What to expect with Radiotherapy and Chemo

Hi Marjorie

I got more and more tired as the weeks went on although it was probably a bit worse for me because my chemo-radio was preceded by a radical hysterectomy a few weeks beforehand.  The main side effects for me were fairly severe diarrhoea from the radiotherapy and my appetite got progressively worse which may have been due to the chemo.  I started to get a very sore anus from all the diarrhoea to the point where loo paper felt too harsh - I ended up cleaning myself with Aquamax and warm water then dabbing dry gently; I also found a dab of vaseline just inside my anus helped to make bowel motions a bit more comfortable.  You will be advised by your medical team about medications for the diarrhoea and you should also get support from a dietitian throughout your treatment.  Another possible side effect of radiotherapy is 'burning' of the skin; I was advised to keep the skin in the area of the radiation well moisturised with something non-perfumed like Aveeno (I used Aveeno lotion); if you wanted it might help if you started moisturising now so your skin is as good as it can be before you start treatment.

When I started the chemo-radio it felt like it would take forever to get through it but somehow I was suddenly the veteran, so to speak, and it was all over.  Hope all goes well for you.

Hi 

I was diagnosed stage 3c squamas cell carcinoma in Feb 2020. I had 5 sessions of cisplatin, 25 radiotherapy and 4 brachy therapy. And finished treatment in May. 

Throughout treatment I did feel a lot more tired and a little nauseous. Also had bowel problems, that's due to the radio.

You will be the only one to decide how much you can and can't do for example one day I was sleeping for most of it and not really eating and the next I was up a ladder cleaning the facia boards on the house.

It effects everyone differently. 

One thing I did notice was that on chemo days I was constantly needing a wee due to all the fluids and then couldn't sleep due to the steroids. So make sure you have some good Netflix series lined up. 

Being in lockdown there wasn't much to do, so going for a walk when I felt up to it was brilliant.

One of the things I  was told that stood out to me was if I fancy just some pudding then eat it as that is better than eato g nothing at all. 

Best wishes, hope it all goes smoothly for you. 

Thank you so much for the advice.  It's helped already and I haven't even started yet!  We had a rocky start for the planning scan and I had to go back for a 2nd go.  Nothing quite like being taken into a room and a nurse asking 'do you know why you're here?'.  I shook my head blankly and she let me know it was time for a nurse administered enema :(  Anyway that left me sore and the vaseline has been great.  I will definitely try the moisturiser as well before treatment.

xxHHxx it sounds like I'm due to have very similar treatment.  Think mine ends with 3 brachy therapy.  There seems to be such a lot of being poked and prodded in various painful and embarrassing ways.  I'm quite fed up about it all but obviously it's better than not having the treatment.  All of the covid stuff is making it feel extra freaky, I could do with seeing some smiles rather than masks. x

Hi, 

Smiles are always good, look at people's eyes.  You always smile with your eyes too!

The prodding and poking becomes "normal" and you get so used to it that you can deal with anything.

X

Hi, the first 2 weeks were relative easy and didn’t have any significant symptoms. However during the 3rd cycle of chemo and radiation I had high temperature and I was hospitalised for a couple of days to bring the temperature down. That week was quite tough for me as I had to commute in a daily basis from hospital to the cancer centre to do the radiation. Apparently this was a common side effect from chemo and the consultant prescribe some extra medication to be given during chemo and solved the problem. For the last two weeks I was feeling very exhausted and I had severe diarrhoea from the treatment which it made me change my diet and somehow the situation got better. 

after completing the treatment I had to undertake 3 brachytherapy for me this bit was the worst as for me it was really painful and on top of that I was hospitalised as it seems that I developed minor infection and they gave me 2 bags of blood transfusion.

Overall, the process is durable the last 2 weeks of the treatment are the most difficult ones. Following the treatment I was feeling normal again after 4 weeks. Wish you all the best!

I had a radical hysterectomy and removal of 29 lymphnodes to the pelvis on the 16th Nov 2020, on the 4th Jan I started 5 weeks of radiotherapy Monday to Fri, followed by 2 sessions of brachatherapy, I felt so ill from the radiotherapy, feeling sick was really bad for me from the beginning, by the 3rd week I felt so sick to the point I was struggling to eat or drink, ended up seeing my own doctor as I had no support from the hospital, when I told them I had to see my own doctor that day,  they suddenly became interested and got the hospital doctor to see me, I was prescribed different anti sickness tablets which didn't help much, enemas made me really sore, kept going backwards and forwards from constipation one day to diarrhoea the next, I used aloe Vera pure gel from 2 weeks before my treatment all on the outside of the area to be treated, by the 4th week I could feel a slight burning inside which I asked for something for this, I was given purilon gel which helped a little, I only had one day where I felt really tired, the brachy treatment I just found the tube being inserted was quite painful, it's been 14 weeks since my op and 2 weeks since finishing all treatment, bowels seem to be back to normal but really struggling with no sensation when I need a wee, but at the same time my bladder feels permanently full, stomach so swollen and hard, my bladder is now the problem