Rob is 5 weeks post Tx and we are still waiting for the magic day,though i must admit the last three days do seem to be seeing a change and he is definately not sleeping so much.Now he seems to be niggled with minor aches and pains (ear,jaw stiffness,shoulder pain )but he is a lot brighter.Hope your magic day comes soon.

Lizin the UK

Gary when is the magic day when the bear with a sore bum bit goes?

LadyJ,

Just like everything else associated with medical Txs, everyone can react differently to the same meds or surgery or chemo or rad, etc. There are soooo many variables to come into play that can and will affect how each of us reacts. I was totally heathly and physically fit before my Dx. I also did not have to have any pre Tx surgery, so if anyone should have had it easier during this Tx it should have been me. I came out of that nasty tunnel in my 3rd week post and many of us on this site did so around that time as well, BUT if your H doesn't don't take that as a sign that something is wrong with him. In fact very few people have ever said they started to feel better BEFORE the 3rd week. So the 3rd week is usually the earliest time to see positive signs.

Good luck and lets hope the beast loosens it's grip soon. I just remember one day I was still feeling like S..T and the next morning I woke up and said WOW I feel a little better. It wasn't dramatic but I it was better and I just knew that it was the beginning of the recovery. As Gary says, it's slow but over time he will get progressively better.

Lady J, I myself am 2 weeks finished with rads and feel no big improvement. My throat is still very sore and is a killer when I sneeze. I look so foward to the day I feel I am heading back to some sense of nomalacy. I have found the soft foods that allow me to swallow easier. Good luck and God bless.

Lady J

Marvin will be starting into his 5th week post tx also, we still havent seen that magic turn a round yet. Matter of fact he seems to be getting a little more depressed. I did up his anti dep meds this week per the doctor. He still doesnt eat anything by mouth and if I am lucky I can get 2oz of water down by mouth though the day. I worked an extra job this week which left him home alone more and that may have added to the depression so I am going bact to only 5 hr per week until he seems better. We also just had our first grandson May 11, and Marvin has been to tried to really enjoy him I think he also feels down about that. We go to see the doctors this tuesday for a check up I am hoping they will encourage him to eat more by mouth and suggest anything esle to help him get more energy back. We did have a few days a couple weeks ago that he did have a little more energy he took a walk on day and was vacuming the next. He did go with to hospital on May 11 that may have draind him alot. He had to stay there the whole day until 11pm to see the new little one. So I figured maybe this past week was a catch up from being wore out.

Wow! My husband has 8 tx's left and I didn't realize he would still be experiencing pain and difficulties for so long afterwards. I thought the healing would begin right away.

Melissa,

The radiation that is administered continues doing it's thing for a few weeks following the actual "final dose". I seem to recall being told something like 3 to 4 weeks. This is why you should not expect any magic and sudden changes immediately following that last round of radiation.

Bill D.

Melissa;
Bill D. is absolutely correct with the 3 to 4 weeks post TX effects. Radiation is "the gift that keeps on giving" and it will take some time. Continue to keep Billy swallowing no matter how it feels and keep plenty of fluids passing through, even if it's just swishing and spitting. The more proactive he is the easier it will get.

Best wishes,
Steve

Congratulations on the completion of the treatments. My turn to get the treatments next. YIKES!!!

ok, guys, you convinced me not to look for the magic number, but I think my husband is hoping for it. He has started to eat a few tablespoons of food and he says his mouth doesn't taste so much like metal mouth.Thank God for the peg tube! He still has to decide on 3 more rounds of chemo on a pump. They are telling him patients that have this extra boost seem to have an advantage of the C not recurring so ... also I noticed on Talbill what is 5fu pump? Thanks, Lady J