I am due to get my first chemo + radiaiton on Monday (one day away!) I am nervous and still have a few unanswered questions. If anyone can answer these, I would greatly appreciate it:)
1. Because I first had lymph nodes removed in preparation for a radical hysterectomy (which was aborted when they found a cancerous lymph node), my bladder is acting up. I basically cannot even walk my dog for an hour without feeling I have to go...and when I do go, I go a fairly small amount. I know for radiation I need a full bladder, but I literally am now urinating every two hours or even more frequently. I know it is due to them opening me up and moving things around. But should I be concerned? I'm worried that my "full bladder" really isn't full enough by normal people standards.
2. Should I moisturize my private area before radiation? I have read some women on this site talk about dry itchy skin, but not sure if I should mositurize before radiation, or after.
Hi dog lover. Firstly, all the very best for tomorrow and hope it goes ok. It's a long day when you have the two together. These days are a bit different from just radiotherapy days as you will have an infusion of fluid anyway as part of the chemo regime, iN Order to protect your kidneys from the potentially damaging effects of the cisplatin. Therefore, you normally have quite a lot of fluid on board anyway. Don't worry, even though you are hooked up intravenously, you can still go to the loo whenever you need to. I guess you can always wear a pad too if you worry about leakage. I had my radiotherapy at the end of the day, and don't recall having to have extra fluids. On just radio days, you do have to drink a lot of fluid just beforehand. I found drinking that much cold water quite a challenge as it was winter time too, so I took a thermos of warm diluted squash which was easier to take. I'm sure if you talk to the radio staff on your first visit and explain the problem, they will advise you. Everyone I saw was so kind and helpful. In the early days of radio they also took a scan to see how full the bladder was so that they can get the treatment just right. This is done in the radio suite. Sometimes I had drunk too much, so had to empty a bit. I can't pretend it was pleasant, but just share your concerns with the staff. As for the moisturising, I wouldn't put anything on before the treatment. I was advised to shower with something like Sanex which is not perfumed and very gentle on the skin. I think I did moisturise in the later weeks, but always at night, but again they will advise. Let us know how you get on. Take care x
Hi. I'm terrible for needing to go for a wee but I know that I need to drink so........
When I walk my dog, I know every spot where I can hide to have a wee behind a bush! I also invested in a she wee which has been invaluable. If nothing else, it puts my mind at ease knowing that if I do get caught short without a loo, I have a safe option.
I am the only person I know who needed an empty bladder before radiotherapy. It could be because my tumour was also on my bladder wall.
I didn't moisturise and I didn't have any problem at all. I did only have 4 weeks worth so that could be a difference. Speak to your team tomorrow and ask them all your questions. Take a list if you need to.
On hindsight I think I would've moisturised my bottom hole (!!!!) With coconut oil as towards the end it was quite painful. The radiotherapy can cause an acidy type diahorrea (sounds worse than it is) and the constant wiping makes it sore. Sorry for being graphic!
Have you been told how much you have to drink begore hand? Its normally 3 cups of water. I was really bad at holding it in,and if they were running late it was torture! I almost every day,ran out of the radiation room like Usain Bolt,throwing my shoes at my friend on the way. You will get there,just speak to your team before you go in. Go for a pee when you arrive,then drink your water.
As for moisturising,you may be given creams to use. I was given a huge tub of stuff to use 3 times a day,and a steroid cream 2 times. I did this religiously and never had any problems.
The advised me to only use the cream that my radiation oncologist recommended and I wasn't allowed to use it at least 2 hours prior to treatment. It's up to your radiation specialist. I was given like a sorbolene and aloe vera combination. But they are really good at advice.
My bladder was pretty ordinary, after having a catheter when I started radiation then coming out a few days into treatment. But I just emptied when I got there half an hour before. Then I drank 600ml water or 3 glasses. I only had 1 episode where they were struggling to get me tilted into position, and my bladder was so bursting I couldn't stop squirming. So they let me go empty my bladder, then have another glass of water and wait another 20min, and I was right. The staff are very understanding. They can see how full it is when they are scanning to position you for the radiation.
