Vicki, you should know that "the loss of weight during radiation" is something that's under YOUR control and doesn't have to happen if you don't want it to!

In fact, because I was taking Amifostine/Ethiol during the first half of my radiation series (I became allergic to it and had to stop), the nurses made it clear that I had to maintain my weight to within 1-2 lbs during the Ami series or they would cease giving it to me, plus I had to drink two liters of water before coming in for treatment. First thing I had to do each day when I came in was step on the scale and they would write it down in the chart (If you think you're going to be low, you could put some diving weights in your pocket <grinz>).

I had a PEG, so getting the liquid food down was doable; had I been trying to do without the PEG, nausea might have made getting my daily calories very difficult. I'd sip the water constantly on my way in every day.

About six months post-radiation, eating more solid foods but not having much appettite, I made a decision to go ahead and lose some weight (and did so), but it was my decision, not a side effect of radiation.