Sie effects of IMRT radiation and Temador

LisaF2008
LisaF2008 Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Brain Cancer #1
I am newly diagnosed with an inoperable low-grade astrocytoma. I will start 6 weeks of IMRT radiation and Temador in a few weeks. Can anyone please tell me their side effects from taking the two treatments together? I have two young children, and I would like to prepare them (and myself) for what to expect. Any info is appreciated.

Comments

  • chaffinsmom
    chaffinsmom Member Posts: 4
    #2
    I know RT makes you really tired. My son was dx with an oliodendroglioma/astrocytoma 3 years ago. My heart goes out to you and my prayers to give you and your family strength to get through this.
  • ChristyM
    ChristyM Member Posts: 38
    #3
    I have recently finished 6wks of chemo and radiation. Its important to get plenty of rest and to take things easy. I tried to keep myself on the same sleep schedule everyday so it would be easier to adjust when I was completed with treatment. I would say to try to go for walks whenever you can and feel upto it--it will help you adjust and keep your stamina up afterwards. Its difficult to let people help you but it will help you a lot.
  • Jenniferclay
    Jenniferclay Member Posts: 2
    #4
    side effects of temador and radiation.
    Yes, I lost my hair where they did pinpoint radiaton. Tired, drained of energy. Appetite was
    pretty good. I have had Astrocytoma grade2 and Glioblastoma grade4. I was diagnoised in Feb.
    2006. I do feel that besides the help of God, Temador saved my life. I still don't know why
    God has left me here, except for my 14yr old Daughter, Harley. We go to a christian
    phycologist becaust it is scary for me and her.
  • farinelli
    farinelli Member Posts: 2
    #5
    Side effects
    I was one of the guys who went to the doctor with increasingly severe headaches and nausea daily, and no clue as to why. Three days later I had a golf-ball sized tumor (GM) removed from my right frontal lobe. I didn't have time to fret about side effects when they started the radiation and Temodar concurrently-6 week course.

    I ate well but slept poorly despite doing twenty or more laps of the hospital ward every day. Don't be afraid and don't let minor side-effects turn into major ones by worrying or varying a planned counter program. Have some moderate excersize routine in place before you start and keep it up. Try to keep busy instead of sleeping during the day or watching a lot of television. I was on an unrestricted diet and ate well throughout-it was a great source of anticipation and joy during a brutal seven week stay in the hospital (brutal because I am an outdoors person). I also resisted sedatives which I felt were countering my keep busy, stay mentally alert plan of action. I actually had too much energy, partly because I didn't waste it worrying. I also took what pain medication they allowed, if only to prevent going back to the pain that I suffered for weeks before and after the operation. Once the pain was gone the rest was easy. When they told me about the side effects I told myself I could blow right through it and I did. I thank God and Jesus Christ!

    I did lose much of my hair and suffered a mild depression on the day it started falling out. I thought I wouldn't. Nevertheless, keeping busy and excersizing helped me get over it quickly. They even brought an excersize bike to my room and a woman came up every week day and walked me to the cafeteria to get a coffee and a sweet. These little things helped me immensely and kept me from dwelling on worse possibilities.

    Don't try to avoid the prognosis, as hard as that may seem. Mine is particularly gruesome, but once I followed it to my inevitable death and accepted that, all the little worries and problems became easier to resolve because I accepted the most harsh reality. I am not hoping for a miracle that counters everything science is telling me but I am thankfull I avoided the worst.

    AND YOU CAN TOO!

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