 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Michelle, sorry to hear you are having a difficult time. Unfortunately, radiation keeps working after your treatments have finished. It is not unusual for you to still feel pretty lousy for the first 2 or 3 weeks after treatments. Your doc telling you a 2-4 week recovery is way off target. Most patients begin to feel better 2 - 3 weeks from finishing radiation. But this is only when they begin to first start to feel better. Full recovery can take up to 2 years. You should expect to face one month of recovery for every week you had rads.
Keep up the good nutrition with minimum of 2500 calories and 48 oz water. This will help your recovery. Try to get extra protein to aid your healing.
Best wishes with your recovery!
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
