Rad. starts Monday...tell me

Hi Everyone,

I had radiation back in the dark ages - 1991. Things might have gotten better since.

Let me explain the procedure I went through. I didn't have to get undressed. The tech would take me into a room. I would drop my pants and underwear, get up on a table, lay flat on my back, and spread my cheeks. I know they told me to spread my cheeks, because if the skin is touching it tends to build up heat and burn. They radiated from above and below the table.

Hopefully they have improved on some things.

Good luck and hopefully no one will get a sunburned behind anytime soon!!!
Jeannie

Maybe I'll do a secret "cheek spreading" whilst on the table. I do the same as you did in '91: I drop the pants and panties. Shucks. I had worn my nice black lacy ones for the occasion, too. They went to waste, sitting in the Patient's Belongings bag.

I never took anything off and there definitely was NO butt cheek spreading. I got on the table, pull my pants down to about where pubic hair starts, and laid there, on my back, for about 2 minutes while the machine whirled around, right side, underneath, left side, top. I pull up my pants, jumped off the table and was done.

Hugs,
Janie

Hi I'm glad you asked about the radiation. I just had my 7th treatment and my bowel movements are getting softer. My Dr said it's to soon for that? I'm having radiation to the the para-aortic and pelvic lymph nodes. I just pull my pants down and lay on a hard long table. No one mentioned cheek spreading. Dr said I may have some nausea due to the radiation to the para-aortic nodes. I have noticed very slight nausea which gets better if I eat. Feb 11th will be my 5th week post-op date and my belly is still swollen and tender especially at the end of the day and I tire easily. I told my boss I would be back to work 5 hrs a day on Feb. 14th. I have a 80 mile round trip drive to the radiation center M-F. I was hoping work would keep my mind occupied on off the belly. Before my surgery I wore mainly tight waisted skirts, most of which do not fit now, I've been getting a new wardrobe, jumpers and and non-waisted dresses.
May all go well with your/our treatments. I didn't like standing too close to the microwave when it was on and here I am going voluntarily for radiation.

I have had 13 of my 25 radiation treatments so far. I did get a really bad UTI...which I suspect also has a little urethitis thrown in for good measure. So it hurt really really bad to pee for about the last 5 days. Water helped. Now I am on antibiotic and starting to be able to pee. I suggest that once you start to have the slightest burning sensation while peeing you tell your doc or radiologist. Since my doc is only in the building once a week it never occured to me to tell the rad techs (who ever it is that runs the machines but has no medical knowledge). After 4 days I offhandly mentioned to the techs that it was hurting really bad and they called doc and got the ball rolling on getting meds. I think had I told them last wednesday when it started then I wouldn't have had any sig. problems. However I thought it was normal to have bladder problems with the radiation so I thought it was normal to have little burning...but that turned into full blown 4 alarm fire by the time I got the meds.

I gotta tell you I was a little tired the second week but seem fine now. If you want to know the very very very worst thing about radiation that these ladies are not telling you??? A little known secret? If you are not really really careful...you may be stuck listening to crappy music...such as jim croce, America, Ingleburg Humbernick, Juice Newton etc etc etc!!! BEWARE OF THE CRAPPY MUSIC!!! I think since I am 33 I am probably the youngest person currently going to this clinic. Since my cancer center only does radiation I always see older pts. there. I am sure they enjoy their ingleburg humprnick, I however would prefer something a little more modern. The male rad. tech (or whatever they are) will turn on the radio for me. However the female tech will not. However she has offered to put in certain CD's, all of which sucked. And let me tell you. You may lay there for only 5 minutes or so, but if you hear a crappy song...that song will stay with you all day and all night. So stay vigil!!! When you go in you MUST ask them if they have decent music!!!

Music? What Music? Back in the old radiation days, I had to hum to myself.

I preferred hymnals.. The first day to calm myself, I started humming "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot...Coming for to carry me home!" It's funny that was the only hymnal I could think of.

I did make it a point to think of some better hymns for the next day!

Good luck everyone!
Jeannie

I am a very private person, both in body and mind. I was not going to take it all off for a stranger, unless someone pays me to do that. Even then.....

So, I got myself a pair of radiation underwear. Victoria's Secret makes them, and I got some by Warner's and Tommy Hilfiger. It is bikini underwear - not a thong thing, and the front and back are held together with elastic. This way, it is low enough for them to see the blasted tatoos and there is no obstruction on the side.

I would hike my skirt up, lay down, and then hop off the table.

I also insisted on a female technician. I didn't let them push me around. And guess what? They managed to find one every single day of 25 treatments.

The side effects were unbearable- gastrointestinal bacterial infection, burning, fungus infections front and back, and not once did the rad/onc or the nurses diagnosis anything correctly. That's why a GI specialist is a g-dsend. Mine hates Immodium, thinks it does more bad than good, and he was right. The rad/onc told me to take up to 8 a day.

I have IBS anyway and I have to be careful of what I eat, even now, 3 months post treatment. I lost 35 pounds before my diagnosis on Weight Watchers, and I lost the last 20+ pounds due to the radiation diet and the C Diff Toxin diet. I am now down to the best weight I have been in years, and have no intention of going back up.

Adele

Missie 1990
I laughed so hard when I read your post. You are so dead on about the MUSIC. I have seveal techs who rotate between 3 different rooms so I never know who I'll get or what the music de jour will be. Most of it really is crappy!

Started my 1st internal radiation today. Fortunately, they knocked me out so I didn't have to listen to the music. Take care anna

RUMFY, I tried your "radiation panty" trick. It didn't work. They still pulled those panties down past where I wanted them to stay! I hate being exposed. Hate it! I did ask for and got all female technicians, as well as my rad. onc. is female. I was strict about that! I wonder who all (of the patients) can walk by and see my naked patoot on the computer screen, because some of the patients sometimes get called in the hallway and the screen is right there. I saw a man's nude body on the treatment table, on the screen. Then, he came rolling out of there in a wheelchair.

Some people can let it all out in front of others, but I just cannot.

Hi Ladys,
Here's one tip. My sister who's a cancer RN called me the other day and asked why I wasn't using the baby wipes she brought me before I even had the TAH, so I started using them and I'ts so much better than toilet paper. I didn't really realize how much more often I'm going to the bathroom to pee and with the soft or loose BM's. I'm using Pamper's Lavernder with Aloe. I'm not flushing them thought don't know if you can? Take care.