Recovery time following Linac, GK or CK

[Larry]

Hi all,

I'm faced with the prospect of either a one off hit with a Linac (similar but slightly different to GK) or a fractionated approach.

I'm interested to hear recovery times from either approach - that is, hoe long did you have to wait until you could go back to work.

cheers


laz

[sgerrard]

Hi Laz,

I had my last of three CK zaps on a Friday, and was back at work the following Monday. I was not 100% for a few months, with fatigue days and pressure days, but I was able to show up, anyway, and get something done most of the time. I think that is a pretty common experience, with maybe more fatigue the first week if you get your radiation all in one day.

Steve

[Jim Scott]

Larry: 

for what it's worth, I underwent FSR (Linac) - 26 daily 'low-dose' hits - and suffered no discernible negative effects.  I'm retired, but I could have been working and remained unaffected by the FSR.  I drove myself on the daily 62-mile round trip. No problem.  On the basis of the practically non-existent ramifications of the treatment, I recommend it.  I hope it's available to you.

Jim

[carter]

i finished 3 doses of ck last Tuesday.   jan 13.

i worked day 1 - day 2 also.

day 3, i worked about 5 hours.  tues

i took off the day after treatment.  wed.

Thursday - i worked about 5 hours.

friday -i worked ABOUT 7 TO 8 HOURS.   

TOMMORROW, I WILL FLY TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR 3 DAYS

[Larry]

Thx for the responses guys - I'm starting to feel more relaxed because when i had surgery - i was out of work for 6 weeks recuperating - and being self employed - well thats a tough one especially in the current economic climate.

i guess the "up and about time" is dependant on how well the treatment went and how the body responds but the positive news so far is encouraging.

cheers


Laz

[mk]

Laz,

I asked my employer for the entire week off after my GK, because I thought that I would need it for my recovery. I could have gone to work the next day, I didn't have any symptoms, except from some swelling on the forehead because of the frame. That took 2-3 days to go away completely. Other than that, I didn't miss a day of work.

Marianna

[Nancy Drew]

I felt great walking out the door after my GK treatment.  Only had a slight headache for a couple of days and took Tylenol.  Pin sites were no big deal.  Third day out went on a six mile walk.  Fifth day out got hit with a balance issue that resolved itself.  Back to my volunteer work (not working right now) exactly a week later.  Fatigue has been the hardest.  Just have to pace yourself.  Little things will crop up here and there.  I am only three months out so I don't have a lot of experience under my belt.  Best thing for me so far.....I haven't lost any hearing post GK.  Nancy

[Tumbleweed]

Hi, Laz:

I am probably the exception, but I was profoundly exhausted for most of the two weeks after CK, with only a brief respite around days 5 through 8 post-treatment. At the 2-week mark, I went on a very demanding business trip with loooooooong work hours; did okay til I got home and then collapsed. (Read: I did too much too soon.) At the one-month mark, I slowly began to recover my energy. By the 2-month mark, I was beginning to rally strongly. At the 3-month mark (and since), I felt my energy level had virtually rebounded 100% back to what it was before treatment.

Much depends on the size of the tumor and its location. But exactly how you'll respond to radiotherapy remains largely a crapshoot.

FWIW, if I had to do it all over, I'd do it exactly the same way (except for the business trip!    ).

Best wishes,
Tumbleweed

[ppearl214]

Hey, my VERY dear Laz!

Same boat for me as with Steve and Tumbleweed! I finished my "fractionated" (CK) on a Friday, back at work Monday. Fatigue set in and I just set my pace with how my body was reacting.  Chose fractionated (in my case) for hearing preservation.

I know you have been riddled with feeling like crap a lot.... so regardless of what you choose (where's the Captn when we need her?), it's time for your AN to "die sucker, die!"

I'm behind you all the way!
xoxoxoxo
Phyl

[GM]

I had my GK on a Friday...stayed overnight (standard steroid treatments/swelling monitoring)...went home Saturday, returned to work Monday.

I felt a little tired on Saturday, like I did a whole bunch of yardwork.  No headaches, or any other side effects immediately after treatment.  I drove home from UVA about an hour and a half drive with my wife.

[Larry]

Thx guys,

A fairly common theme with the odd exception but by and large, I'm confident i have made the right decision

cheers



Laz

[Tumbleweed]

Laz, are you leaning toward Linac or fractionated? Just curious.

TW

[Larry]

Hi guys,

I've pretty much decided that i will have a fractionated approach. TW, the machine in Oz is a Linac machine. i will have 5 treatments and a total of 22Gy. this seems to be about the norm. I've booked it for just after easter.

because my AN is pressing on the brain stem, it was advised that a fractionated approach is better than a single hit. I must say that it didn't take long for me to agree to that coz the thought of a helmet screwed into my head for the single hit approach was not appealing.

Oh well, just got to get on with it now.

laz

[ppearl214]

YAY! A decision!!!!!!!! I'm behind you 200%! Please plu-eeeeeze keep me updated!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo
Phyl

[Tumbleweed]

Hi, Laz:

It sounds like you've made a great choice, and one which incidentally I would've made, too, if I lived in your area.

One note of interest but which you might already know: if the 22 Gy you referred to was derived by simply adding up the Gy for each treatment to reach a total figure, the biologically equivalent dose (or the equivalent dose in Gy if it was all delivered in one dose) will actually be less than that. For example, I got around 6 Gy for each of my three CK treatments, yet the biologically equivalent dose was -- if I remember correctly -- somewhere in the11.5 to 13 Gy range and not 18 Gy (I'd have to look in my notes to jar my memory for the exact figure).

Best wishes for a successful treatment and ultra-fast recovery, Laz!

TW