Radiotheraoy ended - side effects so hard

Good morning Moxy1, I can feel for you,as I mentioned, I watched my hubby going through this. He had 30rds of RT and 2 8hr long cicles of CR. After finishing, he was so fatigued,he slept for days on end. Couldn't eat solids,let alone swallowing liquids. He was reliant on his PEG. And lost a lot of weight. Can't remember on how many different painkillers he tried. It took him a few weeks to feel some kind of better. As so many been saying and I have to agree I am afraid, this one is a long way to recovery. So persist and stay strong. You will get there. Sending you big hug. Fellow wife Mel x

Morning Sue

I know just how you feel. I slept for two weeks, just changing from bedroom to sofa.But I'm not here to tell you how awful I felt...you know exactly. I'm here to convince you that there's an end to it all.

Sleep

You need that escape but it's what heals your body and keeps you sane. Just don't let the real world intimidate you when you wake. This is indeed temporary...At least I was tube fed so didn't have to even think about swallowing. Just plod on...feel sorry just now because you need to...it's not fair! but one morning soon you'll wake up and feel just that tiny bit better and that's just the tiniest chink you need to scramble through. Don't look for that chink it will be there as if by magic.

Come chat to us every day. We'll help keep you going 

PS

Have you got oramorph? It's a game changer. If not get your husband to get some from your GP. Your hospital should give the practice the OK so maybe a call to your CNS is in order too

It is absolutely fine to feel sorry for yourself.  I describe the treatment as brutal and the recovery as torture.  I slept for many weeks after treatment - the body needs sleep so it can heal.  Just try and keep the calories up by whatever means works for you.  Sleep and let others look after you.  Soon you will start to turn the corner and feel better; just a little at a time and with the occasional blip.  My recovery is a distant blur, but my quality of life now is good.  Hang on in there!

Tough going but it will pass ...keep on top of your pain with meds...tell your oncology team and GP that you are struggling ..do not suffer in silence.

I had a triple heart bypass and it was a cakewalk compared to Chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

I got up today,showered and washed my hair,bit of makeup and feel ever so slightly better... hubby is amazing looking after my every need and ive lost a few pounds,and so has hubby - hes been up and down stairs so many times over the last couple of days..

Thankyou all for being with me and hubby - means the world to us both xx

I’ve always said it’s harder on the partner than the patient. My ex wife had neck and head cancer too and that was so much harder than going through it myself

Jako said:

I’ve always said it’s harder on the partner than the patient.

Mentally yes I would agree but patients have the physical torture as well as the mental aspect of letting partners down and leaving their children. So on balance I disagree but what carers don’t have is the support patients have. 

Like I said I’ve experienced it from both sides and in my opinion it was much easier being the patient. I think unless you do experience it from both sides you’ll never truly know. 

I guess the feeling of helplessness is hard to bear. I know I found that hard when somebody I looked after lost. It’s hard whatever but there definitely needs to be more support for carers. Maggie’s is good at this but only if you can share and lots of us can’t. 

I never went to Maggies but I’ve heard really good things about it.