IN PATIENT BRACHYTHERAPY

Hi SueB4 and welcome over to us from the womb group.

I hope some of the ladies who’ve been through the in patient type of treatment will come along and share their experiences-as you know from our discussions, I couldn’t have it done. 

Sarah xx

Hi Sue

I don’t really post on here, but I randomly saw your post whilst browsing and thought it might help you.
Yes I had 24 hour brachytherapy at Weston Park in July. The hardest part is not being able to move your bottom half of your body. 
So you get admitted the day before onto the ward, then at night they give you an enema (to lessen the chance of needing a poo whilst laid down. The next morning you have to be up and ready at 6 or7. A porter comes and takes you up to the theatre at the Hallamshire Hospital. I picked spinal anaesthetic so was awake throughout but you can have general anaesthetic but I thought by having spinal you’re not groggy and you stay numb for a good few hours after. So in theatre they insert the rods, you don’t feel anything you are numb. So then you go back to recovery and they watch you for 1 hour or so and then you are taken back to Weston Park. Then you go straight for an mri to see if the rods are positioned correctly, then back to the ward and you will have to wait till the MDT team looks at the mri and decides what treatment you need. I was having 17 hours. So eventually at 6 o clock they took me round to the brachytherapy room, just round the corner from the ward. I was plugged onto the machine then you are left in the room, the machine sends the radiation pulses something like  once an hour for 20 mins each time (it’s not constantly doing it so nurses can and do come in to see if you are alright, also they come and turn you every hour I didn’t feel anything. There’s a tv you can watch, take your phone iPad etc so eventually I got through the hours and got out of the room at 11 o clock ish. Then a nurse comes to remove the rods and takes you back on the ward to make sure you are ok. I was ok so I was let to go home later on that day. 

If you need to know anything else feel free to ask

I am having my mri in a couple of weeks to see if it’s worked, God I hope it as.

Lou

Thank you so much Lou. I keep swinging from going ahead to telling them I’ve changed my mind. I don’t sleep at all when in hospital but did two days in hospital after my hysterectomy and managed. I’m wondering if I can hack it being on my back for that length of time. Consultant said this procedure is belt and braces to stop any the cancer returning. Were you sore or have any other side effects in the days after the procedure? I truly hope it has worked for you and wish you all the best. 

Sue. X

Hi

I would do it if I was you, it’s got to be for the best. Dr Martyn told me she knows how effective it is, that’s why I had it. You can get through it, it’s just a few days. I was a little sore but nothing major but I was tired and even now all these months later, I still feel tired at times. I did have dodgy bowels for a while but they’re getting better. I went back to work full time 6 weeks after.

I’d do it again if I had to.

Take care

lou