Radiotherapy

Hi chlorakas, well done for being very nearly half way through! I’d recommend telling a radiographer again on Monday about the diarrhoea when you go and to ask their advice again. It may be time for Imodium but don’t start taking it till you’ve checked with them. You may also want to look again at your diet to see if anything might be making you more prone to diarrhoea. When I started having some bloating and a bit of urgency I told a radiographer and he then called the duty oncology registrar to come down and have a chat with me - this took place almost immediately during the time between when I’d drunk my water and my treatment that day. Re the dilator, I would advise you to check again both with your CNS and your radiographer because in my experience as a patient the use of a dilator is for after not only your radiotherapy has finished but also after your brachytherapy has been done. I gently used the smallest dilator with lube once a few days before my brachy started,  just to make sure I could tolerate something going up there but that was my own choice not an instruction. The normal instruction is to use it after brachy to make internal check up examinations easier. I’d be very surprised if anyone was told to use it every day during radio and I’d strongly recommend that you check again as it seems unusual/irregular to me. You can always ask your CNS or radiographer to check directly with your oncology consultant. 

Thanks for that Marmite, will definitely check re the dilator as will certainly not be using it without getting them to check with my Oncologist as nervous after the results I had this week. Will keep checking about the Diarrhoea, they didn't want to give me any medication last week, have cut down on Banana as was eating one a day also veg. but not getting my 5 a day which goes against my healthy eating (It actually seemed better today ) but it's a trade off to help with the discomfort and hopefully will get a proper diet back once this is all over. Happy days !

Hi chlorakas 

You could try  this daily ....... a small bowl of white boiled rice and a banana. My mum swore by this and it's passed down throughout our family, works for us! If you read up on tolerated foods for diarrhea it does include these. You're halfway through so well done, it'll soon be behind you. Take care x

Hi Chlorakas

I had badly upset stomach from the radiotherapy. It started pretty much straight away and got progressively worse. However there are treatments. In the end I had to take 2 loperamide before every meal. Buscopan 4 times a day. Codeine phosphate twice a day and an anti nausea medicine called ondansetron twice a day. I had to take the anti sickness med 30 mins before treatment. This made the rest of the treatment manageable and I was able to eat a bland diet and drink. I was pretty much off the meds within a month of finishing. I suggest talking to your radiotherapist as there are other things they can do as well. I am now around 5 months from the treatment and managing to control mainly through diet. I seem to have developed lactose intolerance but am keeping a chart for hospital to see if there are any patterns.

Hi Marmite, very sorry to hear of your problems. I too had 25 sessions of radio and 2 brachytherapy treatments between September- October last year. I took loperamide tablets for the diarrhoea I got frequently especially after the chemo session I got during radiotherapy, and after the radio had 4 more chemo treatments which all ended 5 weeks ago. 

it should all settle down after a few months and I followed low fibre diet when they were loose. There’s a good leaflet with foods on it. Tinned peaches and peeled apples were good and brocolli florets for loose stools. 

As regards the dilator you are doing the right thing by discussing all symptoms with the oncology nurse and hopefully your radiotherapy consultant will give you some advice on best approach for all your issues.  

It’s certainly not particularly pleasant but should get easier over time, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’m nearly back to normal now after Stage 3 diagnosis and surgery last summer. So hope it will all improve for you very soon

I get CT scan results next month which will hopefully have some good news. 

Hi Mari, it’s Chlorakas with the issue not me! Just to say though that my leaflet from the hospital re diet during pelvic radiotherapy told me to avoid broccoli totally. 

Hi Mad, I will try the rice and banana as anything to help is welcome.

Thanks

C xx

Hi Jane

Although my side effects are not as severe as yours were, mainly diarrhea for me which is only early morning but not all at once over 3 or 4 sessions starting at 3am so I am in and out the loo, very waring. I spoke with the radiotherapist but because it's mainly confined to that period of the day and not all day, did not recommend giving me any meds as they don't want me to go the other way, so I am stuck with it but have 10 days to go now so counting down the days. Still trying different diet ideas but nothing really working so far. Thanks for your reply, good luck with your problem.

Hi Mari

Thanks for your suggestions. Glad to hear your treatment is finished such a relief when all done. I didn't realise they gave Chemo then Radio then more Chemo. I had my Chemo 6 rounds over 5 months started October 2019 then should of had Radio and Brachy 6 weeks later but caught an infection and wasn't well enough to have it. Thought I had got away with it but not to be, anyway 10 days to go. Hope all goes well with your CT scan.

Cxx

Hi chlorakas, what sort of things are you eating at the moment? How many portions of fruit and veg for example and what sort?