has anyone developed gerd after rads

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rackie
rackie Member Posts: 192
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

about the third week of my rads i started to get a lot of reflux and gastrointestinal upset.  i read on line that this can happen, it called radiation syndrome and can happen immediately after or months after rads. i had 25 treatments to the mammory wall and axilla.  has anyone else had any gastrointestinal problems

jackie

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited May 2011

    Yeah, I noticed it the third or fourth week also.  RadOnc said, "Not Rads."  I refrained from calling him a liar, although I am 100% positive rads DID cause it.  Luckily, mine only lasted a week or so (and was the only time in my life I had it happen ouside of when I was pregnant a million years ago.)

    I told the techs., and while they did not admit to rads causing it, they said, "when you turn your head to the side during treatment, REALLY turn it all the way."  So, anyone getting treatment (and gerd) right now might want to give that a try.

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  • thenewme
    thenewme Member Posts: 1,611
    edited May 2011

    Hi Jackie,

    Yep - me too!  I actually don't have a lot of reflux symptoms ("silent" reflux), but my PET scan lit up, and they called it radiation-induced reflux esophagitis - yikes!  I'm on twice-daily proton pump inhibitors even though my GERD is mostly "silent," since apparently if left untreated, the reflux can cause further damage.  ugh.

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