Doing Multi catheter Brachy

kuchagirl

Hi ladies,

I only check in to the website every few days, so I'm missing all the brachy action! 

I had the lidocaine, too, and I took the valium.  For me, the valium ran out in the middle of the procedure.  It wasn't that I was suddenly in pain, but that I could tell I wasn't goofy anymore, and I wanted to be goofy!  They gave me some more valium on the spot. All these memories....

On the last day, I was all worried that the removal of the catheters would hurt.  They kept assuring me that it doesn't hurt for most women.  And yet, I insisted that it probably would hurt. And yet, it didn't hurt at all.  It was like removing the cotton from your mouth after a dental procedure. 

I'm so glad that women have the opportunity to have this procedure. 

Kuch

dogsaver

they initially only gave me 5 valium. i took one the night before and two during the catheter insertion. they gave me another prescription for 5 which of course are already gone. Removal of the catheters didnt hurt but im worried about the redness around the bumps, i know its mostly from the buttons pressing into the skin so tight. im hoping that will go away soon, sounds like it will. ready for a really good night sleep!!

RHP

thanks to both of you, I hope in Sept. you will moniter so I have someone to share with. Thanks for all the in advance info. Not as stressed thanks to you.
Hugs
Robin

dogsaver

oh for sure! ps I ordered some cremes yesterday and they came this morning! one is called wound be gone which you can put on on open wounds and it helps heal faster and less of a scar. also i got scar estetique creme and it is supposed to make scars go away faster. im using that on my surgery scar and the wound be gone on my brachy spots. youll be fine robin just discomfort during the week they are in. AND make sure you tell them if you wear low cut shirts and they will do what they can to keep the catheters out of cleavage area since it takes time to heal. i also wouldnt let them put in my under arm area. enough trauma there. make a list!

Patsycan

Hey all,

Did anyone do the brachtherapy as a boost after 3 weeks of radiation???  This is what my onc talked about.  I start the radiation treatments on August 31.

Patsycan

dogsaver

i havent heard of traditional radiation and brachy for same incident. sounds like alot of radiation but if you are only doing 3 weeks of external, maybe that is a new way so you dont have to do 6 weeks external? i would get second opinion from another radiation onc. best wishes!

RHP

Dogsaver

Thank YOU so much, not only for the cream ideas, but it never occured to me that I would have any input at all about placement. I too believe my underarm has had enough.. and who wants to explain scars in their cleavage! Never wore much low cut stuff but with the sports bras for support everything is low cut!

everyone has been wonderful and it really takes away the fear when someone who has been there says " you can do it" Doctors and family just don't count on that, as they say it to make you feel better!

Dogsaver I truly hope you feel wonderful this week. I have heard about radiation making you really tired and am hoping that this kind or that you just escaped that!

hugs
Robin

dogsaver

i seriously had no idea what i was in for other than i knew i wanted the brachy. because my tumor was close to skin i couldnt get the balloon one. i knew i wanted multicatheter BUT i had no idea i would have 22 tubes. definately ask where they plan on placing and how many they really need due to location and tumor size. im glad i had them stay away from cleavage and underarm. try to get a mild tan line with a shirt style you wear most. I really wish i would have given a limit on how many tubes. i guess the average is about 16. BUT my wounds are healing and looking better each day.  I also should have pushed harder for a local anethetic when they were doing the radiation treatments.not because the radiation part hurt but the buttons on the skin hurt. that is my fault for trying to do without percoset. take the percoset and make them give you something to sleep too! i feel much better. brachy ended friday and i was back at work monday.

RHP

Dogsaver yet again thank you..

In my first meeting (when deciding on Dr.s) the rad doc said 5 cathiters.. this was pre surgery etc. As I said I have not seen her since, (hubby talked on the phone to give a decision) anyway we shall see if 5 is 5 or 5 is 20! They really talk in broad strodes at first which is understandable.. but the surprises are what make me crazy. I want to know what to expect and I think fear of law suits make them really hard to nail down.

I will also be interested if my input will be allowed in placement.. She sounded like she took placement really seriously.

