Recovery after radiation

Congratulations to you on being cancer free, it’s a wonderful feeling after going through much pain and suffering, I know you’re looking for responses from others who have had radiation treatments, I am a cancer patient but I haven’t had anything but surgery thus far but I know it’s probably something I need to consider, I’ve read many posts here from people who have been through this process and some sounded very positive and then others have had a very difficult time with radiation treatment. I suppose that it’s just different for everyone and how well they can handle the effects but it can also be helpful to talk about your experience, best wishes to you for a speedy recovery.

I was still paraplegic right after I finished radiation, so my experiences were atypical, but my recommendation for recovery is lots of moderation. 🙂

DO keep active with moderate exercise (even just raking leaves or walking to the store is a good start).

DO eat normal, healthy meals.

DO take a 20-min power nap in the afternoon if you feel like one.

DON'T drive yourself to do extreme exercise. Silence your inner drill sergeant. Right now, pain means *no* gain.

DON'T eat excessively large, fried fatty meals (except as sometimes treats): digesting those takes a surprising amount of energy, and you don't have that energy to spare right now.

DON'T worry that you'll always feel like this. Your body is busy healing the collateral radiation damage, so it's drawing a lot of your energy budget right now, but it's only temporary.

Best of luck!

@northoftheborder Thanks so much!!! I really appreciate all of these helpful tips. I also think my thyroid was affected, so I’m also supporting that as well with some a couple of extra Brazil nuts per day. Sending you healing ❤️‍🩹 blessings, I hope you have your energy back, you’re giving me hope. God bless!!! 💕🙏😍💐😍🙏💕

How do you know that you are cancer free? Normally that takes a year of more of PSA testing to see if your cancer is still active and or growing.

@pesquallie Well, first of all, I'm female, so no PSA...and I'm cancer free from skin cancer. I had 20 IG-SRT radiation treatments and with this new Gentle Cure and extreme precise ultrasound guidance before each treatment, you can actually see the cancer going away. By treatment 20, there is no more skin cancer on my face. Your comment was not very helpful or positive, as I am seeking recovery suggestions. I wish you well.

Anyone have ICC surgery with HAPI (intera 3000) treatments have the cancer move to the bone? I’m starting radiation next week as the lesions are small. Even if you don’t have the pump but know it’s a long shot with that. If anyone has words of experience and / or encouragement I would be grateful.

After the surgeon oncologist removed the tumor I was cancer free btw.

Mitzi H .

@mhallmark, just to make sure I've interpreted the abbreviations correctly. You had surgery for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) combined with Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump (HAPI) therapy using the Intera 3000 HAI Pump. Now they have found spread to the bone and you have started radiation therapy.

Do I have that right?

You will find discussions about Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in the Liver Cancer support group here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/liver-cancer/
See all https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/

How is radiation going? Are you receiving treatments daily?

@colleenyoung yes that’s correct .

@colleenyoung oh - radiation is going good but is very painful. For this, it’s been 5 treatments in a row. Then I’ll have a rest time then chemo treatments start at EOY.