Shammy, you’re cracking it girl! Week 4, eh? You’ll be there before you know it. Glad the bowels are not too extreme at the moment - if it does get really bad I can confirm that things DO get better. Just sleep whenever you need to and get through this. I can understand you not wanting to go far from home. For me the hour journeys to the hospital and back were a torment at times because of the bowels 
. Thinking of you. X
AMF - after the brachytherapy and for some weeks afterwards I was going for a pee every 1- 1.5 hours day or night. Eventually after pelvic floor exercises I regained some control and started making myself wait, to retrain the bladder. After 8 months I can go all night (7-8 hours) without a pee most days, and if I do get up it’s only once. You can make a difference. 
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Thanks Jacks,
The annoying thing is I’m fine during the day only going a couple of times despite drinking plenty of fluids but as soon as the clock chimes midnight I start going every hour or so.
I’ll get back on those pelvic exercises and see if that makes a difference fingers crossed 
.
The other thing I did (and still do) is take a hot wheat bag to bed with me! I drape it across my lower abdomen, even if I’m lying on my side. It is amazingly comforting if your guts feel sore or if your bladder is uncomfortable. I found that I would wake up feeling uncomfortable as if I needed a pee, but hardly anything was there. So I concluded it was an over sensitive bladder, and the warmth from the wheat bag helps. Mine has sections stitched in, which makes it easy to make it stay where you want it, rather than clumping up.
Hello hello!!! Week 4 done!
This week has went considerably better!
I’m not quite as tired and my bowels are settling or maybe it’s just I’ve become more in tune with what they might do! I do have a bit of stinging when I wee but I’m flushing it through with plenty of fluids!
The nausea has been a lot better this week thank goodness, that was really getting me down.
I’m heading up to my caravan for the final time this year and I’m planning a night of scary movies and nibbles with the other half for Halloween!
Also a touchy topic perhaps for some…
I put a claim in for my critical illness insurance. I argued with myself for a good few weeks 1st though as I felt I was signing my own death warrant.
I changed my mindset to calling it recovery money.
Life has given me a kick in the teeth with this dreaded thing so I’m taking something back.
If you have it, seriously consider claiming.
I hope you’re all well! Have a fabulously spooky weekend. 
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Hi, I’m pretty new here but have been looking at your story of treatments and it’s really helped me. U said u put in ur critical illness cover I’m jumping the gun here, I know that. But I’ve been diagnosed and awaiting my staging which I will have in 6 days so I’m sure u can relate mind is running wild. I thought it had to be terminal before u could claim critical illness or am I wrong? I’m only asking as I’m young and have 2 young kids to provide for but I do have life insurance for them and an additional critical illness policy. Xx
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Hi @Steffi86,
Check your policy but no you dont have to be terminal. I’m not. I’m stage 2B with no lymphnodes involved so being treated to cure! Generally it seems anything up from early stage 1 is eligible for a claim.
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Thanks very much for the info. I will look into it, I haven’t looked since i took the policy out years ago. Xx
Hi Shammy,
You’re doing brilliantly! Have a wonderful weekend with your children and I hope you don’t feel too tired. Xx
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Hi shammy so glad your doing well I’m still waiting for my plan and start date, this appointment seems to be the longest wait of them all, I to have checked my insurance and have critical illness cover linked to my mortgage so I can claim and get that paid off which is a wait of my shoulders xx
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Thank you! Honestly this forum is giving me real hope! Glad to hear you’re doing well post treatment @AMF - just can’t wait to get this all started now to be out the other side of it!!
Hello all!
Week 5 done. I’m physically ok,mentally…terrified!
Week 6 schedule is follows,
Monday - Brachytherapy
Tuesday - Radio and week 6 ( final) chemotherapy.
Wednesday - Radiotherapy
Thursday - Brachytherapy
Friday - Radiotherapy
Sat/Sun - Rest
Monday final Brachytherapy
I’m absolutely 
myself
Brachytherapy is done as day procedure using spinal block and sedation. I’ve also been told I will be given IV paracetamol, codeine and morphine if needed as well as gas and air for rod removal.
I’ve become obsessed with feeling sick, I cant bear any of the food from the hospital. It’s only soup and sandwiches, i cant drink water either. It’s like I’ve developed an association between the food/water and feeling I’ll. I dont know why but I need to stop.
I’m looking forward now. I’ve been gathering up ingredients to do some baking and I’ve also been researching cold water swimming as a form of therapy after all this. I going to also ask my GP for referral for counselling after treatment. The toll it’s taken only mental health has been immense.
I hope you’re all doing ok?
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Hi Shammy
Fantastic to hear that your entering the final week and physically you’re doing well.
Regarding the brachytherapy the reality is nowhere near as bad as what you imagine you’ll be absolutely fine. The team dealing with you will have helped loads of women through this and they are very experienced.
The counselling is a good idea, after treatment you do feel a bit lost you’re in a world where you aren’t ready to go back to your old life but your treatment works has finished. I an now 7 weeks post treatment and I am thinking of returning to work in the next few weeks as I need to focus on other things and not cancer but it’s tough.
Good luck with the final week xx
Hi shammy looks like your on the final leg of your treatment well done, sorry to hear your mental health has suffered during all of this, my mental health has never been the best and I am on tablets for it hopefully they will help during treatment, try and stay strong you are almost there xx
Wishing you all the best for your final week- you’ve got this! I hope you’re being kind to yourself and are going to take plenty of time after this crap to look after both your physical and mental health- you’ve come so far I just can’t wait to be where you’re at but no dates as yet
Good luck @Shammy716 
onwards and upwards
Hi Shammy - you’re nearly there! I sympathise so much with your worries about the unknown - but you just have to get in there and do it. Your final week!!! Amazing!
I sympathise too about the water and feeling sick. I was feeling sick at just about everything by the end, and water as well. For the inevitable ‘forced drinking’ - which for me was part of the problem, I’d make up my own berries flavoured squash to drink and took it with me. It helped. You need to find something fluid you like to drink, because you’ll need to stay hydrated. I found jacket potato with a bit of butter and a little grated cheese became the best thing to eat. It was hard, and it took a long time for the nausea to go - but don’t be afraid to ask for meds and it WILL pass. I started taking probiotics once I had finished treatment, and I really believe that helped. You do have to MAKE yourself eat things for a while - but as long as you’re not physically throwing up, you just need to keep up some nutrition to boost your energy and your recovery. It will be easier when you can get your own food!
Thinking of you this week, and waiting anxiously for updates. You can do it.
Xx
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Hi Shammy! I can’t believe its week 6 already, although I’m sure it hasn’t felt as quick for you!
I can relate to everything youve said - the sickness, the mental health, the worry about brachy. But you’re nearly done, and then you can put all of this behind you!
I know it’s easy for me to say, but the brachytherapy is honestly fine. I would do it again if I had to, with no worries! It’s the fear of the unknown that’s scary. But it works incredibly well for finishing off the tumour, so look at it as the last hurdle - the icing on the cake! You’ll be grand. Good luck x
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Hello everyone! A wee update for you all. I completed Brachytherapy no 1 yesterday!
Massive thank you to George S Marvellous who was a superb support on the day 
It really wasnt that bad, the whole team from the Dr- Aneasthatist- Nurses and Radiographers were simply amazing.
So I literally felt nothing from the Spinal Block until a dull period type ache 2 hours before removal. Pain was managed with IV paracetamol, codiene and Morphine. Also had gas and air for removal.
The nurses kept me occupied chatting in between me dozing off now and again.
So I was supposed to have Round 6 of Chemo today but my white cell count was a bit low. Dr said ideally no lower than 2.8 and I was at 2.4.
I asked would the chemo be deferred to next week, she said she doubted it as the Brachytherapy would likely drop my cell count lower again and the fact I’ve had 5 is more than sufficient.
She also said something that has cheered me up no end…
" the tumor has really shrunk, there is very good improvement "
It was a good job I had the spinal block and couldnt move or she wouldve got a huge hug!!!
Today I’m a little sore. Very like bad period pains. I also seem to have cystitis which isn’t helping. Strangely I can feel the area of the tumor really twinging. I have read though that that can happen as it’s the site of the brachytherapy. Light bleeding last night but today its more like a watery pink discharge.
The tiredness is quite bad now. I seem to need a doze in the afternoon and am in bed early enough every night.
2 radiotherapy & 2 Brachytherapy to go!
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Hi Shammy great to hear you’re coping well and your tumour has shrunk.
Fingers the brachytherapy shrinks the rest.
Well done you’re almost there x
I was told the same as AMF, Shammy - the main radiotherapy and chemo had shrunk the tumour and destroyed the cancer in my lymph nodes - it was the brachytherapy that killed off the tumour. The effect continues for about 3 months after the treatment, which is why they will wait 3 months to scan you. You’ve got this! Xxx
