I finished my radiation therapy last Tuesday. The full spine irradiation was finished the previous Thursday, but the radiation oncologist in charge of my case, Dr. Kevin Camphausen, decided to do a 4 day "boost" of the region with the biggest tumors. The side effects have been much milder than I expected, more amusing than bothersome. If I go into detail, it is out of scientific observation and not to kvetch. Most of the side effects have been in the mouth and throat. My tongue often felt like I had burnt it on hot tea, and my taste buds are currently gone, especially for salt. As a result food tastes blah, and is not very appetizing. Although I am trying to eat enough, I've lost about 4 lbs thus far. I think the buds for salt are starting to return. My throat was quite sore when swallowing solid food about 2 weeks into the treatment, but now I have only a faint sore throat. However, I am quite hoarse.
The skin on my back has basically been unaffected, but the skin in a strip from my upper lip to my groin in front is irritated and there has been some hair loss-the gamma rays were higher energy (smaller cross section) in back than in front! The front part of my jaw and neck are essentially whiskerless-it is a strange sensation running my hand over the smooth skin. The hair in back at the base of my skull also came out.
Mercifully I never was nauseous. The fatigue started out as the ability to take a nap when I returned from treatment and has increased from there. Only in the past week or so would I have noticed that I am more tired than expected from a busy day or mediocre sleep. I was going to my office every day (but leaving early for the mid-afternoon treatment) until about 10 days ago when Debbie insisted that I stay home because I was more tired than I realized; she allowed me into my office for a few hours on Friday morning. With a PC hooked up to the internet, I have been able to work and keep in touch with my colleagues.
I was told that the side effects peak about a week after the irradiation ends, so I assume this is pretty much as bad as it will get. I have my first followup-MRI and meeting with Fine and Camphausen-in a month, and then will be on a 3 month schedule for a few followups, etc. As for my back pains that resulted from the tumors, I am taking 220 mg of Naproxen twice a day, and feel no pain. The Naproxen appears to have set off an allergic reaction, so I am also taking a Benadryl tablet once a day.