Radiotherapy Support Thread (inc. Brachytherapy)

Hi MarmiteFan 

How are you doing today? Its been a beautiful day so I hope it's given you a lift and your feeling brighter.

You have done an amazing job and come so far on your journey plus you have been a wonderful support to us all on our journeys. Stay strong my lovely. 

Big hugs Robin x

Hi Robin, thank you - today was a good day. The unit was only running 15 mins late, my first scan (you have a mini CT scan pre treatment) was “perfect” and then I had my final treatment - so I’m done! 

Yay, well done, you did it. I am so happy for you. I got my dates to start Brachytherapy 9th June. Let’s get this over with

Hi MarmiteFan,

You’ve done it! I am so happy for you.

Big hugs,

Gemma Xx

Hi JoLou, thank you! How many sessions of brachytherapy are you having?

Gemma, thank you for thinking of me. I didn’t let myself believe it till I was off the Linac G table and out the door! My husband was in car in the car park practising his mandolin lol, and I surprised him by being so quick! Then we stopped for a celebratory ice cream in the New Forest on the way home! So nice to wake this morning knowing I don’t have to go anywhere.

Hi ! So glad to hear you’re all done! You’ve really done amazingly well to get through everything and supporting others. I’ve been off the radar recently as I’m really struggling with side effects of the radiotherapy. It’s been hellish but one week to go. Everyone has a different experience but I’ll be so glad to be done next Friday.  You must feel a big weight off you . All the best xx

Hi. Thankfully it’s the High dose so just the 3 sessions.

bring on the summer and a bit of normality (whatever that is )  for all of us x

Did they put a plastic cradle over your knees? My hospital had two machines that used this method. First they line you up with your tatoos then leave the room. The machine then tells them whether your position is as good as it can be. Quite often they would come back in the room - they didn't move me, but pressed buttons at the side of the bed. They left the room again and the bed would move/tilt, while the markings on the top of the cradle aligned with laser lights positioned on the ceiling. Then they did the scan of the bladder/bowel before treatment. I refused this for a few days due to my claustrophobia and the feeling that I couldn't just get up and leave if I panicked. But then one of the radiographers impressed on me the importance of this to get positioning absolutely right to get the treatment to the exact place and reduce the chances of side effects. So I summoned up my courage and let them do it. My pelvis is apparently slightly tilted, so I didn't want unnecessary radiation going into it, as I already had osteoporosis.

I was fortunate with my pre-treatment scans - out of 25 sessions, only 6 weren’t right first time - 3 down to bladder only being 40% full (minimum acceptable is 50%), and 3 to not being in the the right position. With the bladder ones, with 2 I hopped off the table and waited outside for another 15 mins then came back in, was rescanned and then treated. With one I stayed on the table for an extra 10 mins while the radiographer chatted with me (my position was good and she didn’t want me to lose that!). With the position ones, I repositioned myself and they adjusted me as needed, and then I was rescanned and treated. No immobilisation was needed. I do have pelvic rotations but was able to correct these myself by following their instructions to do knees to chest then back, then lift up my hips then gently lower so that the small of my back touched the table first and was flat. What I’d experience in a “normal” session was the machine whirring round, then bladder scan, full mini CT scan for position, then I’d know treatment was about to happen as I’d feel the table adjust itself, then the machine would whirr round again. On one session I asked the radiographer what each “arm” of the machine did, and that helped me understand the process better.