Radiotherapy after Hysterectomy

I began radiotherapy this week following hysterectomy in mid March. I think it’s natural to worry about it and side effects. Do speak to your radiography team. With respect to emptying bowels, after the initial scan, I was advised on second day that as long as I was having a daily bowel movement not to take laxatives. Only if I didn’t by bedtime to use the prescribed senna tablets. Now that might not be the same for your hospital but worth checking.

Re long term effects- it is a worry though staff have to advise patients about the worse that could happen. Again I discussed with my team and the radiographer said that many people sail through the treatment with minimal side effects, continue to work, etc. and that side effects clear up quickly. Remember they see hundreds if not thousands of people and are well aware of the situation. She also advised me not to be on ‘side effect Watch’ and that we will deal with any that occur as they present. It certainly helped me to hear this. I am going to ensure that I have some Imodium in the house (just in case). 

Hi Muse, just a little note to say that it’s important to ask your team before taking anything at all including Imodium. When in my 4th week and started getting a bit of wind/bloating and occasional urgency, my team advised me to take Buscopan, but the minimum dose, in preference to Imodium. Though Imodium was advised in other instances but strictly monitoring the dose. So by all means have it in but I’d recommend asking them first.

Hi TickingT, does your hospital specify use of enemas or just that you empty your bowel once a day? For me I find that bread bungs me up so I geared my diet around less bread and it helped. I didn’t have to use enemas and thankfully didn’t have to use laxatives either. 

Oh indeed. It was the senior in my team that suggested I buy a pack to have on hand though of course to report any looseness immediately to them and they would advise re dosage. I have used Buscopan in the past and found it effective so might well get a pack in as well, Having no transport it’s easier for me to make sure items are available.

Was that your 4th treatment or fourth week? 

Hi Muse, thank you for your reply your experience is really interesting.    When I went for my first attempt at a CT scan for measurements etc I had not been advised to use laxatives.  I was not constipated and was having daily bowel movements, all quite normal.   They asked me to use enema at hospital but nothing happened as I had already had 2 BM's at home first thing.   They stopped the scan because they said there was still too much poo in my system.   I was sent home with Movicol and instructed to take for a week !    I started using it twice a day and the results were overwhelming - 7 x BMs 2 days running .. so they said just take one sachet at night for 2 nights before scan.    Second Scan attempt, this time enema worked ... but scan was stopped again because again.. still had too much poo in system !!   When I tried again after another week of laxatives the scan was completed but I have been told to continue with laxatives for a week before radiotherapy starts even if I am having regular BMs daily and double up again 2 days before treatment starts...  this means I will be literally in the loo most of the day for those 2 days.    It just seems very extreme to me and I wanted to know if this is normal for pelvic radiotherapy for women :-((

Hi MarmiteFan59 - are you able to read my explanation in response to Muse above as I have gone into more detail about what happened to me.  If not will copy and paste in a reply to you.  :-) T

Hi TickingT, yes I can see it. Bless you, that does sound like a lot! When is your radio due to start?

Hi Muse, my 4th week - I’ve edited it now and added the missed out word! I was fortunate and had no side effects at all until middle of the 4th week. I decided to follow the pelvic radiotherapy eating guidelines (from the leaflet) from the start, which might have helped, I’m not sure! 

Hi MarmiteFan59.    I start in just over a week's time 12th June.   Am seeing consultant on Tuesday and am hoping to agree a more reasonable level of laxatives.   It does puzzle me that different hospitals give different guidelines.    I was told that the emptier the bowel system the most effective the radiotherapy on the target area and they want the position of bowel to be as similar as possible every day.  the less poo in the system the better the position of the bowel.  Sigh :-((

I need to find my copy of the booklet and will do similar. I know to avoid leafy green vegetables and spicy foods. Going to switch to white bread this week. That’s impressive that you were side effect free so long. The team stressed hydration as important too. 

edit: looks like my hospital has produced a leaflet online that I have downloaded to refer to