Hi there,
first, let me say how sorry I am to hear of the terrible time your
wife is having.
I was a stage 2B cervical cancer patient this year. I had a tumor
that was 7x7x7cm on my cervix and my closer lymph nodes were also
involved. I had 5 rounds of chemo, just one drug - cisplatin - which
was meant to enhance the radiations' effectiveness; which it did. I
would have the chemo one day a week. The external beam radiation was
daily, less weekends, and I had 28 sessions. (26 and 2 boosts at the
end to work on the lymph nodes) I responded really well to the
radiation and my tumor is gone and the lympg nodes appear normal. I
also had the internal radiation, brachytherapy, following the end of
the chemo and radiation. I had 60 hours of it, which really meant 70
hrs with the inserts they used to deliver the radiation.
I used a variety of anti nausea drugs to help with the chemo side
effects and one of the more expensive ones, zofran, worked best. I
even found gravol helped at the end. Other than being sick for a few
days after chemo and for about 2 weeks when I had the last one, due
to low neutraphils, I did well. I am only 40 and was healthy going
into this. My previous pap smears never detected any cellular changes
and I never expected this. My follow ups are every three months to
start and I hope to have another good report in January.

The chemo does kill off the good cells, but the good ones will come
back in time - after a couple weeks it starts and continues for
weeks. The cancer cells will be killed off and not return. Same for
the radiation. Other than being tired, I didn't have any severe
effects from the radiation. Diahrea, of course, but that's it. Sounds
like your wife is suffering from the effeects of the radiation on her
bowel. I know I was able to take imodium to help. Talk to the
radiation therapists, they generally can help with the symptoms. Not
everyone tolerates the radiation as well as I did, so I can imagine
your wife is very uncomfortable. I think she will improve in time
once the treatments end. I found I improved quickly although I had to
force myself to eat as I lost all appetite.

I know you are wondering about the cost of drugs and you must live in
the States. Here in Canada I had alomost everything covered by the
govt and I also have private insurance through work. Do you have any
help like that?

Also I can tell you that I neede all the same treatments and that the
brachytherapy would not have been sufficient alone. But it helped
finish off the tumor. This may be your wife's case as well and why
she needs all the different treatments. Chemo with the radiation is
relative new - last 6 yrs or so. Keep in mind that this approach is
very current and your wife's best hope to beat this.

Keep us posted and if you have any questions, feel free to email me
at rowe.susan@...

--- In Cervical-Cancer@yahoogroups.com, "zarkov418" <zarkov418@...>
wrote:
>
> dear everyone,
>
> my wife having cerv cncr III finished already 3 session of chemo,
> then 25 dys linear radiation now, then after one week will undergo
> brachy theraphy then again 3 session of chemo again, it is my
prayer
> she can make it, as she keep on complaining that chemo really
painful
> plus side effects really almost kill her, but dr never told her of
> this of course beforehand,, do you think the procedure of
oncologist
> right on her case, because some cases cerv cncr II they undergo
> brachy theraphy only and they were able to survive
> one thing also they never told us chemo kills the bad cells (virus)
> but it affects the good cells (percentage is higher), hope dr can
> find way that good cells not be damaged severely in order patient
can
> survive, also one thing i observe other patient die due to fiancial
> reasons they cannot support and buy necessary costly medicines
>
> pls help me what to do on abdoiminal pain experience by my wife as
> she undergo linear radiation now, then how to cope on side effects
of
> brachy theraphy when she undergo on jan if any, appreciate any help
> as per your experience, God Bless you all
>
> kind and warm regards, zarkov@...
>