects.

I know what you mean about being embarrassed about how you look. I've had 2 children and my tummy is not the most attractive thing to look at. You should have some dots tattooed on your hips and one on the front maybe just in your hairline, if you get my meaning. This is so they can line the machine up so it hits the same spot every time. You lie very still on your back whilst they do the treatment. You have to take your shoes and trousers off or lift your skirt/dress to you waist and lower your pants under your bum but not right down at the front. I had a really good looking young male Portuguese nurse in with me and at first I was quite embarrassed but all the staff were really friendly and put me at ease. I just told myself that they have seen all shapes and sizes and don't even notice how you look because they are focused on their job. The radiotherapy itself lasts a few minutes and you will probably spend more time in the waiting room than you do on the table.

You can click on my name and read my journey. I have a temporary ileostomy which hopefully is going to be reversed in June and I'm due scans again in August. My scans last year were clear and I'm currently cancer free.

Best wishes on your journey and remember even if you have side effects that make you feel crap, take comfort in the knowledge that the tumour is probably feeling worse.

All the best Rita

Oh thankyou so much thats excatly what i wanted to hear, I’m hoping my side effects won’t be so bad either as i breezed through chemo with no side effects i was really surprised so finger crossed I’ll be ok with radiotherapy but one day at a time its not something i dwell on postive thinking, by the time i took myself to my gp i told myself she has seen a million bums mine is just another its no big thing I’m glad i did or I’d still not know, 

amazing your cancer free I’m hoping i will be by end of year thankyou 

Hi Lou.loou. I had to lie on my front for my treatment - I think it depends on whereabouts your tumour is? I had 3 tiny dots tattooed at the bottom of my back. On treatment day I was taken into a changing room to put a gown on that fastened down the back. I then lay on my front with the gown opened but the radiographers would cover my bottom with a paper towel to protect my modesty then back to the changing room to get dressed. As Rita says, the treatment doesn’t take long but there can be delays so I used to try and get an early morning appointment.
My tumour shrank by 75% with radiotherapy so everything crossed that you have a similar (or even better) outcome

Take care

Karen x

thankyou for replying with ur experience i feel a bit more prepared now... wow 75% that’s amazing fingers crossed mine reacts well, i did have gd shrinkage from just chemo just not enough for surgery. 

Hi Louloou I had radiotheraphy last year. I always feel embarrassed, I have a very big hernia in my upper abdomen. Best wishes sending hugs xx

Hi Lou.look. Sorry I also meant to say I did get a complete response to radiotheraphy and chemo tablets. Now had radio frequency ablation on a liver mett.I felt a bit unwell with treatment but I put it mostly down to anxiety. Best wishes Nelly1955