Internal radiation question

Hi,
I had a TAH/BSO on July 12, 2005. The path report showed endometrial cancer with minimal invasion, Stage 1A1, Grade 2.
I am scheduled for internal radiation on Sept. 14, 2005. The radiation/oncologist said that I would be getting a medium dose of radiation through implants for 48-72 hours around the vaginal cuff. I can not find very much information about this and I do not know what to expect. I know they put me under to insert the implant, but I don't have any idea how much time that takes. The nurse said that I would be in bed for the entire time, have a low residue diet, a bladder catheter, and a bedpan. What fun! I think that I will go stir crazy in bed for that long. Also I worry about blood clots - I have bad varicose veins as it is, but the doctor is not concerned about that.
If any of you have had the same kind of internal radiation, I would love to know what your experiences were. The doctor said that after the 48-72 hours of radiation, I should need no more treatment. I can only hope! How often do the doctors check to see if they have gotten all of the cancer? I suppose I will worry for the next 5 years. I am also scheduled for a mammogram this week, and now I am nervous about that!
Thanks for all of your wonderful information!

Diane

Hi Diane,
I had that kind of internal radiation. Fewer and fewer of us seem to have it now. Most people now seem to have high dose, short term, radiation. I was very worried about it but it wasn't as bad as I had feared. I was in bed for 68 hours. You can't get out of bed but you can sit at a 45 degree angle and you have a pain pump. I couldn't feel the cathether and they make you take so much stuff to clean you out before the hospitalization, and then give you constipating meds, that you won't have a bowel movement. The hospital food was dreadful but I had prepared for that. I stocked up at home with lots of yogurt, puddings, cheese, anything with no roughage. My husband kept a little lunch box cooler stocked with my food from home. He visited every morning and evening, bringing me Starbucks in the morning along with whatever food I wanted. I took a laptop computer and CD's and watched movies. I could also watch television, make calls, etc. I took lots of junky magazines and books that I could read while drugged out on the pain meds. I put all all my stuff in various tote bags that I could drape aroung my bed and reach without help. It was the least fun part of my treatment, but not as bad as I feared. They will give you meds to help you relax, go to sleep, etc. The only really painful part was when they removed the inplants. Be sure to take a dose of pain medication 30 to 60 minutes before that is scheduled.

You don't have to worry about blood clots. They put these electric pressure things on your legs to keep the blood moving. They also encourage you to keep moving your legs and feet. I hated the pressure things as they were uncomfortable and noisey, so I took them off. As long as I kept moving my legs and feet my doctor was fine with that. I move my legs and feet a lot anyway, so it was really no problem.

You will be in a room by yourself with this little radiation guard so that you don't radiate the nurses and doctors and visitors. Nice, huh? I didn't want any visitors, other than my husband, but I did use the phone to talk to friends.

My checkup schedule was every 3 months for 2 years. Then every 4 months for another 2 years. I don't know what happens after that.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have more questions or concerns as the time gets closer.

Hugs,
Janie

Thank you so much, Jane. I appreciate the information and the good suggestions. I wonder why fewer and fewer of us have this now. I hope my doctor is not behind the times. This is all so new to me.
Diane

Not all facilities have the equipment to do the high dose radiation. You might ask the radiation/oncologist if it is available somewhere in your area. Doing high dose internal, as an outpatient, sounds sooooo much better than being hospitalized for 3 days!

Best,
Janie

Thank you so much. I will check on whether high dose is available in my town. That does sound much better than 3 days in the hospital!

Diane

Hi Diane, I too will be recieving internal radiation for 1a1 cervical cancer. I will be recieving high dose as an out paitient, because it is available at the cancer center in my area. Last week, I had a vaginal sleeve placed, and they followed up the proceedure with my first dose of internal rad. I will not lie, it was a very uncomfortable things, because I was packed with 5 yards of dry bandage along with the tandems used for giving the radiation. It will be an out patient treatment for now on, and my oncologist prefers high dose over the other, because the hospital stay gets a little annoying for the patient, as he put it. My information, may not of been of much use, but maybe you can check and see if HDR is available in your area. Good Luck, and many prayers comming your way...ckone