Hi Daniel, me again
To answer your questions, I'm going to preface it with everyone is different, and each of us will have differnt side effects.
For review, I've gone through the surgery/radiation experience twice, first on left side had partial glossectomy, free flap and rad nec dissection followed by radiation to the tongue and neck. Second time just the neck dissection on the right side follwed by radiation on the right side of neck. Both times IMRT and what's called HFRT or radiation twice a day for short.
Depending on what they are irradiating, treatment iself would be about 10-15 minutes. I was 15 minutes from the time I walked into the room to the time I walked out, including the time it took to get me positioned in the machine. I have heard of times as long as 30 minutes from others on this board though.
The treatments themselved don't hurt, unless you count the possible back pain from lying on a uncushioned surface for the time of the treatment.
Depending on how well you get along with the treatments, it's possible you could drive yourself back and forth, at least for the first few weeks. I used to take taxi to the hospital, walk the 15 minute walk back to the apartment, didn't have a car available to drive.
Length of time for the treatment is going to depend on how high a dosage the doc thinks is necessary. First time around for me was 7 weeks, second time only 5 weeks, not as high a dosage of radiation.
As far as eating before radiation, if you can get the food down from my experience it should be ok.
As far as getting tired and sleeping a lot, I would pretty much count on it, especially after the 3rd or 4th week. I had good days and bad days, some days I would go shopping, out to a park and such during the day, others just back to the apartment and crashed until time for the afternoon treatment. But I would force myself to go out at least once a day for some reason or other, just to move around.
Hope this all helps. By the way, you are asking the same questions I wish I could have asked the first time around. Unfortunately, I didn't find this site until AFTER the first set of treatments.
Take care and good luck.
Bob S.
