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What happens during radiation for esophageal cancer?
Esophageal Cancer | Last Active: 6 hours ago | Replies (50)Comment receiving replies
Update: Well, today is day 19 of the 27 radiation treatments for my husband. He had a rough week with a lot of nausea and throwing up. He lost 13 pounds this week and 43 for the last 4 weeks. He feels that the tumor is shrinking but between the nausea from the heavy chemo and the pain from the radiation, he just has a hard time eating. Just another week and a half of the radiation and Monday should be his last massive chemo treatment. Then he should go back to his usual chemo routine without radiation. He has nausea meds from the oncologist but he has trouble keeping them down. He also has pills for the pain but they knock him out. The liquid one he got from the radiation doctor looses it potency by the time it gets down the esophagus to where it is needed. It's just kind of a catch 22 any which way he goes. We are praying and just trying to make it through this hoping for a good outcome on the other end. I appreciate you all commenting and giving me support during this time. It helps getting all of the information I can.
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@cottonsunflower I feel your pain. Toward the end of my husband's chemo-radiation, he would almost beg not to have to go. He did successfully finish the full course without missing any appointments. We found steroids helped tremendously to eleviate the persistent nausea and discomfort. For him, cereal worked most of the time and other bland soft foods. He had a partial response to the treatment but followed with the planned surgery and 12 months of immunotherapy (which introduced another set of issues). It is a long road, try to take it a day at a time (I realize how demoralizing that can sound). Fast forward to 3.5 years later, my husband is doing well except for the dumping issues that we are still working out and occasional reflux. Life is different but good - he still works a full-time job (driving over 2 hrs day), goes on vacations, enjoys certain hobbies, friends and family. This disease and with its unsavory treatment has stretched our faith, streaked our faces with tears of joy and pain, and bonded us to each other and Jesus more closely than any other event in our lives. Praying all goes well for you and your husband.