 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | One thing that most, if not all of us, experience post Tx is "now what?". We all live with the Big R hanging over our heads. Everything from a sore indigestion to a cold can send us over that cliff of reason. Some also experience some form of depression anywhere from mild to severe, requiring medical intervention.
Another thing to look out for is thyroid damage from the radiation. Depending upon where you were radiated and how much, if any, damage was done to your Thyroid, it may not recover resulting in a host of symptoms that may clue you to that irreversable damage. Mine were constantly being cold, in Florida, in September. Look up Hypothyroidism.
First year post Tx is both physically AND mentally difficult. Good news is it's mostly uphill from now on.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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