Beginning Week 9 - Update

Ginkgo
Ginkgo Member Posts: 13 Member
in Anal Cancer #1

Thanks to all who have offered support along the way.  It's much appreciated! 

My last day of radiation was April 18, so it will be three weeks post radiation on Wed. May 9th.  My bottom is still sore and very itchy, but slowly getting better.  I am so impatient!  Not too many other issues.  I tire quickly and lost a bit more weight after the radiation ended which was a surprise.  I eat, really, I do!  My Oncologist said ok to resume normal activities, so I can do a bit of work in the yard and take care of the cat again.  There is no visible progress on my hair getting any thicker, which is discouraging, though I know I must be, yes, there's that word, Patient!  

I'd read that this treatment is brutal, but short and so far, I certainly agree.  I think that the duration of the radiation was the hardest on me mentally and the burns post-radiation have been very difficult physically.  My husband went everyday to radiation with me and if he had not, I don't think I could have endured it.  I would have driven myself off a bridge before I got to the treatment center.  My pain since the end of radiation has been tough on him, but he sees improvements that I do not, so his positive feedback is very helpful. 

I guess the next stage is Doubt, wondering whether this treatement worked.  Fingers crossed.

Good luck to all of you, wherever you are on your journey.  It is a tough one, but I read about other cancer treatments that go on and on for months and even years, and I am so grateful for this.

Comments

  • HeatherApril14
    HeatherApril14 Member Posts: 15
    #2
    The fatigue for 8 weeks or so

    The fatigue for 8 weeks or so after treatment was very difficult-but all the sudden it ebbed, and now almost gone 4 months after treatment.  My hair is worse than when I was getting zapped - it has thinned and frazzled horribly.  But I still have it.  Worse side effect - vaginal stenosis, which I am still working on with dilatior ...  I have a patient loving Hub who also was able to take me to radiation daily during last half of radiation.  It all gets soooo much better and I am NED and feeling wonderful - in fact better than pre-cancer since I lost those 25 pounds I gained during menopause.  Keeping my boxers though -  and all future follow-ups with GI doc, oncologist, etc.  It's all downhill from here Gingo.

  • Ginkgo
    Ginkgo Member Posts: 13 Member
    #3
    HeatherApril14 said:

    The fatigue for 8 weeks or so

    The fatigue for 8 weeks or so after treatment was very difficult-but all the sudden it ebbed, and now almost gone 4 months after treatment.  My hair is worse than when I was getting zapped - it has thinned and frazzled horribly.  But I still have it.  Worse side effect - vaginal stenosis, which I am still working on with dilatior ...  I have a patient loving Hub who also was able to take me to radiation daily during last half of radiation.  It all gets soooo much better and I am NED and feeling wonderful - in fact better than pre-cancer since I lost those 25 pounds I gained during menopause.  Keeping my boxers though -  and all future follow-ups with GI doc, oncologist, etc.  It's all downhill from here Gingo.

    Yes, I have not yet

    Yes, I have not yet approached the dreaded "dilators."  That will be painful from all I've read.  

     

  • HoneyD54
    HoneyD54 Member Posts: 10
    #4
    Ginkgo said:

    Yes, I have not yet

    Yes, I have not yet approached the dreaded "dilators."  That will be painful from all I've read.  

     

    I have dialated

    The pelvic floor PT has been excellent in helping with the dialators.  I am taking it slow so pain hasn't been a problem.  I made good progress going from medium, to medium plus, to XL over about 3 months and I felt good about it.  but then I became super busy at work fatigued...and I stopped dialating for the past 2 months.  i think I needed a break from all the cancer recovery chores.   Anyway, I started up again this week and its going fine.  My wonderful husband who brought me to treatment every day, is helping me resume my pelvic floor therapy.  

    best to you in your continued recovery!  It continues to get better.

  • Kim Gaia
    Kim Gaia Member Posts: 73
    #5
    HoneyD54 said:

    I have dialated

    The pelvic floor PT has been excellent in helping with the dialators.  I am taking it slow so pain hasn't been a problem.  I made good progress going from medium, to medium plus, to XL over about 3 months and I felt good about it.  but then I became super busy at work fatigued...and I stopped dialating for the past 2 months.  i think I needed a break from all the cancer recovery chores.   Anyway, I started up again this week and its going fine.  My wonderful husband who brought me to treatment every day, is helping me resume my pelvic floor therapy.  

    best to you in your continued recovery!  It continues to get better.

    Is pelvic floor PT a

    Is pelvic floor PT a situation where the physiotherapist is putting fingers or dialator inside you and manipulating? Or teaching you how to do this yourself? I think I would be uncomfortable with the former but would like to know what I can do myself at home, when my time comes. (Have not done treatment yet.) Is dialator use different from pelvic floor PT? And is this dilation just done vaginally? Or does same thing need to be done rectally (perhaps with different dilators)? Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to learn what lies ahead for me.

    It sounds like you have been very proacative HoneyD54 in doing all the rehab work you can to regain your (new) normal. You are an inspiration. I hope I am as proactive when my time comes.

    kim

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