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

Posted by Helen, Volunteer Mentor @naturegirl5, Sep 29, 2022

I was diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma (Stage 1a, FIGO Grade 1) in 2019. I was treated for a recurrence in late 2021 with radiation therapy. I had 25 external beam treatments and 2 brachytherapy treatments. I'll share more details about the lengthy preparation and the actual treatments in a separate post below.

I know of members here who have had or are going to have radiation treatments. Would you like to share your radiation treatments and experiences with one another? This is a great way to support one another.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Gynecologic Cancers Support Group.

@naturegirl5

@terradean From what I can tell here everyone has a slightly different treatment regimen.

During radiation therapy I had a few headaches. Coffee help as did staying hydrated. Also, my treatment was in the winter months in Minnesota so I figured the bedroom was very dry from the furnace and I needed to use a humidifier. That helped. I had diarrhea off and on and as @cmb2022 wrote I carried immodium with me all the time. I also had some fatigue toward the end of the treatments. I did what my radiation oncologist recommended which was to stay active and walk a lot. I took occasional naps during the day if I felt tired in the afternoon and slept well enough at night. I did not have any skin problems. I'm not sure why some people have this and some do not. Maybe this is something to ask you radiation oncologist.

Will you be working throughout your treatments?

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Yes, my workweek is tuesday thru saturday, am glad for it or think time would really drag through this. So, Monday they have me go early, but other 4 days am leaving work 2 hrs early to be able to get to appts. Drive 45 minutes from work to facility but only 15 minutes to get home. Interesting about the coffee, have read not to do coffee but hard on intestine really don't want to give my cup up in morning with milk in it. I do agree chemo makes you feel crummy, mine has been 3 weeks apart, 3rd time still wasn't back to normal from 2nd. Am glad not doing more right now. I did stay hydrated, and was home Monday so had alot of water and tea but was off for about 4 hrs after. I am not sure what to think, got home at 4:30 today no headache yet. Not feeling tired yet, but will probably go to bed early tonight if can go to sleep.
I hope I do not have any skin problems, the scar tissue from hysterectomy is enough. I will start carrying the Imodium just in case I start to have that issue. Time will tell I guess.

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@terradean

Today was first day of external radiation, was 11 am and once home at noon did have a kind of headache in back, did feel strange for probably 4 hrs. A co-worker told me her mother always took a nap after her treatments. I think I see why. Tomorrow will be leaving work early, for 3:20 pm appointments for remainder of appts for week.
Will keep you all posted on how I feel. Was told to expect possible skin issues and fatigue, possible diarrhea.
Hoping for very little or any.

Jump to this post

@terradean From what I can tell here everyone has a slightly different treatment regimen.

During radiation therapy I had a few headaches. Coffee help as did staying hydrated. Also, my treatment was in the winter months in Minnesota so I figured the bedroom was very dry from the furnace and I needed to use a humidifier. That helped. I had diarrhea off and on and as @cmb2022 wrote I carried immodium with me all the time. I also had some fatigue toward the end of the treatments. I did what my radiation oncologist recommended which was to stay active and walk a lot. I took occasional naps during the day if I felt tired in the afternoon and slept well enough at night. I did not have any skin problems. I'm not sure why some people have this and some do not. Maybe this is something to ask you radiation oncologist.

Will you be working throughout your treatments?

REPLY
@terradean

Today was first day of external radiation, was 11 am and once home at noon did have a kind of headache in back, did feel strange for probably 4 hrs. A co-worker told me her mother always took a nap after her treatments. I think I see why. Tomorrow will be leaving work early, for 3:20 pm appointments for remainder of appts for week.
Will keep you all posted on how I feel. Was told to expect possible skin issues and fatigue, possible diarrhea.
Hoping for very little or any.

