What Kind of Radiation Did You Get for Your Gynecological Cancer?

@naturegirl5 I’m new to this site & was reading your post on brachytherapy however I couldn’t find your post on your treatment experience, long term effects etc. I have endometrial cancer stage1a2, had total hysterectomy all labs were clean however oncologist recommended 4 brachytherapy sessions. The therapy is scaring me more than the surgery. My first BT treatment is
Dec 27,2024. I don’t know how it will go. Radiation oncologist stated I will receive dilator to use after treatment. I apologize if this is not the correct spot for this question.
I wish everyone the best!

Hi. Try not to worry too much about the brachytherapy. I spent 6 month’s worrying about it while had completed chemo and external beam radiation and it was easy. Maybe a little uncomfortable but it literally lasts minutes. Only side effect was feeling a little tired. The dilator isn’t a big thing and keep in mind the end result of its use: so the area can be clearly visualized. When it’s over you can ring the heck out of the bell!!!

Arrdvark2118- Thank You so much for your comment, it was helpful and makes me feel better. Hope you are doing well!

@naturegirl5
Thank You so much for the information it was very helpful.
Do you have any long term side effects from the brachytherapy? I’ve read urine or bladder incontinence can occur. Will you share the brand of dilator you purchased?
Thank You so much! Your responds was very helpful & appreciated! Glad you are doing well keep up the good work. I never realized how hard a cancer diagnosis can be

I had three sessions of brachytherapy in December 2023. There were no side effects. I do need to use a dilator once to twice per week. It was not a problem.

That was great you had no side effects! Thank You!!
Take Care

@naturegirl5
Thank You so much for the information it was very helpful.
Do you have any long term side effects from the brachytherapy? I’ve read urine or bladder incontinence can occur. Will you share the brand of dilator you purchased?
Thank You so much! Your responds was very helpful & appreciated! Glad you are doing well keep up the good work. I never realized how hard a cancer diagnosis can be

@paz1956 I don't have any long term side effects from the brachytherapy. I don't have any urinary output problems or incontinence. I purchased a set of dilators that allowed me to start with a narrow one and gradually increase the width over time.

Intimate Rose Dilators:

-- https://www.intimaterose.com/collections/vaginal-dilators

Yes, the cancer diagnosis in a sense is just the beginning of the process. There is lots to do following diagnosis and treatment to keep yourself healthy.

How are you feeling today?

This is what happened when I had external radiation therapy at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. I was instructed to start drinking water about 45 minutes to 1 hour before each radiation therapy session. My bladder was supposed to be full for each session as a full bladder protects organs from radiation. In fact, if my bladder was not full enough which the radiation therapists could see on CT - a CT was taken before every radiation session - then they told me and I drank more water.

My name was called from the waiting from in Radiation Oncology and since I had already been informed which dressing area to go to, I went there, changed into my gown, and then waited for the radiation therapists to come and get me. This was generally 5-10 minutes after I changed which worked out well because my bladder was very full. I then went to the external radiation beam room where they asked my name and birthdate and then I laid on the table with my legs in the cradle that was made for me earlier, and that was my only job. Lay down and lay still. There was music playing and I was usually asked what kind of music I liked. Then the radiation therapists (there were always two) positioned me on the table with the use of some lights. They left the room, first ran the CT to check if my bladder was full and then recorded the images as the radiation oncologist looked at the CTs every day. The external beam machine rotated over me and I often zoned out almost falling asleep some days. After the radiation was completed, the external beam machine stopped and I waited until the radiation therapists came to get me. They helped me from the table. I always went to the bathroom first as my bladder was full and then I changed in the dressing room. The radiation session was complete.

I had 25 external radiation beam treatments. After those were completed I had 2 brachytherapy (internal radiation) treatments that I will write about in another post.

I had few side effects from the radiation. I had the expected side effects although mine were minor according to the nurse and the radiation oncologist. I had a few bouts of diarrhea (I took imodium when that happened), a few headaches (I drank more water), and some fatigue for a few days. I lost my appetite a little and lost about 8 pounds. Of course I've since regained my appetite and that weight. Darn.

The radiation oncology nurse and the radiation oncologist met with me weekly. They monitored my vital signs, my weight, and checked for signs of radiation toxicity - side effects. Their conclusion was that I tolerate the 25 treatments well.