First day Chemo Radiation - Could feel in treatment and now feel burn

etaylor22
etaylor22 Member Posts: 4
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I thought it was all in my head.  I tried to think it was in my head, I really did.  But it wasn't.  I could feel the beam on my skin during treatment.  When I walked to the changing room, I felt a sunburn.  When I looked at my **** in the mirror it was terribly red and creased looking.  The redness went away, but the burn is still there.  Its like I spent an hour in the sun at noon at the beach.  Its hot.  It was not in my head.  

Xeloda went alright.  I didn't throw it up.  I just felt dirty, and a little warm.

As far as the radiation - This is day one.  I'm not going to be able to sit by friday.  Have I totally lost it?

Comments

  • Mikenh
    Mikenh Member Posts: 777 Member
    edited December 2017 #2
    I did not feel anything from

    I did not feel anything from the radiation for about two weeks and then I started to feel it. Perhaps others could report their experiences. I think that the radiation did most of the work in shrinking the tumor as it reduced in size by over 90%. The radiation gets progressively worse as it has a cumulative effect. If you have a problem now, you should definitely tell your radiation doctor.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #3
    Uncomfortable

    At the beginning before radiation there was no sitting for me as mine was a rectal tumor.  The more radiation that I'd had the less I'd been able to sit, anywhere or on anything.  It's going to be a long haul if radiation is to some parts of the rectum.  Do you have rectal cancer?  If so I'd be able to help you out with some information.  Let me know.  Hope you get some relief soon.

    Kim

  • Nazareth
    Nazareth Member Posts: 88 Member
    #4
    hmm- i didn't have anything

    hmm- i didn't have anything like that- I had rectal cancer- and the only thing i noticed was a slight discoloration in one spot on my abdomen, which eventually went away. I think i remember my rad doc telling me there was a cream for any burns if i needed it- can't remember the name though- The only real issue i had was that hte radiation made the skin on bottom not heal so well after the surgery there- but htere wasn't any pain- Definately talk to your radiation doc an let them know right away-

  • darcher
    darcher Member Posts: 304 Member
    edited December 2017 #5
    Same routine here

      I had 28 sessions of daily M-F radiation and Xeloda. The sound the machine makes is pretty much the same as a microwave which adds to the presumption your getting cooked.  I ended up with an unwanted darkened ban across my abdomen which is still there.  I completed it on Sept 11.  I don't know which caused most of the problems, radiation, Xeloda, or just the knowledge of there being cancer.  I'm kind of leaning towards the knowledge of having cancer.  I don't think the actual affects of radiation are that harsh since it can't  burn the insides otherwise you'll end up with a ripped colon and or rectum.  It's primary function is to help the chemo do it's job killing the cancer cells.  Cancer is much more sensitive to radiation than normal cells which is why they do it.

     I think everyone is aprehensive the first few times going in.  Going through this is no picnic but as long as you stay the course you'll come out of it ok.  Try not letting the atmosphere of the place get to you.  It's depressing as hell and I think it would be much better if they made it less melodramatic.  Each time I'd finish I would almost run for the door. I couldn't breath in that place.  

      What you should be concerned about are the side affects of Xeloda.  Just because it's a pill doesn't mean it won't cause problems.  Get a water/food schedule so you know you're drinking/eating enough.  Don't skip any just because you don't feel thirsty or hungry.  It can cause you to lose your sense of thirst and hunger along with a lof of other things.  It creeps up on you without you even knowing it.  It did me and I ended up dehydrated which is dangerous for that type chemo.  Oh, and of course you'll probably get forgetful.  That's what we call chemo brain.

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #6
    Darcher, I beg to disagree

     I don't think the actual affects of radiation are that harsh 

     

    I suffer what is call long-term side effects from radiation.  It totally messed with my skin, making it paper thin. I rip, inside and out if I don't keep my bowel movements the consitency of soft-serve ice cream. I have to be very careful when I wipe, especially if I use toilet tissue.  It also shrank my rectum and my vagina. My Gynecologist told me she had never seen such a bad case of vaginal stenosis, as mine. So you got to know what that means for me and hubby, no sex. 

    While I was going through treatment, my skin went almost black around the whole genital and anal area. That has since disappeared.  

    And I will NEVER EVER forget the pain assosiated with readiation.  It was by far the worst thing I have ever expereienced. I have had a C-Section WITHOUT anesthetic - yes, you read that right - and radiation beat that pain. 

    Luckily, I think for the most part, folks don't suffer quite as I did through radiation, but my advice to etaylor22 is to definitely sit down with your Radiation Oncologist and tell him exactly what you are going through. If you are hurting this much after the first set of treatments, then I think something needs to be said. 

    Good luck. 

    Tru

  • darcher
    darcher Member Posts: 304 Member
    #7
    Oh wow!

     I sure am sorry to be so cavalier about what it does. If there is pain from it then absolutely say something because I was led to beleive that it's not supposed to hurt at all.  For me it didn't beyond playing on my nerves.    

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #8
    darcher said:

    Oh wow!

     I sure am sorry to be so cavalier about what it does. If there is pain from it then absolutely say something because I was led to beleive that it's not supposed to hurt at all.  For me it didn't beyond playing on my nerves.    

    Biting on a towel

    The pain wsa so bad,  I would bite down on a towel to stop from screaming.

