Radiotherapy

I must have missed your post and let’s look for others who have had the exact radiotherapy as you to pick up on your post.

I had 45 radiotherapy zaps over my treatment. One set lasted 30 sessions, these were on my skin and I had not issues with these apart from having a full face mask during some of them.

5 were in my tennis ball tumour above my right eye, I had a lead mask for these. The speed at how the treatment worked was staggering and the lump was done within a few months - again no other issues. 

The final 10 zaps were Total Lymphoid Irradiation where every Lymph-node in my body were given high dose radiotherapy in preparation for my first Stem Cell Transplant. 

This had me screwed down on the Radiotherapy table with a neck to hip body mould, this was initially very hard work especially during the hours of the setting up process. The 10 treatments lasted about 30 mins each. It was hard work as I have Spinal Osteoarthritis, but the Radiotherapy itself was ok and I even got myself 6 tattoos!! The main thing was the gradual fatigue.

All the best with your treatment.

Thanks for your reply! I have been told i am just having two sessions and mainly just to expect fatigue afterwards

Hoping and praying this is now the end of it and that it doesnt come back

Hi again, this sounds very positive.

This type of Low Grade NHL is very slow growing so let look for the radiotherapy to stop it in its tracks.

Do come back and update us.

lymphoma-action.org.uk/.../malt-lymphoma-gastric-and-non-gastric

Update -

Last month i had the two sessions of radiotherapy 

1st day signing consent forms & being measured up & area marked for treatment

2nd day - day one of radiotherapy - felt fine afterwards, was in for around 25/30mins

3rd day - day two of radiotherapy - woke up feeling bit off, upset tummy, slight nausea, tiredness & even after treatment felt like i just needed my sofa & blanket for the day. Again was in for 25/30mins

as much as it was a sigh of relief that i wouldn't be heading back for anymore radiotherapy its the fear of it coming back - i knew to expect more gradual fatigue

2 weeks later now - have my days of feeling okay to other days of exhaustion. Hoping the fatigue wears off at some point.

in the back of my mind - i think what now? I have a telephone check in mid December, & then 3monthly check in appointments with haematology clinic.

i believe now i go into watch & wait - hoping for the best

Well done and yes the fatigue will wear off.

When I had 30 radiotherapy sessions over 3 weeks and it did take a few weeks to get back into a good position.... only to go straight into Stem Cell Transplant 

My advise with regards to "what now?"........ is just dont' think about it.

After a few years into my blood cancer journey I did work through the 'What now?" question. Thankfully I realised that I could not control the future and regardless the amount of thought and stress I could put into this it made no difference but did make me more stressed and over think what now?

Thankfully I 'got' this quickly as I would have went through 18 years over think everything..... yes I had to have more treatment but my type of NHL is incurable but treatable.

Get your Christmas Head on and start to look forward to this and the future..... and if you have to get more treatment in the future there are a lot of tools in the box.

Hi Mike

You’re such a positive gentleman. Always feel a lot better after reading your posts x

Some folks say I am annoyingly positive