Brachytherapy - discharge

Hi Frenchie

How did you cope in the end with the brachytherapy? I remember how worried you were about it. 

I’m not able to answer your question since I didn’t have brachytherapy, but hope one of the others can come along and reassure you. 

I’d recommend giving your CNS a call on Monday as they are usually good for advice if you have any questions, but they don’t normally work at the weekend. Or drop them an email they can pick up on Monday and ask them to give you a call. 

You’ll have a bit of a wait now before your scan to check how things have gone, but I bet you’re glad it’s all done with now!

Sarah xx

It wasn’t nice - I didn’t have the best experience. Not because of my fear (although that wasn’t great either) but because of pain/spinal wearing off and nurses not being very nice (one gave me cornflakes to eat while flat on my back). 

this sounds so stupid but I’m frightened of calling anyone because they might make me come back in to see them and I don’t know if I’m ready yet. I was so pleased they said full response to treatment. I definitely need a break from medical stuff. 

I was hoping other people had the same and that would reassure me 

Hi Frenchie

I can understand your reluctance to go back in and be seen. My understanding is that discharge is common after brachytherapy, but hopefully you’ll get some more replies to confirm this from others. But I’m sure the nurse could reassure you on the phone without the need to be seen. 

You’ll have a bit a break from seeing the medical team now-my first check up was 6 weeks after treatment ended, and my post treatment mri was 3 months after treatment.  

Sarah xx

Hiya, I had brachytherapy. I don’t recall any discharge but I would bleed which would freak me the hell out. I’ve read that yellow discharge  can be normal. If you’re worried maybe make an appt with ur gp just to check it’s not a UTI xx

Hi Frenchie, I’m hoping you will see this and I’m imagining you now have answers for the discharge by now and maybe youll be happy to share an update. I am in the position you were in when you posted this question and I’m two weeks post brachy and I thought discharge should have died down or stopped by now. How did you get on? I hope everything has settled and you’re feeling better. I get what you mean about not wanting to call your nurse in case you are asked to go in. And my nurse tends to dash my hopes without meaning to for example I’ve had a complete response to treatment and she will say yes but we don’t know how you’ve responded overall well have to wait for the 3 month scan.  Just managing my expectations I think but I don’t want my hope being diminished.
I hope you see this, or if anyone else can help it would be good to hear from you.
Thank you x

Hey. 

I finished my brachy at the end of July and I am still having discharge I’m sorry to say. It does get slightly worse after using the dilators. It definitely isn’t as much anymore but I have to wear a pad. 

the good news is I got my all clear at my 3 month scan and I hope you will too. 

That’s truly amazing to hear you’ve had the all clear! I hope the discharge wears off soon for you, I won’t worry too much about mine then. I see my consultant in 4 weeks so she will hopefully be able to put my mind at rest too. Thank you :) 

It’s been highly annoying wearing a pad for so long! I hope it does stop at some point and I don’t have to wear a pad forever !

Yes, I can imagine. Have you had any advice from your consultant about it? I’ve not read anywhere that discharge is a long term side effect.

I’ve been trying to research what is the actual physical cause of why it happens but haven’t found anything. I wondered if more protein or vitamin E etc. I used an app and found I wasn’t getting any vit E in my diet and saw some research that it can be linked to cervical cancer. I’m returning to the app (chronometer) this week after appetite has returned, I imagine many people may be surprised they have a low intake of some vitamins or minerals even with a healthy diet. 

no but I haven’t had much contact from my consultant (gladly because I can’t cope with anything medical - even more so now)  I do avoid any sort of extra contact  

I’ve always taken a multi vitamin, b12 and vitamin d. So I’m not sure that is the cause for me. I had my son 18 months before being diagnosed so possibly something went a bit awry there.