Radiotherapy queries

Hi Julie don’t panic many don’t feel or see a reduction it was  around  week 5 when u did. As for feeling queasy that’s not uncommon just think what our bodies are going through again I was lucky I wasn’t sick not even once. But we are all different hope this Friday us better than your first day. 
hugs 

Hazel xx

Thanks Hazel,

I'm just having such a down day today, it's been a really good week but I think a couple of not very good nights are catching up with me. It was just when I got off the table today and I saw my neck in the mirror I just thought what If I am going through all this and it's not worth it. Sure I will feel better again tomorrow.

Have managed to get my head around doing chemo again next week, not looking forward to it but know I can do it.

Have got my very lovely oncologist on Tuesday so hopefully he can let me know if we are making any progress.

Thanks so much again for your support

Julie xx

Hi Julie,

i felt very nauseous from around week 4 of radiotherapy and the first of two doses of Cisplatin, so much so that on the 100 mile round trip each day I had to have a bucket with me in the car just in case although fortunately it was never needed. I did panic a little thinking what will happen if I feel / want to be sick when I’ve got the mask on, so that’s when I asked the radiographers to put music on for me to distract me and take my mind off it  and it worked.  As for the sickness itself, unfortunately I did suffer with it after I attempted to eat anything including the Enshake drinks and the Ensures I put through my PEG. I would say that this period probably lasted about 5 weeks in total but not every single day. 

I have been left with a turkey gobbler neck as I call it  (Lymphoedema) and as a result my H&N nurses referred me to a Lymphoedema clinic where I have been given exercises as well as a compression garment to wear for a few hours a day, this has shown a significant improvement in the swelling so it might be worth a chat with your medical team. I should say I am 9 months post treatment.

Hope your nausea improves soon Julie as well as your neck swelling

Best wishes

Carol x

Thanks Carol,

I don't know why it makes me feel better if I know other people had it too but it does! I suppose it's the reassurance that it's on, even though it is grim.

My neck swelling at the mo is the actual cancerous lumps and muscle swelling I think. I do look a bit deformed to say the least but hopefully it won't be for too much longer!

Thanks for taking the time to reply,

Julie x

Oh yes, always tell them to turn the music up for me, makes such a difference! 

Hi Julie. Can’t help with the lymph nodes but I did suffer a lot of nausea. I put mine down to the morphine but I couldn’t do without it. 
It’s not surprising we look in the mirror and wonder whether it’s all worth it. We examine our miserable lives in minute detail and draw the wrong conclusions left right and centre. It’s because all this is out of our control and we can do nothing else but ride the roller coaster. Staying upbeat and positive is hard but miserable people get cured too it’s just that positive folk have an easier time of it. 
Treatment failure is rare so take comfort in that if you can. 
Hang on in there. Xx

Hi Julie

I did not have chemo but I did have radiotherapy, and towards the later stage I did get queasy. I did vomit, a little, towards the end, but that was me in my case. I too worried this would happen when I was receiving radiotherapy, but it never did. My sickness probably caused by meds for pain relief.  As always I would mention this to your health care team for guidance and reassurance. 

Best wishes 

Nicky

My face was like a balloon after my operation and before starting radiotherapy, so much so that I didn't have my mask made until 7 or 8 weeks after my 1st opp. My lumps and bumps were changing all the time and mask getting a bit looser all the time.

I had my 2nd lot of chemo 3 weeks in to my radiotherapy and a couple of days later was hospitalized for another week due to sickness, I was rarely sick, just felt sick a lot  and was heaving, They kept me in hospital for another week but mainly because of temperature, general wellness  and I had another infection so was on intravenous anti biotics again

It was great, rather than having 50 minute journeys for my radiotherapy sessions I was just wheeled down the corridor

Just read the blog thanks Penrod, blimey that was a journey and a half!! Great to see you all clear at the end of it, hopefully will be in that position soon! 

Thanks Nicky, I will mention it if it persists x