Hi there,

Many thanks Emma & Hazel for positive comments.

Well my first week is over and touch wood - so far so good.

In a routine now and all my appoitments are 9.00am which I prefer.

I am literally around 8 mins from house to hospital and have a free daily car park ticket and park right outside dept.
Have been taken on time and Wed appt was taken at 8.58 and back in car 9.15!

Very slick operation and staff are brilliant.
Made a large batch of home made tablet for the staff Thursday which they appreciated and seen advanced nurse practioner who advised of potential side effects to come.
I'm sure they will but will deal with them as treatment goes on.

So week 1 has been absolutely fine with no real side effects and apart from little more tired, I just have a power napo and fine again.
Will update end week 2 and hope more of the same.

Best wishes to all

kind regards
ian

Hi there,

Well week 2 is now over and again so far so good.

Little more tired and would say started to notice more mucas but that apart I have not really felt any discomfort or noticable side effects.

Aware goinf into week 3 next and potentially when more sied effects will kick in but will have to deal with as and when they arise.
Will post another weekly update next week , good and bad and hope helps someone in similar circumstances.
Happy to answer any questions based on my own personal journey.

Staff in radiotherpay are wonderful and consider it a blessing we have the wonderful NHS.
Not always right but by and large wonderful system and people and when you consider the cost of treatments we do not have to worry about the cost or health insurance etc over and above the diagnosis.

Kind regards to all
ian

So sorry about your husband and then you get diagnosed too, life can be so cruel.

Dave

Oh Karen so sorry to hear about your hubby how cruel can life be . Just ask anything in here ine if us will get back to you. Between us all we are fountains of knowledge most of it useful . Do you have a Macmillann or cancer nurse assigned to you ? If so they are also pretty good.

sending a Sunday hug. If u want to send a friend request please do 

Hazel x

Adding my support Karen, devastating times for you, but on this thread, with Ian, Hazel and Dave, you've got the best support you can get. My heart goes out to you, in my prayers (many dont, i do, no harm in it ). Best wishes, Graeme.

Hi Graeme 

include you in the weath if shared knowledge we all have ! 

Nithing wrong with prayers but I took help wherever I could get it including carrying a bottle of holy water from Lourdes with me.My friend in York her vicar included me in prayers every week ,In the words of Tesco every little helps.

Hope you are well ,as u may have guessed our flights got cancelled but fingers x for ferry mid September 

Hope you are well Hazel x

Hi

This was taken from Gov website and seems like you should be able to drive with morphine, however,

If in doubt always talk to the professionals

Prescription medicines

It’s illegal in England, Scotland and Wales to drive with legal drugs in your body if it impairs your driving.

It’s an offence to drive if you have over the specified limits of certain drugs in your blood and you have not been prescribed them.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should drive if you’ve been prescribed any of the following drugs:

amphetamine, for example dexamphetamine or selegiline

clonazepam

diazepam

flunitrazepam

lorazepam

methadone

morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs, for example codeine, tramadol or fentanyl

oxazepam

temazepam

You can drive after taking these drugs if:

you’ve been prescribed them and followed advice on how to take them by a healthcare professional

they are not causing you to be unfit to drive even if you’re above the specified limits

hope helps

regards

ian

Thank you all for your good advice. Apologies for taking so long to reply but I was having issues logging in. 

I have started week 3 of Radio & chemo and would welcome ANY advice as my throat is extremely painful. I am crying out in pain just from swallowing saliva. Eating & drinking  is  impossible. I have a pain patch and yesterday I was prescribed Co-Codamol with the usual side affects but can't function when taking them. Has anyone tried acupuncture for pain? I am so low this morning I feel like letting nature take it's course.

Hazel recommended soft toothbrush and humidifier both of which I have bought. 

Thanks for any advice

Karen

Hi Karen

Ok week 3 of treatment I would suggest that you need to speak to your support team and get your pain medication assessed. 

I was on oral morphine week 3 then that was upped to MST morphine tablets that you take every 12 hours so contantly in your system.

Pain management during treatment can be controlled and co codamol in my view would certainly not be suffiecient at this stage.
The first couple of weeks are generally fine and not much happening but it does just to impact and have an effect from week 3.

Please phone them/meet them urgently and they can sort out increased pain medication today.

Not many will sustain treatment and recovery period without proper pain medication and the doses will be as you required.

I have my mantra of drinking as much water as possible and even small sips often helps. It keeps you hydrated and also uses throat muscles.

Please let me know how you get on Karen but please speak with support team as they can prescribe medication just now without going through GP.

regards

Ian

HI karen

You will get through it but it is a long and hard road I'm sorry to say.  My partner had real problems with eating and swallowing eventually having a drip in because he was struggling so much and losing too much weight (too stubborn to let them know how much pain he was in and didnt want to stay in hospital any longer).  As Ian advises speak to your support team ASAP and ask for medication that will help ie morphine and keep trying to sip water.

hope you get sorted as soon as possible

Michelle

Hi Karen

just confirming what Ian has said yiu need to contact someone  ASAP at my worst I was on 8 co codomol a day taking laxido to make sure  I went to loo that’s vital plus up  to 40 mil of oramorph you need a constant amount of painkillers in your system. Do you have a peg or n g feeding tube if not sounds like you May need one push for it if you are struggling now you could be like me I had n g tube in for a total of 45 days .If they say  no  to covid 19 reluctant to give it you do push for it I know plenty who have struggled but eventually hospitals have given them n g tubes. 

Dont give up  it’s a mere blip in yiur life’s albeit not a pleasant one but don’t try and struggle as for next few weeks the pain will be there . Glad  you got toothbrushes ask hospital for loan if a nebuliser as unfortunately yiur next problem will probably we the onset of mucus copious amounts of it. Sorry to be bearer of bad news but keep at it .Do yiu have anyone’s who can move in with yiu to helpmyiu especially driving to hospital ? It’s such a sad time for you as well sending a hug your way know it’s no help .

Hazel xx

so sorry for your loss , so sad to have the new and then lose our husband ,  sending a virual hug and a prayer.  A friend at work got a mass card in Ireland for my partner and he kept it with him all the time as Hazel and Tesco say every little helps  Just knowing people care defo helps.

so sorry for your loss , so sad to have the new and then lose our husband ,  sending a virual hug and a prayer.  A friend at work got a mass card in Ireland for my partner and he kept it with him all the time as Hazel and Tesco say every little helps  Just knowing people care defo helps.