I’ve ticked off chemo. I’ve ticked off surgery (twice). Ticked off day 5 of 5 years of hormone therapy … but I’m still petrified of radiotherapy. I have had axcillary node clearance and mastectomy without reconstruction. Will I be in absolute agony from day 1? I’ve started moisturising twice a day already and drinking more and continuing exercises and I’m still fit, walking about 10 miles a day but guess I’ll be too exhausted to continue that? What more can I do for prep? Is my chest wall going to be the worst pain ever?x
Gosh Emma, you’re already doing incredibly well. Ten miles a day after doing chemo, is amazing.
No one can tell you how rads will go for you, but I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone being in agony on day 1. Most likely you won’t notice anything , I’d have thought. The effects build up over quite a long period.
I haven’t done chemo, and it does seem that doing rads after chemo makes it a bit harder, but not everyone has bad side effects from rads. I finished two and a half weeks ago, and am a bit tired, but my skin held up fine, just a bit pink and blotchy, never painful. Some people have worse side effects than others, and there’s no way to predict what will happen to you, but it isn’t a sure thing that you’ll have bad side effects.
I would just treat yourself gently, not aim to do too much till you see how you feel, but I’m sure it won’t be anything like as bad as you’re thinking. On the Winter Warmers thread there are ladies who’re part way through, so you can see how they’re getting on.
Good luck, hope this all goes well for you!
hi Emma,
No, you wont have the worst pain ever, if any at all & you will be able to exercise as you feel you need to, but like anything else when going through this, listen to your body & take care of yourself.
10 miles - so impressive! I would not do that anyway, I think I’ve done well walking 3!!!
I have not been through what you’ve been through, but apart from some skin redness & rash, I felt quite normal going through rads. Had a 20 minute doze in the afternoon, but that was it, quite nice actually.
Oddly, I quite enjoyed rads, found the experience interesting & you get to know the team & others going through it at the same time.
I remember one particularly relaxing session, with that old hit ‘Me & Mrs Jones’ playing, whilst watching a nice overhead video of forest glades & waterfalls!
do take care
ann x
Thank you all so much for your reassurance and advice, it is greatly appreciated and starting to feel less nervous about it all. It really helps knowing others who have been through it and getting on ok looking back at that part of the treatment not being too bad at all. Here’s hoping I’ll be able to give such reassurance to someone once I’ve finished on 31 January x
Hi Emma
I also had chemo before rads and probably for me the hardest part was the fatigue and that hit me in the second week. And then it passed. You feel absolutely nothing when you’re having treatment. The sore skin may appear near the end and afterwards. I too found myself looking forward to it (I know, that’s so weird!) But you feel positive that you’re having treatment. And I had various family and friends taking me so I had a good catch up with them during the journey.
Emma there is nothing to fear. Take care and hope all goes well tomorrow x
Hi Emma, I haven’t been through a quarter of what you’ve been through but rads still terrified me! I am 10 days from finishing treatment now and I am fine. I have a red, itchy boob and I am a bit tired but nothing I can’t cope with. The radiographers are amazing and so supportive so once your 1st zap is out of the way I hope you feel less worried. Tell them about any worries or concerns that you have as rads effects can be very different for everyone. Good luck tomorrow xx
Thank you so much ladies for your lovely words of reassurance. It’s greatly appreciated and feel so much easier about it all xx
1 down, 14 to go! Thanks again ladies. Feel silly for being petrified now. The team were lovely and was nothing to fear at all!! Xx
Oh Emma, I finished Radiotherapy on 21st December. When I went for my first one I was so scared that they had to sit me down outside the Radiotherapy room and assure me that there was nothing to worry about. I worried that they would zap my heart and I had this really stupid vision of laying in a room with lots of lazer beams being zapped at me!!!
I grew really close to the staff at the hospital (as did everyone else going by the trollies of Christmas pressies they were wheeling around) they were all so lovely.
When I completed my last one it was hugs all round and I had an overwhelming feeling of joy. Hubby even bought me a bottle of bubbly to celebrate!
I didn’t suffer much with redness but I still kept on moisturising three times a day and drinking gallons of water.
You have done all the right things and it sounds as though you are quite fit, doing all that walking. You will be just fine Emma and it will soon be your last treatment. xx
I was scared too but honestly you’ll be fine.It passes really quickly, just keep creamed up and rest when you need to.really jealous of you ladies with videos to watch…we’ve got a picture of some blossom to look at! Could be worse…
x
Boo! You’ll have to tape a nudey male calendar to the ceiling
I had all sorts of nice videos & music - waterfalls, forest glades, hot air balloons crossing the desert…I quite missed it all when it finished!
ann x
Thank you all. All going well so far. 5 down, 10 to go. I’ve just got a shelf of wax moulds to look at unfortunately but all the staff are lovely.
Breathing in is quite amusing as apparently they usually tell people to breathe in a bit more but I’m always told to let a bit of air out on my deep breath in. My only issue is a niggly neck from having to turn head to the side. Glad everyone else treatment going well … the end is in sight for us all!!! … well apart from those hormone tablets!!x
Hope you don’t mind me popping on…I start mine on Thursday 15 and 5 boosters…to the left breast…the ceiling had lovely pictures I’m sure I’ll be fine
Hi Pam75. Im having mine to the left too! Chest wall for me as I had to have a mastectomy in the end. Good luck for Thurs and the rest of your treatment. I found it useful to wear more on bottom half given that top half is exposed and the room can be quite chilly xx
I had blossom to look at as well Treeze. I felt like asking if they could put a huge picture up of Daniel Craig for me, lol!
Glad you are getting on ok Emma. X
Whereabouts are you Lyndy Lou?
I’m in Norfolk Treeze!?
Are you at Norfolk and Norwich? I am and from Kings Lynn x
Hi yes all in the QE in Kings Lynn.if I’d had partial kidney removal there have done it at Norwich but they took the whole one instead.Everyones been really nice I must say.