Hi everyone. Im new to the group so this is my first post. Am really worried about the affects of radiotherapy. Am 6 weeks post op from radical hysterectomy and upper vaginectomy. It hadn't spread to cervix, womb or ovaries which is great. It was however found in one lymph node, 2mm. Also VAIN3 in the margins which werent great. Only 2mm in parts. They want to give me external pelvic radiotherapy. I am really worried about the side effects both short term and long term, especially to bowel, bladder and vagina closing up. Also if I'll develop lymphodema. I live on my own so don't know how I'll manage energy and pain wise as already have health issues including fybromyalgia. I would be so grateful for anyone's experience please. I know no 2 people's experiences will be the same and when you trawl the Internet you only seem to find the really negative ones. Thank you in advance. 
Hi Debs P and welcome to the group.
I didn’t have vaginal cancer, but had cervical cancer in my vagina. I had 32 sessions of external radiotherapy 6 years ago with zero adverse affects. Pelvic radiotherapy can be extremely effective for this kind of cancer, and while I had some side effects in terms of diarrhoea and cystitis from 3 weeks into treatment, they had disappeared a couple of weeks after treatment ended.
My vagina never closed up-I used the dilators as I was advised to- and I did not develop lymphoedema. It’s very true that no two experiences are the same and that the internet throws up the worst case scenarios, but I hope that my experience of radiotherapy might be one of the positive ones.
Sarah xx
I would say a couple of weeks for the specific side effects, although a little longer for the fatigue which was a factor to me-I was very tired during radiotherapy.
Sarah xx