Will keep you posted.

Glad it seems life is back to normal for you

hugs

Robin

dogsaver

Robin, are you doing the SAVI method? that is usually about 6 catheters and  i wasnt a candidate for that, i  did the insterstitial. im so glad youll only have 6! im hangin in here just want the redness to go away. i called the doc today and they said my redness will subside in about a month. im  not patient though so this whole process has been a challenge

RHP

Dogsaver No I am doing the same one you did, I think she was talking in "general" terms.. Like I said it was way before my surgery and I have not spoken with her again. Pretty much they have underestemated everything so I will find out more on the second of Sept. I tried calling but I have ZERO patience for the front desk staff.. thay act like they know all but when you get down to it they know nothing. So I quit asking. 

If you think you aren't patient, as I said I was dx 4 days after you and I have had at least a month between any kind of appt. the waiting stuff is making me CRAZY, I tell myself if I was "urgent" they would move faster.. So I make believe that all is well, and that waiting doesn't hurt anything.

I can't wait to just worry about redness. How are you feeling other wise? Tired?

I noticed today that the swelling is finally going down and the breast is much smaller than the other one. So I guess I will actually break down and get an add on. (external only for me, not into any more surgery than required)

By they way do you know what you will take when you are finished. tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor?
Robin

dogsaver

sometimes if there is an email for the office you can send an email. thats how i communicated with my doctor from the first time i met him til i started treatment. well i would say i had too many catheters. 22 is overkill to me and its freakin me out. i go for a check up tomorrow. of course i wont feel better until they tell me i am healing normally. as for tamox or aroma, i am eventually going to get a laparascopic hysterectomy so i wont need those. i want to get the ovaries out because my mom had ovarian cancer. we have four dogs dont plan on having kids so it seems logical thing. i hope you can do minimal catheters and yes you have a say in placement, of course it has to be within reason but ultimately it is your treatment. they can give you suggestions but will not turn a patient away for not wanting to do overkill

RHP

So Dogsaver, I asume you are in the young catagory? I feel even worse, at least I am with the majority and am post menapausal. I am surprised that even with a histerectomy they won't be doing therapy, as my understanding is there are still hormones?? maybe I am dense.. They said I don't produce them but something about them still being there.. sometimes all of this is so overwhelming.

on the four dogs. I only have three but we also have a number (won't say) of rescued cats. We live in the country and someone is always leaving an animal out to fend for themselves. ( in other words for someone else to feed and care for) I believe in carma. Those people should come back as derby cars!

Have a good day and a great weekend. I am sure you are healing normaly this as we have learned all takes time! also  you will heal and it will look great, remember what kuchagirl said, hers looks better than those with regulare therapy! Yours will too!

dogsaver

HI! I am 41 with family hx of BC and ovarian. I was told that if i get the ovaries out i wont need tamox or arim, i think i am also hesitant to do those meds because i know i need some estrogen or i think i would be very uncomfortable. yay for you for saving animals i went for my post catheter removal check up today. of course i was very nervous since the catheter marks are red but they said i was healing quite nicely, better than alot they see. apparently im not having a good reaction to the vitamin E oil so i have to switch to lubriderm or aquafor. hope you had an easy week and have a relaxing weekend

RHP

Dogsaver

Go with the aquaphor, it is great stuff with little or no alcohol. I have used it and when my dad had terible skin from meds we tried everything to no avail. then aquaphor healed right up and took care of the dry flakey stuff too. It is amazing, a little greasy but not as bad as E but no odor..

I hope you have a wonderful weekend enjoy the sun it is raining here!

Hugs

Robin

dogsaver

the aquafor feels great. im a little sore also because doctor said i got two blood clots which will go away with time. ice packs are great

RHP

owe! Dogsaver had all your swelling gone down before the insersion? Or did they drain anything?

It just seems about the time I am not constantly aware of the breast they are going to insult it all over again..

hope it feels better and looks wonderful in just a day or so.

