5 Weeks of Radiotherapy

Hi Margaret, if you click on my name you will see my story - I had 25 x radio and 2 x brachy as “belt and braces” following a post histology change to a technical stage 2. How far away is your hospital? Mine (Southampton) is an hour away and I asked my CNS if I’d be okay driving or if I’d need to be driven. Her reply was that I should be okay for the first two weeks at least but a number of people experience some side effects (eg bowel) by the second or third week so it would be good to have a back up plan. She also said that some experience serious tiredness. I asked if that could mean I drove to the hospital but was too tired to drive home and set said no, that if I was going to feel it I’d feel it before I left home. So I decided to give it a go and actually I didn’t experience any side effects till the middle of week 4 - some bloating and urgency which I told them about and was sorted with some OTC meds that they recommended, I drove myself to and from throughout, I had asked my oncologist at my very first appointment if I could request afternoon appointments if possible (mostly because of the drive) and that’s what happened. It also meant I could have a poo in the morning which left things clear for the treatment. Some hospitals require you to do a mini enema before every treatment but mine didn’t as long as you’d had a poo within the last 12 hours, so I was glad of that. Feel free to ask any questions! The treatment itself wasn’t an issue, but the travelling to and fro, and waiting time/delays (unfortunately almost inevitable) tended to dominate each day. I faced each day in the knowledge that I could be away from home a minimum of 3-3.5 hours (1 hour travel to arrive half an hour before my appointment, half hour appointment, then 1 hour travel home - all approx) - the maximum I was away once was 7 hours due to machine issues). On average I was usually away 4-5 hours. 

Hi Margaret

I had stage1B and also had LVSI. That is where the blood vessels/lymphatic vessels contain tiny cancer cells. It is normal to be offered follow up treatment. My consultant said it is easier for them to mop up any stray cells that may be there while they are at such a tiny size and not able to be seen on a scan, rather than wait until they could potentially travel around the body and set up and cause an issue elsewhere. So it was better to do everything to prevent a recurrence, than to deal with one that has happened. 

I had chemotherapy and then the 5 weeks radiotherapy. 

I did not work during my treatment on the advice of my consultant. 

With radiotherapy most of my side effects were tummy related. I also had fatigue. The travelling to and from the hospital did tire me out. The actual treatment only takes minutes but the travelling and then preparing/drinking water etc meant that I was away from home for a few hours each day. My appointments tended to be around the middle of the day and they were given to me in advance. I didn't get much choice as to timings but I know some ladies on here have been able to request am /pm etc. 

My side effects started a few days after the radiotherapy started but I was prescribed medication that helped. I also found changing my diet helped. During radiotherapy they asked me how I was each day, gave me support and I also had a consultant review once a week. 

There seems to big quite a variation on here with side effects and some ladies have a few and some are more affected. Most people seem to find any side effects start to settle after radiotherapy is finished. Others can find that side effects may linger. Mine settled to some extent but I do still have some effects that lingered. I am still glad I had the treatment. 

One thing I did find though is that although having 25 sessions in front of you can feel daunting, once they start, it does go quicker than expected. It sort of becomes a routine. My hospital had an app and it counted down the sessions and that helped. 

I wish you well for your treatment.

Jane

Thank you MarmiteFan59.  Yeh I'm about the same 1 hr drive to the Hospital & 1 hr back so probably should take roughly 3 hrs everyday. Luckily I live near the train station which stops right at the Beatson in Glasgow so probably will use the train most days to help with the stress of heavy traffic driving as my appointments are early morning.    Decided just going to work from home if feeling ok probably max 2 hrs.  I was initially told just a hysterectomy, then another consultant visit you will probably need brachytherapy & then appointment with oncologist recommending 5 weeks of radiotherapy.  So I was a bit overwhelmed to say the least. 

My mum had another type of cancer with radiotherapy and her side affects were life changing & still struggling to this day. So this put me off radiotherapy.

Although the consultant said it was a totally different type of cancer.  The side effects could be bowel & bladder issues. So she reassured me that it wouldn't be as bad as my mum's recovery.  

So its all reassuring that your side effects weren't too bad. So thank you so much for your reply.

Regards Margaret

Hi Margaret

I had 25 radiotherapy and 2 brachytherapy treatments. The hospital is 30 minutes away and luckily for me my husband retired last year so he was my chauffeur. 

I didn't feel the tiredness but did have bad bowel issues, the hospital gave me tablets to help with this so ask if you have a problem. 

I drank my water during the drive in and most days this worked but on the few occasions the machines were delayed I had to go and pee and start again.  

Take a book, magazine, or something else to do in case there are delays. I played mahjong on my phone.  

As to whether you can work while having treatment that is a question only you can answer; I suppose it depends what you do, how many hours you work etc.  I'm semi-retired and provide holiday cover (reception staff) for my local GP surgery so I simply told them that I wasn't available for the duration. 

Good luck for your treatment.

H 

Thanks Jane 

Yeh I did get the option that I didn't need to take the radiotherapy However the same as yourself i was advised it would sweep up any cells that could be left behind so i thought it was a no brainer and decided to go ahead with the treatment.

Ive actually been watching my diet since the hysterectomy not wanting to gain too much weight so hopefully this helps. Ive allso been advised to stop my beloved diet coke got my planning meeting tomorrow then start the 10th of February.

Regards

Margaret

Hi again Marglo, yes no fizzy drinks during treatment! Appreciate that you’ve been watching your diet since your op, but I was told not to limit my calories during treatment - and in fact to top them up with ice cream and/or chocolate in the evenings, as our bodies need extra energy to make healthy new cells to replace the ones nuked by the radiotherapy. I always had a snack immediately after treatment, before travelling home - usually a banana and a packet of Quavers! I switched to white bread, cut out broccoli, sprouts and cabbage, kept fruit to 2 pieces a day maximum and steered clear of fried/fatty food. 

I lost weight during treatment. 

When I had my planning treatment they did give me some dietary advice. In the end due to tummy effects I was eating white toast, crumpets, rice etc. I found I could not tolerate much fibre or fruit and veg. Dairy also affected me. It can vary between people though. I tended to eat smaller amounts of what I fancied- little and often and just worked out what suited me. I drank a lot of water. I did drink tea occasionally but stayed clear of all fizzy drinks. 

Good luck for tomorrow. Don't be afraid to ask questions and they will go through it all. 

Jane