Effects Of Radiotherapy

[naomi24]

Would a course of five days a week for four weeks make the patient unwell, tired, unfit to drive, etc?

[1ozzy]

Quite possibly.
It would depend upon how the patient was when the treatment commenced.

[rowanwitch]

Probably very tired, and depending on the site being treated potentially uncomfortable. As to driving again it would be variable, but probably not with cranial irradiation but they may already ha s list their license if symptomatic , and they would need to sit in the car and check they had the full range of movement required it was to say a neck, upper back. Little things ..wearing a seatbelt can be uncomfortable if radiotherapy is to the breast or chest as it can feel like severe sunburn .

[choux]

Not in my experience, naomi. I had therapy 6 days out of 7 over 4 weeks and drove myself for a return trip of 60 miles. 1 day I did feel tired suddenly on the journey home so pulled into a country pub and had a roast dinner with fruit juice to wash it down. Took nearly an hour's rest and then felt fine to continue driving with no problem.

I made sure I had a nap most afternoons - appointments were nearly always mornings and I did rise very early. Amazed that I felt so well tbh.

[choux]

Should have added that my therapy followed op for breast cancer.
I managed to have a very positive attitude to the situation and made it all about "me time". I had no burning from the quite intensive therapy.

[naomi24]

Bladder cancer.

[rowanwitch]

Should be ok apart from possibly a feeling of heaviness in the pelvis, and maybe lower back aches, and cystitis type symptoms. Most of the bladder patients we saw for follow up cystoscopy had gone through it fairly well, especially as many were getting on in years. The younger ones less so, but that may be because they were less 'stoic' and more likely to tell us about the discomfort.

[choux]

Who ever it is, naomi (((()))) and best wishes too.

[naomi24]

Thanks choux. You're very kind. And thanks all for the information. I was just wondering how debilitating we might expect it to be.

[choux]

I can only add it is a one day at a time situation, so being well prepared is key. Darned sure I am right about the positive attitude though and knowing how well radiotherapy can be successful these days gives us all hope.

[Omg21]

My husband has recently had radiotherapy for 20 sessions over 4 weeks for prostate cancer. He did feel tired but he was told this might be the be the case and this was the only side effect despite being given the worst case scenario before treatment. Although he didn’t drive there and back to the hospital, he would have been capable of doing so.

[Lie-in King]

I'm sure it's different for each patient. My dad showed very brief improvement, but he was out of it for a day or so afterwards. It absolutely zonked my mum & unfortunately was ineffective.

Both cases were within 18 months of each other & a good while ago now & I'd guess the procedures have been improved.

My best wishes to the person concerned here, Naomi.

[naomi24]

Omg. Thank you very much. That's really helpful.

Thank you LiK.

[naomi24]

Omg21. I've just realised you're new here. Welcome to the AnswerBank.

[Omg21]

Thank you Naomi. When we saw the consultant radiologist before the treatment, he said that some people have side effects but the majority don’t so that was a better way of looking at it. I hope the treatment goes well.

[naomi24]

Thanks Omg. I wish your husband well too.

[Buenchico]

I had 37 sessions of pelvic radiotherapy (for prostate cancer) spread over 7½ weeks at 5 days per week. I was already feeling tired from 10 sessions of maximum-dose chemotherapy, so the radiotherapy certainly didn't help when it came to tiredness. However, apart from that, I felt as fit as a fiddle throughout and certainly perfectly fit to drive.

As it's pelvic radiotherapy that's being referred to here, it might be relevant to mention that the only slight inconveniences for me (apart from having to drive to and from the hospital 37 times) related to the need to turn up to the hospital with a full bladder but with an empty bowel. I had to use a (very fast acting!) enema about an hour before the treatment and then drink half a litre of water
As a result of that, I was busting for a pee while waiting for, and during, the treatment. (I later managed to get that changed to about 420ml of water, 50 minutes before the radiotherapy session, and things were then a lot easier for me in that respect).

The actual sessions were an absolute doddle. All I had to do was to partially slip my trousers down and hop onto the couch. A paper towel (or something very similar to one anyway) was then used to protect my modesty when I slipped my underpants down. Each treatment only lasted a couple of minutes and then, after dressing, I was free to go home (or, more accurately, to dash to the loo for a pee!)