Journeyone - Radiotherapy

Hi Lynne - At the planning meeting they will discuss the treatment plan, run him through a CT scan (along with a contrast dye if one has been requested) to ensue all is well and give him his 3 tattoos to make sure the RT is aimed at the correct place when his sessions take place. They will explain his bowel will need to be empty and no doubt introduce him to the "micro-enema". Most hospitals do the RT with a full bladder so he will have to ensure he drinks the water as requested (where I had my RT we had an empty bladder but this appears not to be the norm).

It takes a couple of hours and you can ask the radiologists any questions - and it's pain free (although I am needle .phobic and wasn't too impressed with my tattoos care of the NHS!!).

I hope this helps - nothing to worry about - I hope all goes well.

Kind Regards - Brian.

Many thanks Brian. Your advice is extremely appreciated. Thank you so much. Did you get many side effects? 

Hello Lynne,  my husband finished his RT on 4 th March. We were both in a tremendous state of anxiety - worrying about all the side effects we had been warned about. Our biggest problem, though, turned out to be the horrendous journey to and from the hospital and the car parking. By the end of week two I was at rock bottom - worn out, lack of sleep, tears - the lot.

Looking back, I realise that I wasted so much energy on all that worrying!

there are ‘rules’ to follow but these are all designed to minimise side effects for your husband. As Brian says, there will be tattoos! We felt quite shortchanged because my husband only had two! Somebody in radiotherapy realised we had not got our money’s worth and added a third tattoo at a later stage! 

my husband hated the daily enemas and he had to empty his bladder exactly 30 minutes before his treatment and immediately drink 600 mls water. This is because the prostate can move and they want it to be in the same position every time ( or so we were told! ) The side effects were some tiredness and some abdominal bloating. They advised a diet for this. Quite minimal compared with what we were told to expect.

the care that my husband received while undergoing the radiotherapy was excellent. We could not have had better care had we gone privately. The only things that were missing was the carpet on the floor and the free coffee you get in private hospitals!

we did find the first couple of weeks after the radiotherapy a bit ‘strange’. No travelling and so much time on our hands. It’s also a weird feeling of having had the treatment with the intention to cure but no guarantees. We feel in a bit of a limbo - has he got cancer or has it been abolished? That said, we are now ‘settling down’. We have always thought of the radiotherapy as, at very best, a cure and, at second best as ‘buying time’. We have decided that we must now spend the kids inheritance and make the most of this bought time. We have today booked a river cruise in Europe. Once we have a settled weather forecast we intend to go away for a few days in this country. We hope to go to Canada in the late summer and then somewhere next January for a big wedding anniversary. There has to be life after ( hopefully) or during ( less hopefully) cancer treatment!

So, I wish you and your husband all the very best!  I hope it goes well!

oh, and one more thing, I only survived this ordeal because of the fantastic support I received from people in this forum! If you reach rock bottom, as I did, do let off steam here - there will always be somebody who will reach out to help you. I couldn’t have got through it without these wonderful people!

Morning Lynne - Well WW is quite right - there's nothing to worry about and like me they are having a holiday after the treatment!1 Two things though:

* You asked about side effects - I am 67 and fit(ish) and after week2/early week 3 I started to feel the fatigue but we have two dogs and I think I walked it off. I had no issues with my Number 1 and 2's although I do go on a regular basis and up 3/4 times at night for the little boys room. It's 8 weeks since my last visit to the "sunbed" and touch wood no further side effects.

* I didn't get a diet sheet  but advised to stay away from beans, pulses, green leaf veg and booze. These can all give you wind,

I was lucky with the hospital only a bus ride from my front door and I could walk if the weather was nice.

Kind Regards - Brian.

Hi JO

RT really nothing to worry about,  main side effects can be bowel and urinary issues, meds can obviously help and these side effects do go away a couple of weeks after treatment is over

good luck

Steve

Lynne, if you want to really reassure your husband tell him you will have the tattos as well.  The micro enemas are like dynamite, just blast a hole, no after effects.  My first one was a dud, that had some explaining!

I was just a young pup of 57 and unfit(ish) when I had my Radiotherapy.  As Brian said, the fatigue really hit me into the 3rd week as well.  On my way to work I would walk past an old-peoples home, the men and women would rush out to help me across the road.  I was being overtaken by Tortoises.

We all tried to help Worriedwife and her husband through the journey.  If you ever need a shoulder, we are all here to help you both through this.

Stevecam said:

We all tried to help Worriedwife and her husband through the journey.  If you ever need a shoulder, we are all here to help you both through this.

You all were brilliant! I would not have got through it without you! Xxx

Ask about cream for skin burns. Sun-tan cream was recommended for my treatment and I need to use a cream on my legs daily..

Skoda,

This is what I got, Flamigel, it worked a treat.  Just ask the Radiologists for some.

Ace. Thanks Steve.