radiation

tesa

Those of you who have had radiation-how long does the radiation continue to work after completion?
How long to shrink a tumor?
How long did it take to get your strength and appetite back?

Hal61

2 mos, 1 month, 6 months
Hi Tesa, just kidding with the dates. As I know you know, the answer to all three is, it depends, and varies.

But, very generally speaking, the raidation will keep working 4 to 6 weeks after rads are finished.

Time to shrink a tumor is more variable. Depends on size of tumor, type of treatment, and the person. Some here have had a very quick result from chemos such as Erbitux, or Taxofere and Carboplatin combos. For more people the tumor will shrink along with the course of treatment, more slowly but consistently.

Strength and appetite. For me, over a year, for both. From what I've read, staying as active as possible during treatment helps maintain, and rebuild strength during and after treatment. Time for appetite is all over the place. But, it goes along with regaining your taste. I used to lay in bed and night and think of things that might tasted good. Next day I'd try them. Usually my imagination had a better appetite than I did. Just keep sampling and re-sampling food.

best, Hal

Skiffin16

Times Vary
With each person.....

You continue cooking for a month or so...

By the time I had rads, the tumor I had was already gone due to chemo.

As for appetite, I never really lost it, I just couldn't eat solid food for a few weeks.

Strength varied, but it probably took me almost a year to actually start feeling well more than not feeling well.

Best,
John

KTeacher

Radiation
My cancer was removed surgically so I don't know about tumors shrinking. The first time around I probably cooked for about a month, got my appetite back and gained most of my weight back. Second go round has been different. I pushed protein (liquid) during treatment, treatment was a little easier, still no picnic. Didn't seem to cook very long after radiation was finished, did need to wait for skin to heal. Appetite has not come back, I was still on the heavier side for what I should weigh, I get full quickly and tire from the chewing. The Magic Mineral Broth does help stimulate the appetite, use it for broth for any soup that you might make. I tend to like pasta, soup, smoothies and soft foods, go down easier. I think that I have lost another 10 pounds since treatment, I see the doctor Wed, he will probably not be too happy, I am not skinny by any means.

My motto is east early, eat often! Just watch the amount (I guess we don't have to worry about that!) Make sure that there are calories in what mom eats.

osmotar

Rads
I finished 39 of 39 rad treaments on Dec 30, along with a weekly infusion of carboplatin. My tumor had shrunk/disappeared prior to starting rads, I had infusions of cisplation/taxotore/5fu every 21 days and after the second infusion my chemo doc couldn't see the tumor anymore. Mt apppetite during radiation got to be less and less, but in order to maintain my weight or to keep the loss of weight at a minimum , I still ate whether I caould taste anything or not. I still supplement my diet with Boost Plus to add calories and protein. 3 weeks out I have not regained all of my taste and think that it will be a slow process, I do pretty well with veggies, some meats but no red meat.I sleep well and don't get tired thru the day so I would say my strength remained pretty good.

Linda

jtl

For me it was about two
For me it was about two months which was a little surprising. I did not have a tumor in the sense of having an identifiable "mass". Mine was more like a skin cancer in the throat but cancer never the less and it did migrate to a lymph node which was surgically removed. Except for the later stages of the radiation I really didn't feel a lack of energy. The lack of appitite was more a result of having such a sore throat, followed by a lack of taste and lack of saliva even though my saliva glands were supposed to have been spared. At three months post rads I eat pretty much what I want, albeit with less enthusiasm.
Regards,
John

KTeacher

Appetite
Just got back from my Stanford , picked up a Caring4Cancer magazine (Winter 2011), nice article about Rebecca Katz (Magic Mineral Broth). www.Caring4Cancer.com

Best to you and your mom. BTW, I had a good appointment.

KTeacher

Appetite
Just got back from my Stanford , picked up a Caring4Cancer magazine (Winter 2011), nice article about Rebecca Katz (Magic Mineral Broth). www.Caring4Cancer.com

Best to you and your mom. BTW, I had a good appointment.

Pam M

My Time
Like many here, chemo did a good bit of work for me before radiation even started. After the end of my seven week radiation, two of my three tumors were non-entities, and the third was smaller than it had been. My docs recommended a "wait and see" period, because there was a very good chance the remaining tumor would continue to die. That didn't happen in my case, but many folks have response to treatment continuing on some time after treatment ends.

Seems to me the appetite came back as I healed. Hard to want to eat when it doesn't taste good, and hurts. For me, was pretty quick - I remember wanting to eat two or three months after treatment - whether it was something I was able to eat or not.

By four months after treatment, I went on vacation with my family, and was able to keep up with the others when it came to doing the tourist "things". But even at that, there were days I'd become suddenly wiped out - sometimes after not really doing much. This lasted for some time. Good luck.

Pam M

KTeacher said:

Appetite
Just got back from my Stanford , picked up a Caring4Cancer magazine (Winter 2011), nice article about Rebecca Katz (Magic Mineral Broth). www.Caring4Cancer.com

Best to you and your mom. BTW, I had a good appointment.

Good Appointment Sounds Good, KTeacher
Yay