Hi ladies hope you our all good! Had my treatment plan today and the medical team decided that I was no longer 1b1 but 1b2 and that the best plan would be for me to have radiotherapy 5 days a week for 5 weeks and 5 sessions of chemo once a week and 3 brachytherapy treatments. Bit gutted because I really thought I was just have the surgery.. If any of you ladies who have been through treatment wouldn't mind giving me a bit of advice on what to expect I would be greatful xx
Hi,
Can't give advice, but I can completely understand how gutted you feel. I was devastated when they told me it wasn't going to be surgery. I threw an almighty hissy fit and refused to talk to the surgeon-to be honest I'm a tad embarrassed about it now lol. I start my treatment (the same as yours) on the 19th, in some strange way I'm excited because once it starts I'm a step closer to the end.
X
Hi
So sorry it is not what you had hoped for. I've no experience of this but have noticed posts in the past from ladies who have had this treatment so you are bound to get some replies. Good luck with your treatment, will be thinking of you.
Hugs, Cheryl,xx
Thanks ladies. And good luck baylee b guess we can exchange notes! Xx
Thank you Dominique86. Feel free to message me. We are going to be fine, eight weeks is nothing in the grand scheme of things! :-) x
Thank you bayleeb u 2 message me whenever. And your exactly right 8 weeks is nothing! Xx
Hi,
i had chemo/radio and i was different to you as that's what I wanted from the beginning, I sound crazy right now don't i? However I had it in my head that if I only had surgery what if 1 cancer cell had gone elsewhere? At least with the chemo, you know that if there is one rogue cell it will be killed by chemo. I can't lie the treatment is rough but it is bearable, I am just getting to a year since my treatment ended, yeah I still get side effects but it is manageable is the way I look at it. I hope I help even if it's just a tiny bit. Laura xx
Thanks Laura1989 I didn't really look at it that way with the chemo but your right! I think am just feeling nervous of the unknown! Hopefully I can get thru it the best I can xx
Oh and btw laura1989 congrats on your remission hun xx
Hi Dominique
I had the same treatment plan as you and felt exactly as you do about not having surgery (at the time) but after a few days of giving it some thought and accepting that the drs will be attacking the cancer the best way possible, I felt a lot better.
My treatment was in Jan / Feb, and my advice would be ....
Radio - use the cream several times a day. I found that the cream the hospital gave me was quite greasy so I switched to E45 and didnt suffer with any skin problems. Bowels are impacted by the radio treatment and I noticed that mixed with the chemo I had specific days that were worse than others. You will be given tablets to help and they do help as does drinking lots of water. I also suffered at the end of the treatment (after the brachy) with extremly painful bowels but as soon as I mentioned this to the radio guys they had the Dr perscribe a gel / cream and this really helped. You will only see the radio guys for a short time each day, but I found them to be great and they will always be able to help if you have any questions ...
Chemo - Cisplatin takes most of a day ...... 1 hr is chemo and then 2 x 2 hrs of fluids to protect your kidneys etc..... So take something or someone to keep you occupied. Again the nurses are great so if you have any concerns or questions ask them - I had a few problems with the canula sites and Im glad I checked them with the nurses. The chemo side effects for me was a change in my taste buds which meant some of my favorite food tasted vile ...... a couple of weeks after the chemo had finished my taste returned to normal. I found I couldnt drink coffee, and I love coffee !! Another side effect was my hearing was impacted, but again this returned (not fully, but doesn't impact me) afterwards. I was lucky that I didnt suffer with sickness but they give you tablets to take if you do. For some of the days you will be given steriods - I found that these did interupt my sleep.
Brachy - this for me was the part I was dreading the most, but mainly because I would be given a GA and Im not great with GA or pain killers ..... Again the staff were great and I wasnt anywhere near as bad as I had built it up to be ..........
Overall I found that keeping a good sense of humour and being positive helped me no end .... the staff were all great and they do a great job, and I found them to enjoy having a bit of fun amongst all the sadness - and you will see some sad cases when you are in the waiting rooms ... children I found hard to see. Another peice of advice you see on here and its true - is listen to your body ... if you are tired have a snooze etc ..... it does help
If you have any questions and I can help let me know .....
Good luck to you and others about to start the treatment . Iwas diagnosed with 2B and this treatment has worked for me ......
Good luck
Tracey
Thank you so much Tracey that info is really helpful I know they give you leaflets but its good to actually speak to some 1 who has been through it today is a good day and I'm starting to feel positive and im looking forward to getting this gone and getting my life back! Thanks again for your advice xx
Hi, I am a Stage 2b lady and was wondering how your treatments were going?, I start treatments on Monday and feeling a lot of mixed emotions, glad it's starting to get rid of it but worrying I won't be able to deal with the side effects, any advice would be great.x
Hi, I am starting the same treatment as you on Monday, have you started yours already?, my CC was Staged at 2 B so surgery was not discussed at my planning meeting, they said surgery was not a guarantee it would all be removed and I would still have to have to have further radio and chemo, anyway starting on Monday so I'm keeping busy and trying to keep positive.xxx
Hi, I have just read your post regarding your experiences with the treatments, thankyou for sharing this as I am also Stage 2b and will be starting treatments on Monday. Even though I know everyone reacts differently I have still made a few notes to help me through. Thankyou again.xxx
Hi Caroline I start mine on the 7th July.im stage 1b2 they said I was Just on the border line for the op but because my lymph nodes looked a little thick on top they also didn't want To put me through surgery to then maybe still have to go through treatment. I'm also trying to keep busy take my mind of it but it can be difficult sometimes can't it. Good luck for monday and keep us updated when you get the chance xx
