Difference between chemo and rads?

What is the difference between chemo and rads? I know the obvious ones with chemo which is the hair loss and that it is injected into the body. Can anyone explain to me the side effects of chemo please? Is it much worse than rads? I know i can get information on the net but i think it is better coming from someone who has experienced it. This is just my enquiring mind and wondering how much worse chemo would be than rads?

Thanks for your help

Rosemary

For me, the external radiation was much harder to take (please note that I had lymph node involvement which means they usually radiate a wider area than for contained endometrial cancer).

Chemo, these days, is much easier to take than even five to 10 years ago. It's because they have more specific protocols (exact types of drugs for specific cancers, dosages adjusted for body type and cancer stage, and the frequency they administer it) than they used to. They also have better anti-nausea drugs.

I had six treatments of taxol/carbo (the drug regiment for ovarian cancer and some others), once every three weeks.

Chemo day for me was long, but I never got sick that day. You go for blood work, doctor visit, then the chemo (infusion room). They adminster several drugs before the actual chemo. These are to help with nausea, eating, possible allergic reaction, then two IV bags of chemo. All in all, it took about 6-7 hours.

Then I went home, and nausea would set in the next day about noon. I only threw up once during all my treatment though, and that's because I ate something I shouldn't have. It's also important to take any anti-nausea medication they give you BEFORE you are nauseated, NOT WHEN you get nausea. If you wait, you've often waited too long for them to be effective.

Two days after chemo, I had muscle and joint pain, exhaustion, shakes sometimes (kind of like a really bad flu). That lasted about a day and a half, and then another day of just "laying around."

I also had neuropathy, tingling and numbness in my hands and feet, constantly from my third chemo until about two months after my last treatment. While not painful, it is very irritating. However, not all women get this side effect. And, in most women, like me, it goes away eventually.

As far as bowel symptoms, some women also get that much worse than others. I was luckier than many others. I had some bouts of upset stomach/diarrhea, but all in all, I had much fewer symptoms in that area than I did with the external radiation.

Yes, I did lose my hair after the first treatment. By the third treatment, no eyelashes, eyebrows either. Then again, no leg or underarm hair (there are benefits!!!).

Sometimes they have you take shots for your energy level and blood counts. Some people, like me, have to have a transfusion or two towards the end of chemo, because chemo also kills good cells and makes blood counts dive. Those weren't bad, just long.

You need to guard against infection, being around large groups of people or sick people. But some people can work at least part-time these days.

As you can see from what I wrote, symptoms vary woman-to-woman, chemo type-to-chemo type, but I hope I've answered some of your questions. It would help if we knew what type of chemo was being recommended for you (e.g., some chemos, you don't lose your hair, some you do).

It is a tough go, but it is doable. I am three and a half months out of treatment, and doing well.

Thaks for your replies.

W2W it sounds like you have been through a lot and i am so pleased to hear that you are now "Dancing with NED." Long may it continue!!

I am having radiation and having problems with it, low energy, loss of appetite, diarrhea that hits out of the blue and makes my journeys even worse. exhaustion from travelling an hour and a half each day. three hours there and back! Tiredness to the point of tears, (i am having a blood transfusion tomorrow).The rads aren't working at the moment so i am told, so i am enquiring in case they suggest alternative treatments.

It seems that i don't have a single day to myself and my daughter is starting university on 16th sept and i really want to take her to her uni so she can have a look round and help her with her shopping etc. but i just dont have the energy.

Oh dear i think i just had a vent, sorry W2W.

Thanks for your reply and keep well!

Rosemary

rosemary, hang in there. Don't feel you have to apologize honey for your "vent" session -- we all need them.

I also was one of the people who had a horrible time with the radiation (much worse in a lot of ways than the chemo). I was so tired, I can't even explain it, and I only had a 20-minute drive each way to radiation. Just the thought of trying to travel as far as you do would make anyone more exhausted.

Just know that there are many of us here who know just what you are feeling. We're here with you and for you!!!