Sometimes the techs will put the headrest thing in backwards or they'll use the wrong one for a different patient and that will hurt like crazy. Let them know that immediately. They are supoosed to keep you stationary not torture you! It shouldn't be that uncomfortable. I would have signaled them to stop what they were doing and make appropriate adjustments. I was Dx'd in November of 2002 and started treatment at the end of January. It would have been pushed off further if I had the extractions they wanted me to get (which I refused). Bear in mind also that once a week they will take some alignment xrays on the LINAC which will add 10 minutes or so in the mask for that day.

I think that you need to track the doctor down and get some assurance that all of this is happening for your best interest, if you get my drift. It is a little mi9nd boggling to consider how high the volume is of cancer patients in almost all treatment centers, it doesn't surprise me that they forget or are minimally responsive. We really have to be our own advocates. Check your computer monitor daily to insure that your name is on the treatment plan screen. There have been occasions where the previous patient didn't show up and someone was treated for prostate or some other form of cancer instead.

I took anti-anxiety meds all throughout treatment and that helped me to relax a lot through the process.