End of treatment

The hard work really does start after the treatment finishes but when improvements do start to kick in the healing process accelerates, PEG comes out, we start eating solid food, appetite and taste improves, we get stronger, start to exercise regularly, play sport, go on holiday...not quite the same as before ...but not far off...little niggles appear now and again but most are easily managed...the new normal is okay.

Polly 

just take a deep breath and don’t panic. 
I largely gave up fighting and slept for two weeks after treatment. Read, watched silly movies and walked the dog slowly for ten minutes. 
I let everything wash over me and just healed. It does get better … just not quickly. 

Hi Polly. Be kind to yourself these next few weeks. Treatments over but it does  continue to work for a good few weeks. I like Dani skeptics lit watched trashy tv slept some more in-between fed sipped water oral hygiene repeat. My husband felt useless as there was nothing he could do for me. He kept me fed watered and dud everything else. It will improve but its a marathon not  a sprint it. Take it slowly one step at a time one day at a time   We’re all here for help. I started walking g ti my nearest lamppost then next day to the next one small achievements but they all helped. I’m 8 years post now living a good life. 

Hugs Hazel x

Hi Polly

Like you I ended up in hospital two days after treatment finished. Temperature, dehydration due to difficulty swallowing and suspected neutropenic sepsis. I was in for 10 days on IV antibiotics and fluids and treated for oesophageal thrush. After 4-5 days I was feeling much better and was able to tolerate oral supplements. I was highly anxious about feeling worse over the two weeks post treatment as everyone kept telling me I would. However, even though I felt dreadful, it was nowhere near as bad I as was expecting.  I slowly began to improve day by day. 

 You will get through this, just hang in there. 
Sending hugs

Ally

Frankly at your stage I fed, hydrated and medicated through my PEG and slept for the best part of a month.  That was what my body wanted. After that I slowly took control.  It does take time, but you will get there.

Thanks everyone for your helpful and reassuring replies, I shared them with my husband who said found them really useful too.

Still in hospital but hoping to come out with plan to get feeds and fluids stabilised. Tried overnight peg pump but lots of reflux. Planning to use it for fortisips and water over shorter duration to get on top of things, and will ask doc about anti reflux meds. I'll look on this forum for insights re this too. 

Polly 

Ohyes said:

will ask doc about anti reflux meds

I think all of us get put on PPIs . I was given lansoprazole and I’m still on it. Deranged saliva plays havoc with gastric function and I have the added complication of a small sliding hernia. Some of us stay on the drugs and others can stop. 

Hi Polly I know how you are feeling at it all feels a bit much at the moment doesn’t it .. I too was hospitalised straight after my last treatment of radiotherapy, on a drip and in isolation too as I was so poorly .. they really mean it when they say it gets worse after the treatment has ended.. I couldn’t eat anything by then and struggled with my fortisips taking up to an hour to drink 1… !,you need lots of rest your body has been a soldier dealing with the harsh treatment and now needs much TLC .. I could barely put one foot in front of the other and felt like I had lost all my energy…l but what  a wonderful thing the body is .. day by day I improved as will you and so many of us .. take one day at a time and trust me you will get better. I’m now 6 months post treatment and back to the gym and walking everywhere and enjoying life again . Eating and enjoying food is still a work in progress but that too is returning as I have just eaten a small bag of mini cheddars which I wouldn’t have even thought about 2 months ago  

a plus point too is my hair at nape of neck that had come out is now returning, hoorah  

Look after yourself and big hugs from me 

Helen 

x