Connect
Just now diagnosed with SCC
Hi everybody, just now diagnosed and found/joined group. Feeling worried. I don’t know much about squamous cell carcinoma. I’m shocked because I hardly ever spend a lot of time in the sun. It’s on my butt! Must be all that rockhounding I did back in 2015-2020 with my butt in the air looking for agates). I am going in for Mohs ?Surgery soon, Has anyone done that or have any advice? Thanks 🙏🏼
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Support Group.
Connect
@magscratch Checking in to see how you're doing now that you're over a week out from your treatment.
@grammato3 I am doing better than I expected because there is very little soreness, which is surprising as they said that could be a problem. But.... I'm not finished yet! I have 9 down and 5-6 more to go. I'm meeting with a nutritionist tomorrow along with the treatment appointment. My major complaint is the extreme fatigue that I feel - (a result of the radiation). They have answered all of my many questions - I take a list every day - and that makes me feel better, knowing more about the process, etc. Thank you for inquiring.
@magscratch Radiation fatigue is a very real side effect - the body puts out a lot of energy to repair those cells impacted by the radiation. So even though you can't see or feel it, you're actually exerting a good deal of energy so that fatigue is a call to rest and recharge. And to do that your body also needs the right type of nutrients so that's an especially good step you're taking with the nutritionist.
Mayo Clinic has a lot of information on best practices for rest and nutrition during cancer treatment. I found a specific one for radiation here: https://www.oregoncancer.com/blog/eating-well-during-radiation-therapy
Let me know once you've turned a corner on this, it may very well be after that 5th or 6th treatment but the end is in sight!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@dreamer3 Happy belated birthday! I had gotten a pillow when I'd had to lay flat on my back in bed for several hours a day and my tailbone was getting so sore. Someone told me about a "tush cush" that I ordered from Amazon and it was a game changer. I suppose it all depends on exactly where you're getting the treatment so I wanted to check and see how you're managing with things.
Most importantly: Did you get your cake?
@grammato3 Thank you so much for your information, encouragement and insight . I look forward to learning more about nutrition from the article you sent. I think it will be very helpful and will help me work through this fatigue hump.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@grammato3
I had this fatigue that came from having 30 rounds of proton radiation for prostate cancer. It was however told to me to expect it. And as mentor stated the body is really trying to repair itself
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@jc76 It does help to be forewarned of potential side effects so you don't doubt yourself or the treatment if/when such untoward consequences occur. I've learned to lean into my body's need to rest, sometimes taking even two "cat naps" a day to allow my body to heal internally.
Do you feel you're back to baseline now?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@grammato3
In regard to recovery from the prostate cancer radiation treatments, YES.
It took a few months for fatigue to go away and about 2.5 years for side affects to go away. I do feel I am back to baseline. I just got my PSA test in April and was undetectable.
I was told during my treatments to try and keep my exercising up and did so. I was lucky that my treatments worked and don't have that worry like a lot of others than their PSA levels went up or their side affects were still bothersome.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction