I am due to start 30 radiation treatments at MD Anderson in Orlando within the next 2 weeks. I would appreciate any input as to what I can do to limit side effects from this procedure.

Thanks
Chuck

From what I understand it's a form of IMRT, which is a more precise method of administering radiation than what was used just a few years ago. If you do a Find for IMRT you'll get lots of information.

Helical Tomotherapy

This is what worked for me:

Slather Aquaphor or aloe vera on several times during the day beginning on day one - don't want for redness to appear. Do not apply immediately before rads - your skin should be clean and devoid of lotions, etc. Remember to use the product on the exit point as well as the target - ask the techs to tell you where the exit point is.

Do the salt/baking soda rinse that your rad onc advises as well as any other oral hygiene products that are prescribed (my doc gave me a script for Caphosol). Begin these procedures right away as well.

About 2 weeks into rads, I began having dry mouth and used Biotene Mouthwash for Dry Mouth as well as Biotene Oral Balance gel. I had springtime allergies and found it hard to breathe through my nose so I slept with my mouth open a little which added to the dry mouth. Breathe Right strips worked beautifully and I could sleep with my mouth closed. Get the large size even if you have a small nose - they just fit better.

The doc will prescribe Magic Mouthwash for mouth sores that you might get and if you get thrush will also prescribe something for that. Make sure you let the doc and/or your techs know immediately if you feel anything.

I was prescribed 100 Vicodin and took about 30 of them, mostly during the last two weeks and because the mouth sores hurt. I think I got off lucky on this!

I didn't lose all of my taste buds so things tasted different rather than with no taste at all. I ate soft foods and drank at least one Ensure every day. Things that I thought I'd enjoy, like ice cream, didn't taste as usual so I wasted a lot of that. Towards the end of rads I couldn't eat anything even remotely dry - like bread - it just stuck in my throat until I washed it down with something.

I slept a lot, probably 14/15 hours per day. Great deep sleep with no dreams or tossing and turning. I was able to drive myself to and from treatment every day except for 2 days when I unfortunately had a volunteer from ACS take me (I thought I'd have to have a driver so set it up well in advance.) The volunteer turned out to be a crotchety old cuss who should have had his driver's license revoked. I kept thinking that at least we were on the way to a hospital where they could take care of us after the wreck.

I didn't have many problems with RT and I guess I can now call it uneventful. My last treatment was in April, 2008, and everything is back to normal except that I still can't manage dense bread or thick bread crusts - no paninis for me! Taste buds are back, dry mouth is gone, no mouth sores or skin discoloration.

Every single person on this board has a different story to tell and your's will be different as well. Read through the threads to get some more ideas.

I don't know what it is about doctors, even the ones you really have faith in, but they don't supply much information - you have to ask about nearly everything - thank goodness for message boards!

Take care and best of luck to you,

Mimi