Hugs
Robin

dogsaver

i had a small hemotoma left from one of my biopsies but now have a couple hemotomas from the catheters but tylenol and ice is helping. yeah hopefully this was the last trauma to the poor thing i have to endure! you start next week right? again get a slight tan in the type of shirt you wear the most so they can try to avoid catheter insertion in that area. I asked my doctor why i needed 22 and he said due to cavity size. he told me that sometime people only need about 16 and they just did 45 on someone the other day. if you send me an email addy i would be happy to send a pic of what the catheters in the tissue looked like. my tumor was 1.4 cm but the cavity was pretty large due to unclear margins after first surgery.

RHP

Dogsaver I get marked next week and cathiters the following week. I am really really stressed,   They hadn't contacted me as promised when she "got it scheduled" but I picked up my future appt. when I went to see my medical onc. saw that it was scheduled for Friday then monday through Thursday. Freaked and askt the receptionist who lied and said "that's how we always schedule brachytherapy..When I called and asked the nurse about meds she went through the whats next and said they would let me know"later" about the schedule for the treatments themselves. (I had not mentioned the scheduling thing to her) this was Friday late afternoon and of course didn't start praying on me until late Friday night! I really HATE this stuff! I can feel the melt down coming and just don't know how to stop it! Sorry for the whining, just the support around tends to wind down as this stuff goes on.. I try to keep it all in perspective. How lucky I am etc. but that doesn't always help, and when other people say that, it has the opposite effect! 

I would love you to email me and send pictures!  Someone said you should ask to see pictures when you are at the Dr. but I felt like a voyer asking. 

So now for a distraction tell me more about these great huggy dogs! Look maybe like Staffordshor (sp) terriers? 

Hope the sun is shining and you have soft breezes today
Robin

dogsaver

Okay Robin i just sent you pics to your email of what the buttons looked like and then skin healing a week later. The aquafor is awesome. i had my catheters done in one day, not sure what they are going to do to mark them? tell them no tattoos! my onc used a template and it was done on a thursday and i had to have catheters over the weekend and was radiated following M-F and catheters were out friday. sorry you are having problems getting them to give you info! maybe you need to ask to talk to the doctor or his nurse directly? yes it does get frustrating but we can do it. im glad you dont have to do chemo!

RHP

Dogsaver

Thank you! also Thanks for the perspective! Whining to someone who has a whole extra step! Sorry! No template they will plan it just for me! Not sure I believe that but that is what they say. Also the appointment for the catheters is 6 hours so I pretty much think it will be more than 5! So I have CT scan and planning the 2nd, caths the 8th ctscan the9th and ??? will let you know when I get the straight talk on the rest! Thanks for the ear!

I am sure you have already found this but I recently bought a chuck it thrower for my big dog! Man does he love that thing! It doubled my distance and doesn't strain my chest like just throwing it does!

:-)

dogsaver

Robin, you can vent anytime. thats what we are here for. we will have rough days and simpler days. I am just glad you dont have to do another step but that doesnt make what you are going through any less stressful. I will be interested to see how it goes so please update me. yes my dogs are my saviors right now. they are sad that i dont get to play with them as much but the hubby just has to get up earlier to take them out. i do love and cherish my nights in with them more now kongs are good too. you feel them up with peanut butter and put them in the freezer and they love it

RHP

Dogsaver

Thanks,

I do the kong too but the goof eats the kong! What a bozo! He is only eight months old but I am not patient these days! Puppies are great but dogs are easier when you are already stressed. The best part is he has bonded with my hubby  which the others have always been mine!

They are fun!

dogsaver

hi robin and kuch, hoping you are seeing this. my phone took a dive into the toilet so since i got this phone in may, all my numbers and emails i added since have gone away. its crazy, since i was diagnosed after that, all my doctors numbers are gone too. its like this cancer thing never happened. wierd! anyways i need your emails again. PM me your email addys. how are you healing by the way? mine spots are healing slooowly especially the ones in the cleavage and the very end. i keep hearing the magic time line is 6 mos. chemo slowed my healing but they are getting better. hope you ladies are doing great and i hope anyone getting the 5 day or who had the 5 day will contribute.