Brachytherapy my experience so far

Cervical cancer treatment
1

i had my first and second brachytherapy this week 

for me this was always going to be a big deal. I haven’t even used a tampon and i am very squeamish and can’t cope with internals

 

i will say brachy isn’t as bad as you think. 

When I woke up from anaesthic I felt bad period pain. I was given morphine and this helped. 

I asked when I woke of the rods were in and I couldn’t believe it. 

I was then taking for a ct scan and was scared getting rolled onto the bed. 

Treatment itself is fine. Very strange being hooked up from you lady part to a machine. 

Lying still all night was long and boring and I got sore heels from not moving.

The nurse came in and cleaned my bum about 4 times not sure why lol  I also had bad gas all night 

Getting the packing removed was painful for me. Nurse said I was too tense despite gas and air so I made it harder for myself  

It was sore and difficult but doable  

I actually took the gas off and screamed for the last bit lol but I wasn’t sore after it 

 

i was allowed home home about an hour later as long as you have passed urine

 

so although it sounds horrible it is totally doable and better than expected 

 

2

It's lovely to read positive posts like this - it helps take the fear away.

It wasn't painful when I had the rods (gas and air helped along with the nurse talking rubbish to me about something funny), it was just a bit uncomfortable. 

3

Totally agree, I nearly backed out of brachy after I read some of the comments on a FB group but reading the sensible posts on here made me feel so much better.

xx

4

That’s me had my final treatment and brachy! Woo!

i was a little more tender this time but not agony and you will get lots of painkillers on demand. I’m just saying this so you know it’s normal it’s a doable thing. Do not decline treatment based on fear. As I said I’m very difficult about down below issues so this whole thing is a nightmare but if I can do brachy so can you. It’s honestly not that bad.