Recovery

Hi Trease 

I think it’s different for everyone, so it’s hard to say for certain. My side effects of diarrhoea and cystitis were gone within a couple of weeks of treatment ending but my tiredness persisted much longer. I was diagnosed at age 56, so it might be different for younger ladies.

Remember too that radiotherapy continues to work in the body after treatment ends. I didn’t have any nausea or sickness at all throughout my treatment so can’t comment on that. Are you still taking any anti sickness meds you were prescribed during treatment? I was given metoclopramide, and for a different issue I had last year I was given Cyclazine.  

You should have a check up at around 6 weeks post treatment to check how you’re getting on, but if you are concerned before then, give your CNS a ring for some reassurance. 

Sarah xx

I’m 51. I do have anti sickness tablets but they don’t seem to ease the sickness. 
I just feel like I am constantly worn out moving around the house and wonder when I will be well enough to leave the house. 
think it’s just all got on top of me today as I was feeling unwell since April and it took all the testing before a diagnosis in Aug and then treatment starting- I just pray for a day to wake up feeling how I used to be. 

There are lots of different types of anti sickness meds, so it’s possible you could be prescribed another one to try if the nausea is continuing. I’d phone and to explain, and ask for something different to be prescribed-your gp could do this. 

It’s really not long for you in terms of your treatment so recently finishing, but recovery takes time and things will hopefully gradually get better for you. Remember how much you’ve been through and don’t expect too much just yet.

Sarah xx

Hi, 

Are these side effects due to the brachytherapy or the other treatment? I have just finished 25 rounds of radiation and 5 rounds of cisplatin,  I am going in for my first round of brachytherapy this morning.  

The side effects from the the radiation and chemo are a foul taste in my mouth and constipation. I am really nervous about today , mainly because of the after effects. 

Hi Chloe

i wish I knew what the side effects were from. Sounds like you have had the same treatment I had. I have also suffered from constipation throughout my treatment, which has been tough. 
since the brachytherapy I have slept a lot and feel very sickly and have little appetite. I suppose everyone has different effects. 
I hope your brachytherapy goes well today x 

You're probably the only other person who I've spoke to who got constipation,  everyone seems to go the other way but its been really difficult for me, I've tried everything you can think of and still no luck x

The brachytherapy went well although was a very long day, had to lie completely still for 5 hours, I was in tears by the last hour. I came home and just slept.  Thankfully I have a week until the next one .

I hope your side effects start to ease off soon and you can start getting your appetite back as your body really needs the calories to help regain your strength x

Hi Chloe

Like you I was given tablets for the opposite of constipation and never needed them. It became a bit of a laugh and joke with the radiotherapy girls my constipation. I am still suffering with it now and it’s so uncomfortable and makes me feel so miserable. 
My consultant gave me tablets called Dioctyl and they do help, I have just dug them out of my bag of meds and started them again. 
Did you just have the 1 session of Brachytherapy? I had 2 sessions the 1st time and was lay on my back , full of trapped wind for 30 hours in total- I hated it. The staff were amazing tho, they go above and beyond to make you comfortable. Did you have the spinal or be put to sleep? 

Yes it was similar with me, the girls even asked me to get off the machine at one point and go for a walk to get rid of the gas and come back when its gone , it was a bit embarrassing but I just laughed it off in the end , dignity is long gone now . 

They gave me docusate to take twice a day but they're not really doing much for me.

I've had 1 session , I've got 2 more on the 26th and 28th and am under general anaesthetic. 

Why 30 hours?? I thought 12 was bad! X

I am laughing here as the exact same thing happened to me- had to come back after I had passed some wind haaa I was in such a bad mood that day , I had had enough of it all, I just wanted to go home yet instead I had to stomp around the hospital. The smell of the food coming from the restaurant used to knock me sick so I stomped outside in the rain. 
My 2nd lot of Brachytherapy. I went in at 7am Tuesday morning and didn’t leave the hospital till 8:30 Wednesday night- maybe not 30 hours haaa but it felt like a week to me lay on my back that long. 
I wanted to try the spinal injection the 2nd time round as they say the pain relief is better but I bottled out once I got to theatre! I’m such a nervous patient and panic about everything. 
It’s sounds crazy but I’m so glad to know someone has gone through the same as me coz everyone talks about the opposite of constipation on here and I was like what is wrong with me? Why can’t I go to the loo like everyone else haa and the trapped wind I suffered was another issue - I used to drink gaviscon like a bottle of water x x 

Ugh I cant drink gaviscon its bloody awful haha , I have Rennies on hand instead,  and yeah the wind is terrible,  I had it right up my back at one point right between my shoulder blades. everyone else was saying they can't get off the toilet and I was actually envious of them even though they were having a terrible time .