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Delay in diagnosis

Gynecologic Cancers | Last Active: Jul 25 8:46pm | Replies (25)

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@jeanknoll986 Hi Jean. I didn’t have chemo or brachytherapy - just 25 external beam. Looking back, I would suggest the following: Your bladder needs to be full, but not over full. They need at least 80%. When I drank the amount of water they suggested, I was often over 130% full and really uncomfortable, so learned to adapt the amount and timing of the water. I also learned to let just a little out, which sounds impossible, but it just takes some muscle control, and can make you so much more comfortable, especially if they are running late. The radiation does not hurt at all, so do not worry. You also need an empty bowel/rectum, which can be hard if they ask you to pass gas or stool without passing any urine. Again, if you can learn to stop the flow and let just a little out, it isn’t as impossible as it sounds. In terms of how I felt, the extreme fatigue set in at about week 3, but was manageable. Every day I did something with a friend and went for a walk. Radiation enteritis and proctitis set in as well, and this was the biggest challenge for me. They will tell you what foods to avoid, and for me, alcohol was an absolute no-no. I still cannot drink without triggering enteritis again. I relied a lot on Imodium, and they will tell you when to take it and how much. When nausea became an issue, they prescribed the antinausea medication that is used for chemo, so you may be familiar with this already. The biggest thing, though, is to listen to your body. If you need 2 naps a day, take them, and then try and get some fresh air and some fun time so that your spirits stay up. Five weeks sounds like a long time, but if you try and keep your life as normal as possible, including time with friends and family, it passes quickly. Best of luck to you!

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Replies to "@jeanknoll986 Hi Jean. I didn’t have chemo or brachytherapy - just 25 external beam. Looking back,..."

Thank you so much! This is exactly what I need to know. 😀