Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

A Surreal Day

#51
Zinjanthropos Offline
(Sep 21, 2017 04:37 PM)C C Wrote: Maybe easier going early on, if the brunt of the side effects don't start kicking in for two or three weeks into treatment. I guess our "best wishes" should actually apply more to the long haul than the treatment phase itself, if  "PSA results often vacillate up and down during the first 3 years after therapy; this does not mean treatment failed". Still, hope the discomforts aren't that bad as they gradually emerge (as well any dietary and other deprivations).

- - -

Just got home. First treatment went well. as for eventual side effects, it's different for everyone but is many cases there are few or next to none, a reason to be optimistic. Can't worry about it, realistically it's all about survival for me. 

Simple procedure....lay on my back, arms folded across my chest, trousers and underwear pulled down past my rear end with privates barely covered. A machine with 4 arms, each with some kind of instrument attached. The arms rotate to 8 different positions, each time emitting 6-8 beeps of differing lengths. I counted since there was nothing else to do. They play music and I sat through half of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, half of a Meatloaf tune that I can't remember the title of and the full version of Raspberry Beret. Prince was never one of my favorites so I guess that was the worst part. Big Grin. About 8 minutes in all. I feel a little phantom something at my 3 tattoo marks but that's it. I imagine that might change as we go on. Only 19 more sessions to go. Cheers
Reply
#52
elte Offline
I like the idea that they seem intent on totally obliterating the tumor.
Reply
#53
Zinjanthropos Offline
(Sep 21, 2017 06:47 PM)elte Wrote: I like the idea that they seem intent on totally obliterating the tumor.

I like it too. If I was Trump I could pretend the lump is North Korea. Wink I guess I can too.

Personally I'm glad to get this started. Twenty sessions in all and final treatment is Oct 19 allowing for weekends off. (Canadian Thanksgiving is in there so I get that day off too).

Actually that post treatment phantom feeling I experienced near my tattoo dots has faded away. Hope that continues. Yet they told me not to worry about being burned, so I don't need any lotions or special soaps.
Reply
#54
elte Offline
That would be a big help not to have the skin sore spots like I recall happening during people's treatments in older times.
Reply
#55
Zinjanthropos Offline
5 down 15 to go. Met with the doctor today following session. She wanted to know if I'm experiencing any side effects. My only problem is when I go pee there's a weird sensation that flows through me which builds up to a discomforting feeling the moment I start going, then dissipates. She gave me a prescription for it, a half dosage. It's amazing to know that they have stuff for just about any side effect. Other than that it is starting to become routine. I talk to other people in waiting room  and share health stories, something I hate doing but can tolerate while at a hospital. Patients who have gone through radiation tell me that the side effects pretty much go away once treatment complete. I hope so.
Reply
#56
C C Offline
(Sep 27, 2017 05:45 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: [...] She gave me a prescription for it, a half dosage. It's amazing to know that they have stuff for just about any side effect. [...]


As long as the medication for the side effect doesn't start producing side effects itself eventually. You'll probably never take it long enough for that slim possibility, though. My chatty neighbor seems to be in a continuous merry-go-round of receiving an extra med for a new ailment or scary reading that arises after a former prescription brought an old ailment or scary reading into check.

The problem with generalizations abstracted from studies / data is that a particular individual (via being so contrastingly concrete or real) will contingently vary from the expectations for the generic human being as idea that applies to the other general medical conception of the drug's performance / effects.

- - -
Reply
#57
Zinjanthropos Offline
I took the first pill for the radiation side effect before bed last night. I wasn't sure if I should because I really hate taking pills but I'll be honest, the side effect was starting to really hurt. I gulped one down just out of desperation and a couple hours later I was able to function normally. There's still some discomfort but nothing I can't tolerate. I couldn't pee without severe discomfort because of obstructed flow. Turns out my prostate enlarges even more when hit with radiation beam, due to irritation. Can't describe the relief I felt and I can now face the reality of 15 more sessions without trepidation. I was wondering last night, before the tablet, just how I was going to manage getting through this but feel invigorated now and ready to proceed.
Reply
#58
elte Offline
I'm glad the pill vs the side effect of the extra swelling is helping. I'm pretty adverse to taking pills also. Just the low dose aspirin that a doctor wanted me to take appeared implicated in my tendons developing weakness and pain.
Reply
#59
Zinjanthropos Offline
(Sep 28, 2017 04:07 PM)elte Wrote: I'm glad the pill vs the side effect of the extra swelling is helping.  I'm pretty adverse to taking pills also.  Just the low dose aspirin that a doctor wanted me to take appeared implicated in my tendons developing weakness and pain.

Only trouble is that now at 3pm the pill's effects are wearing off. Only supposed to take the pill when I go to bed because it apparently causes dizziness. I can still tolerate the discomfort but I can feel the intensity level increasing. Perhaps once I start taking them steady things will smooth out, at least I hope so. 

Exercise is encouraged to reduce fatigue. So taking the doctor's advice, I went golfing today after treatment. Feel fine after that and hope to do more of the same in the next two weeks until this is over Oct 19. I'm into a routine now, know what they expect of me before I lay on the slab for nuking Smile. Makes it easier for everyone. In 6 sessions I've had 8 different technicians, there's over 20 in all. They all operate the same way which is good I think. 

People may ask why I'm reporting this. There's only one reason and it's the hope that someday another person in my predicament can know what to expect. Maybe it'll show up in some archive 100 years from now and the cancer treatment people will laugh or squirm in horror at the barbaric practices of the early 21st century. Right now I can't worry about 100 years from now, it's as modern as it gets for me.
Reply
#60
elte Offline
It looks to me like your handling it better than I could. I could see how they don't want people taking more of the pills than necessary.

That is good insight about the 100 years.
Reply




Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)