Having Brachytherapy

Has anyone had vaginal Brachytherapy? I was diagnosed with endometrial womb cancer . Stage 1A grade 2. Had a total historectomy . After the surgery even though the cancer hasn't gone to the outer wall . They want to give me internal radiotherapy (Brachytherapy) as i have I lympho vascular invasion . As a precaution they want to give radiation 4 sessions. They didn't check my lympnodes at the time of surgery.  I am worried as I have heard long term side effects are incontinence and bowel incontenance . Has anyone had Brachytherapy and have you had any side effects ?

 

 

  • Hi

    i also was treated for endometrial cancer last year, grade 3, stage 1b. After my hysterectomy, the cancer grade had been upgraded so I had further surgery to remove lymph nodes which proved clear.. I had three sessions of brachytherapy in September as a precautionary measure. I had no immediate problems but bowel function has changed but it’s not too bad and easy to cope with, I have my follow up appt this month and will talk to them then about it. However I did have quite severe constipation before treatment and a prolapse but both are actually so much better now. I was told that internal radiotherapy is far less likely to cause side effects than external.

    Please let me know if you would like more information based on my experience.

    Sundial

     

  • Hello, yes I've had brachytherapy but I didn't have a hysterectomy first. I have no side effects at all and am 10 months out of treatment. Good luck with your treatment xx

  • Hi,

    I also had a full hysterectomy in Oct due to endometriel cancer. Biopsy showed Lympho vascular space invasion so now having chemo, moving on to 5 weeks of Radio then Brachy twice in one week. I'm a bit daunted at the amount of prep needed for the radiotherapy. i.e enemas everyday etc. I'm sure it will be ok but thought I would just be popping for a ten minute xray session.

     

  • Hi

    ive just been diagnosed with cervical cancer, and got my treatment plan today. Been told I need to have brachytherapy in wk 5 and 6, and was wondering if it's as painful as it sounds? The dr said I'll be put under for the set up part and given morphine but will actually be awake while some of it is still set up. 
     

    chemo and external radio I'm ok with, this is the only bit really scaring me. Think I'll feel more prepared if I know honestly if it's painful. 

  • Hi! I have just finished the same treatment you have been given, in fact came out of hospital yesterday after Brachy! I was terrified after everything I read, more so to get the applications removed, having them in overnight is uncomfortable but you do have a pain button and it really does help, my advise is press every 15 mins even if you aren't in pain! I left it for hours then it took hours to get pain back under control, getting the device removed was absolutely fine! If you try to relax as much as possible they literally just come out! Good luck x 

  • Thanks for getting back to me Kaylieanne.
     

    It's definitely the part of my treatment I'm dreading the most. I'm only in wk 1 of my treatment and haven't been coping with the side effects well so god knows how I'll get on with it.

     

  • Everyone is completely different I struggled the middle of week one, sailed through week 2 struggled week 3 and 4 sailed through week 5! Don't beat yourself up your body is going through so so much! Try not to dread the Brachy it's honestly over before you know it, it's a strange feeling and one I can't really discribe but i didn't find it as bad as what I had read others say? I would get it done again tomorrow if it meant getting rid of the cervical cancer! Like I said use the pain relief button as much as you possibly can and don't be in pain for one minute xx 

  • Hi,

    I had 6 rounds of brachytherapy during my cervical cancer treatment 7 1/2 years ago. I  have not had any issues other than the thinning of the vaginal walls, which I guess is common. 

    Hope this helps.

    Laura xx

  • Hello I also had a total hysterectomy back in December and again as a precaution after all the therapies have to have brachy which actually starts on Tuesday! I think they have told you this more as a worse case scenerio because obviously they have to cover their backs for anything that could happen, I see it the same as taking a paracetamol if you read the leaflet the side effects are endless but 9 times out of ten you won't get them so try not to worry yourself

  • Hi Laura, hope you're keeping well?

    It's now been 11 weeks since I completed treatment, my scan is book for the 6th of August. 
     

    Was wondering if you had any lingering pain in the pelvis area, with what feels a lot like period cramp? I've had this for 4 and a half weeks and left 5 messages with my oncologist who hasn't called me back. Just wondering if this is normal or not?