Side effects of radiotherapy

Hi Maggie,

Ive not had the treatment but I have seen a tip in another group where folks suggest buying a portable bidet that sits in your toilet bowl (they are about £5/£6 on amazon or hopefully you pharmacy will have one) fill it with water and go to the toilet underwater, if you get what I mean.

Hopefully the others will be along with tips soon, I really feel for you and hope it heals quickly.

xxx

Hi Maggie, different hospitals recommend different things I realise. But when I had  25 external RT and Brachy they suggested I use Drapoline cream which they eventually mixed in some numbing agent. You can only get the Drapoline on the internet or via prescription. I'm sure your RT dept would put some of the soothing numbing gel into it for you ? Poor you. I also used Aloe Vera gel, kept it in the fridge Bliss...…. but obviously these are only for EXTERNAL use. When I had chemo that also seemed to make my nether regions sore, and emptying my bowels was a nightmare, my pharmacy suggested glycerine suppositories, just to keep everything working, it really helped ! Not long for your treatment to end if you are having 6 sessions of chemo? Or have you finished ? Talk to your team and tell them what you are experiencing, sometimes the skin can become inflamed and start to break down, they may well want a peak and decide what's best for you. I also found the wet toilet tissues were extremely helpful, used to put them in a bag to dispose of rather than flush though.  

I'm so sorry that you are so uncomfortable, but take heart Maggie it will get better. I am a year since my op (5th Sept 18) and my treatment finished End of January this year, I am slowly recovering but have found to my cost that if I overdo things there is a price to be paid. Put your feet up when you can, forget about housework do what you can and leave the rest. Fingers crossed that you become more comfortable soon.

Take care of yourself, your have gone through a lot, a few tears are allowed, honestly.

LC
XX

Hi Maggie,

I am not a bit surprised you are having trouble. My husband had radiotherapy on his neck which was red raw after 7 weeks. My daughters boob split after radiotherapy on that. They were both told to use E45 cream, outside, but if that is not sorting things ask your team about it. They are very good in my experience. My husbands neck took some time to heal up properly, but the redness wore off fairly quickly. My daughter's boob healed after 2 - 3 weeks. I also found that my husband was pretty tired during and after radiotherapy, which also accounts for some of your tears. I think you have every right to feel sorry for yourself.  xxxxxx

Hi , thanks for that I shall look into it  xx

Little Critter 

thank you for your advice , I did think of aloe Vera so will purchase some and like you keep it in the fridge.  I only had four cycles of chemo and finished that the middle of July . I thought that was the hard part and the radiotherapy would be easy . How wrong was I ?!! I’ve now finished treatment thank goodness because I definitely couldn’t go through anymore with this much discomfort . 

i was advised Flamigel by the radiotherapy team which I started yesterday evening so hopefully will soon see some improvement soon. The wet tissues sound a good idea too , anything for some relief .  I’ve had some low moments during treatment but this has really dragged me down .  I was just beginning to feel better after chemo and doing bits and bobs but this has put me right back . 

I’m glad your Recovering from your treatment , slow and steady wins the race as they say . Take care of yourself 

Maggie67 xx

Thank you for your reply , I too was advised E45 cream at the beginning but the soreness soon escalated . I now have some Flamigel which the team suggested so I’m hoping that will improve things in the next couple of days .

im glad your husband and daughter were soon sorted and I hope they are both still doing well xxxx

Yes, Maggie. give it time, but if there is no improvement do ask about it. Don't put up with anything. We've learnt that!!!

Husband had a rough 3 years, but that was 13 years ago now! He now talks with a speech valve. Daughter is fine as far as the cancer goes, but I think the chemo left her with bowel issues. She has just been to see about that, again. Her operation with chemo and radiotherapy was 6 years ago. We were told the radiotherapy works even after you finish treatment.

All the best xxxx

Feel for you, I had 4 brachytherapy and had problems from the 2nd one, bleeding, soreness and cystitis. Spoke to my CNS and she was a great help with suggestions and also got me an emergency clinic appointment with the consultant. She got me to speak to my gp and subscribe instillagel(think that's what it's called) and I had to mix it with E45. For me it was a horrible time but I'm almost 1 years on now so I know it will get better for you xx