Jump to this post

@terradean
I recently finished radiation at my first weekly appointment with the Radiation Oncologist I met a very kind retired doctor who was filling in and I mentioned that I was experiencing headaches daily after my treatment. He said have some coffee and I said I wasn't a fan he said have some tea then. I did each day and that helped. I always had the earliest appointment each day and worked the entire time. A nap would have been nice, but it was good to keep as active as possible. I had 28 external treatments and 3 brachytherapy ones. On the day after the final external treatment I woke up with a very small burn that quickly healed. I had plenty of fatigue and diarrhea. Immodium was definitely my friend. Take care and be kind to yourself. Rest when you can and very soon you will be all done.

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@terradean

Today was first day of external radiation, was 11 am and once home at noon did have a kind of headache in back, did feel strange for probably 4 hrs. A co-worker told me her mother always took a nap after her treatments. I think I see why. Tomorrow will be leaving work early, for 3:20 pm appointments for remainder of appts for week.
Will keep you all posted on how I feel. Was told to expect possible skin issues and fatigue, possible diarrhea.
Hoping for very little or any.

Jump to this post

It's hard for me to compare because I also had chemo during my 5 weeks of external radiation. My first 3 weeks went fine .then I got real sick diarrhea being the worst of it. Zero appetite. Severe fatigue. I still blame the chemo. The skin issues from the radiation came at the very end. I was literally peeling. The doc gave me a zinc burn ointment that worked but I still have skin discoloration that a bikini wouldnt cover. Maybe it will fade in time. I was treated for vaginal cancer and currently am recuperating from the brachytherapy I had after. I hope your symptoms are mild I do believe the more severe symptoms were from the chemo. Eat well, stay hydrated, stay as active as you can. Is probably the best advice I can give

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Today was first day of external radiation, was 11 am and once home at noon did have a kind of headache in back, did feel strange for probably 4 hrs. A co-worker told me her mother always took a nap after her treatments. I think I see why. Tomorrow will be leaving work early, for 3:20 pm appointments for remainder of appts for week.
Will keep you all posted on how I feel. Was told to expect possible skin issues and fatigue, possible diarrhea.
Hoping for very little or any.

REPLY

So, it starts this coming week 1/3 25 external radiation, Then 2 brachy. I just hope have less issues with the radiation than chemo. I only hope my work doesn't have a hissy fit my leaving 2 hrs early in January for the treatments. Living in Oregon, they dump all your time each year and make you start over, have enough hrs left
to cover it from 2022. Guess time will tell.

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@terradean

Yep, so far so good, so this is last of the first 3 chemo, hopefully, radiation will give my body a rest from chemo effects. Hopefully, by day 10 will be feeling more myself so can enjoy Xmas. Though, am sure radiation will have its own total. Time will tell.

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I hope the rest will will feel good and that you enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

Here is something that helped me during radiation treatment (I did not have chemotherapy). I reminded myself that I was in active treatment where I was checked in with and saw my radiation oncologist weekly. That active care helped me to keep my fears and doubts in check. And....then it was time to ring the bell when I was all done.

Happy holidays @terradean.

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Yep, so far so good, so this is last of the first 3 chemo, hopefully, radiation will give my body a rest from chemo effects. Hopefully, by day 10 will be feeling more myself so can enjoy Xmas. Though, am sure radiation will have its own total. Time will tell.

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@terradean I'm so glad that @colleenyoung provided sage advice on how chemotherapy affects DNA and what the mRNA vaccine does to cells and does not do to DNA. @marys1956 thoughts about use of non-drowsy Claritin is helpful although your latest message that Benadryl is working for you is very encouraging.

I apologize for going silent for a few days. I have yet another respiratory illness. It's such a terrible year for that, right? My next cancer surveillance appointment at Mayo is next week and I have to do what my primary care physician says: rest, drink lots of liquids.

I'm keeping fingers and toes crossed for you and hoping the pain subsides.

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Oh, I have taken Claritin everyday, they stated raises your white blood cell count. However, this time he asked me to try taking Benadryl, they do give me it in my IV at Chemo time. So, have been taking each night. And, so far no bone pain. Fingers crossed and I have not used the dexamethasone which I was told was for nausea. Read about it and says causes bone pain. Time will tell next few days I guess. Am, so hoping not to have it so severe.

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