Post radiotherapy treatment

Hello Plod

I had my cancer diagnosis in April 2022. I had surgery. Then chemotherapy May-Aug 2022. Then 25 sessions of external beam radiotherapy in Aug/Sept 2022. I did not need brachytherapy as the cancer cells had not been found in my cervix.

The treatments I had will effect different people in different ways and my consultant said to me it is hard to predict who will have which side effects. When you go for your consents appointment they have to tell you all the potential side effects so that you are able to make an informed decision. It does not mean you will get them all or even some. Some people seem to find it easier than others.

For the radiotherapy my main side effects were fatigue, aching in my hips/lower back and diarrhoea. I didn't have any issues with my skin and used the moisturiser as they advised. I had a bit of irritation to my bladder. I had some nausea towards the end of the treatments. I had some blood issues and needed a blood transfusion but told this was most likely due to the chemo but possibly there was an element of me not getting the nutrition I needed from food. I was eating a very restricted diet and what I did eat went straight through me. 

The radiotherapists were very good and I saw a consultant every Monday and I was given medication to help with the effects. I found the travelling tiring and to begin with thought I would never get to the end of it, but once started it went quicker than expected. 

I still have some effects from it, but not every body does. I am managing the tummy effects through diet and there is some settling. I have become intolerant to some foods and avoid them. I still feel a bit achy in my pelvis. 

I have not gone back to work as I am still recovering from it all. But I did have chemotherapy as well and have peripheral neuropathy from it. My fatigue is lessening and I can do more each day. I focus on being active and taking it all a day at a time. I need to pace myself as if I over do it one day I can pay for it the next day. My bowels have settled a lot but still can cause some problems however the dietary changes are beginning to work. I did have quite a few issues during chemo and my radiotherapy consultant said that my reaction to the radiotherapy was at the more extreme end. If I had known how it would affect me- I would still have done it- there are no guarantees that it will prevent a return of the cancer but I know that I have done everything possible to prevent recurrence. 

I have check ups every 12 weeks for the womb cancer and during those my side effects are monitored. If they don't resolve there is support through a Late effects clinic.

There is a radiotherapy thread on here that you might find helpful to look at.

Radiotherapy Support Thread (inc. Brachytherapy) - Macmillan Online Community

Hope this helps

Jane

Hi Plod, you may get more responses if you post in the Radiotherapy Support thread, which Jane has mentioned. Several women who have had their op and treatment don’t tend to pop back to the forums as they’re getting on with their lives, but may well have kept notifications on for that special dedicated thread, would get an email notification that someone had responded, and would nip back to see what it was and how they could help! I’ll give you the link again:  Radiotherapy Support Thread (inc. Brachytherapy) 

I’m semi retired and work from home, but I know numerous women who had no problem going back to work afterwards and even a lady who runs a choir who worked throughout her treatment - having her radio first thing in the morning and running her choir afternoon and evenings. As Jane said, radio affects different people in different ways. I had hardly any side effects.