    Not up there on my list of favourite things. 

    Tru

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #9
    Trubrit said:

    Darcher, I beg to disagree

     I don't think the actual affects of radiation are that harsh 

     

    I suffer what is call long-term side effects from radiation.  It totally messed with my skin, making it paper thin. I rip, inside and out if I don't keep my bowel movements the consitency of soft-serve ice cream. I have to be very careful when I wipe, especially if I use toilet tissue.  It also shrank my rectum and my vagina. My Gynecologist told me she had never seen such a bad case of vaginal stenosis, as mine. So you got to know what that means for me and hubby, no sex. 

    While I was going through treatment, my skin went almost black around the whole genital and anal area. That has since disappeared.  

    And I will NEVER EVER forget the pain assosiated with readiation.  It was by far the worst thing I have ever expereienced. I have had a C-Section WITHOUT anesthetic - yes, you read that right - and radiation beat that pain. 

    Luckily, I think for the most part, folks don't suffer quite as I did through radiation, but my advice to etaylor22 is to definitely sit down with your Radiation Oncologist and tell him exactly what you are going through. If you are hurting this much after the first set of treatments, then I think something needs to be said. 

    Good luck. 

    Tru

    Tru

    You and I both are in the same boat with radiation.  It shrunk my vagina the same and they never told me that would happen.  The radiation caused my insides to shed making for the inside of my colon skin to come out while painfully having a bowel movement.  I'd be crying so hard while having a BM because the pain was that intense.  My BM's were upwards of 30-35 times a day - crying so hard.  I'd never want to eat just so that I'd never go to the bathroom again. Everyone needs to discuss their symptoms with their doctors.  Just guess my faith was all in them and getting the best outcome possible so I'd put up with a little pain - it was more than even I'd ever imagined.

    Kim

     

  • Mikenh
    Mikenh Member Posts: 777 Member
    #10
    Trubrit said:

    Biting on a towel

    The pain wsa so bad,  I would bite down on a towel to stop from screaming.

    Not up there on my list of favourite things. 

    Tru

    It's hard to ever forget

    It's hard to ever forget lying on that table on my stomach getting zapped but it's also hard to imagine the levels of pain that you two had from it. Sometimes my appointments were delayed by quite a bit of time (with a room full of other people also waiting) and they usually said that a patient needed a lot more time than planned for. I can imagine problems, whether pain or something else could do that.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #11
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Tru

    You and I both are in the same boat with radiation.  It shrunk my vagina the same and they never told me that would happen.  The radiation caused my insides to shed making for the inside of my colon skin to come out while painfully having a bowel movement.  I'd be crying so hard while having a BM because the pain was that intense.  My BM's were upwards of 30-35 times a day - crying so hard.  I'd never want to eat just so that I'd never go to the bathroom again. Everyone needs to discuss their symptoms with their doctors.  Just guess my faith was all in them and getting the best outcome possible so I'd put up with a little pain - it was more than even I'd ever imagined.

    Kim

     

    Exactly

    That is exactly what happened to me, Kim.  I'm one tough old bird, but my goodness, the pain during BM's had me weeping like a baby. I would sit in angony, biting on the towel only to pass a miniscule peace of tissue, and then sit in a sitz bath. I would get up, try to leave the bathroom, only to 'feel the need' again. Over and over and over. It was a ture nightmare. 

    Now I feel bad, as I've allowed this thread to detour. My apologies to etaylor. 

    Tru

  • airborne72
    airborne72 Member Posts: 303 Member
    #12
    Lucky Me

    My radiation treatment left me with a mild case of alligator skin right above my anus and that was it.  I never had any internal pain or residual effects from it otherwise.

    It did what we wanted - shrank my tumor and eventually caused it to pass.  I freaked out when I saw it floating in the toilet.

    Based on your experiences I now discovered that I have something to be thankful for in the middle of this bad dream.  At least the radiation treatment did not hurt me.

    Ladies, I can emotionally and mentally identify with your description of permanent impact on sexual organs.  In 2009 (I was a young man of only 57 years) I had prostate cancer and underwent a radical prostatectomy.  Mr. DaVinci's robot cleaned me out and successfully removed all cancer tissue.  To this day I remain free from prostate cancer and that is great.  But to this day I am totally impotent because of that surgery.

    Ironically, when I was receiving radiation treatment they were ever cautious about collateral damage, especially ED.  I smiled and told them not to worry.  That issue was a reality.

    Radiation exposure caused your permanent effects, while surgical excision caused mine.  It takes time to accept the condition.  I transitioned through the 5 stages of grief and eventually ended up accepting it. My writing this post is clear evidence of my acceptance.  Remember, though, that acceptance does not mean that you like or enjoy the situation - only that you have accepted the reality of the situation.  Another of those new normals.

    What I would give to once again be 5 years old and playing in the backyard on a warm summer day! Not a care in the world.

    Jim

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #13
    The radiation didn't hurt me

    The radiation didn't hurt me at all either during or afterwards. I attributed the lack of burning after to having it done in the winter and then getting into my car that had leather seats so they were cold and soothing. But, I'm told that I have lots of internal adhesions from it and they've been causing problems.

    I also used to sit in a lukewarm bath with epsom salts in the water.

    Jan 

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