I'm just interested as to what side effects people had suffered from Brachytherapy. Mine finished June 18th this year. Am still getting symptoms. Am trying to think about returning to work
Hi , I haven't had brachytherapy but I have had external pelvic radiotherapy. From what I've read here, the side effects are similar and often bowel or bladder related. I had some bowel issues which were well controlled with Imodium. I drank lots of water inaddition to my usual drinks which seemed to help keep the potential bladder issues at bay. They do every they can to minimise the effects. Some people here haven't had any at all, others struggled almost from day 1, particularly if they had an exisiting bowel iissue. We are all different and everyone reacts a little differently but your team will plan everything to minimise the risk of side effects.
Generally speaking, remember that the radiation continues to work in your body for 2-3 weeks after treatment has finished so the side effects can continue for that period and sometimes beyond. Do have a chat to with your nurse/medical team if they don't begin to ease off soon so that they can monitor you and give you any meds you might need. If you're worried about any potential "accidents" it's worth investing in some of those pad/pant combinations (the Tena or supermarket versions) as an added level of security. Also, you can carry some spare clothes, wipes etc in a discreet bag just in case. Some ladies do suffer longer term effects - so for example 2 yrs on I occasionally have an urgency to dash to the toilet. I've also found my system is less tolerant of high fat/rich foods, spicy food and garlic (my onc says that last one is very common) so if we eat out I tend to choose carefully and I always try to find out where the toilet is just in case.
Your body needs time to heal so if you're able to, ask your GP for a sick note. Also during any return to work interview or phased return, talk to your employer about your needs and see if any reasonable adjustments can be made to help you (e.g. More frequent toilet breaks, locating you temporarily in an office nearer the toilet etc) If you're not sure, ring the Macmillan helpline (number on the home page) and speak to one of the work advisors about how you can usefully discuss these things with your employer.
I hope things improve soon. Sending lots of good wishes your way x.
I had brachytherapy last year. It followed a hysterectomy and five week course of radiotherapy. This was for womb cancer.
Although it's hard to distinguish between the side effects from the external radiotherapy and the brachytherapy, I'm sure the brachytherapy intensified some of them. The bowel issues which were nicely controlled by medication during the external radiotherapy, worsened a bit for a short time after the brachytherapy. I also had some bladder sensitivity and a strange tenderness around my tailbone after the brachytherapy. There was also some vaginal irritation and discharge, again due to the brachytherapy. None of these side effects were a major issue and they subsided enough over a week or two to be hardly noticeable most of the time. It did take several months however for everything to settle down completely. I t's fairly early days for you at the moment so don't worry too much but do report any problems to your medical team at follow up so that they can monitor and possibly offer solutions.
You don't say what other treatment you have had. I do know from my experience that fatigue was the most lasting side effect of my treatment and it was many months before I was 'firing on all cylinders' again, so to speak. In fact, I'm not sure I'm quite back to full strength even now! I'm sure this was due to the radiotherapy rather than the surgery.
I wish you well in your recovery. Good luck with your return to work. Your employer should offer you a phased return and light duties. Try to resist the temptation to overdo it. You'll be surprised how wiped out you feel after your first day back at work. I was!
I had 25 external sessions of radiotherapy and 2 bracyhtherapy sessions that ended in October 2017. I still have problems which is probably now classed as damage rather than side effects. I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome already prior to treatment, which is a fair bit worse now and very unpredictable and my appetite and what I can safely eat have been affected a lot. I also have bladder problems in that I have some leakage after a wee and so now have to wear good old Tenas all the time. I know everyone is different and the majority of people probably won't have much in the way of long term problems so hopefully yours will settle down and I am just unlucky!
I had the same as you...lots of issues during the brachytherapy and afterwards...cystitis, bleeding, irritation and soreness, bladder and bowel issues too. Had a number of "accidents" which thankfully have reduced, I discussed this with my manager and have been given extra toilet breaks at work. I also have a change of underwear and trousers in my work locker and have a radar key to use disabled toilets if I'm out and about. My last brachytherapy was Oct 12 2018 and it's only in the last few weeks I've started to feel almost normal again but I know some people sail through without any major issues.
I have been sorry to read that the ladies who have replied to you have suffered side effects. I think they have been unfortunate. I was lucky not to suffer any side effects until 2 years after the brachytherapy, when I had a little bleeding. This has happened a few times since and is due to damaged blood vessels. It is always a very small amount of blood that I just notice when wiping. Haven’t needed to use pads or anything.
, but I suppose that's a small price to pay
