September 2010 Rads

jsmiley60

Bubbalu: Hope that it goes away and you can complete your radiation treatments!

Have my first rad tomorrow afternoon. I'll be thinking of the rest of you while I'm up on that table.

dutchgirl6

Hi there kaydub, and welcome also to nwshannon.  Our little group keeps growing, that's great.  The more the merrier.

Shelley, I'm glad that things are starting to fall into place for you.  Do you have a start date yet?  I'm sure that you are eager to get going.

kaydub, here's hoping for no snags, so you can celebrate your birthday rad free!

nwshannon, you're right, this is a great group!  It sounds like you are going to be busy for the next little while.  Make sure you get enough rest, from what I understand, the fatigue from rads can be overwhelming at times.  

bubbalu, I would think that the closest formulation to natural aloe vera would be the best to use, definitely not the one with the alcohol.  Why on earth would they put alcohol in a moisturizer?  That makes no sense to me.  Your journey through radiation land is certainly not a smooth one, is it.  Good for you to try and stick with it, you know that we are here cheering you on.

julia2, you said it, freaky.   I find one of the strangest things is when I am done and the techs say "see you tomorrow".  My first reaction yesterday was, no, I'll see you in three weeks.  It seems odd to be going in every day.

BocaCiegaBabe, glad you survived the drive home through Hermine.  You were smart to ask about the difference in times under the machine, the last thing you need is more exposure than you are supposed to get.  I am a stomach sleeper too, and I never even thought about possible difficulties from the rads.  Great, another reason for not getting a decent night's sleep .

DMS, I was also told that I would be xrayed weekly, but because of the positioning issues this morning, they had to xray me three times!  At first I was a bit concerned, but then I figured that even three xrays wouldn't have the same amount of radiation as the actual treatment, so I calmed down.  I did manage to get over the whole modesty thing by thinking about a woman I know who had to have radiation for cervical cancer.  She is over 80, and if she could expose herself "down there" I certainly shouldn't have any issues with my boob.  

Beth49

Today was radiation # 17 - halfway there. So far; so good; 8:15 am treatment; then I go to work; X-rays once a week; Thursday is "Doctor Day".  Some skin discomfort; just keep using Aquaphor and Euricin.    I'm a lucky one, ILC caught early by my gyn (age 60).  Lumpectomy on June 30, will finish radiation Sept 30.  Oncotype Dx score = 12, so chemo wasn't on the table.  I was glad I didn't sign on to the Tailor Rx study.  Mammosite was an option, I really debated, but at the time I couldn't stand the thought of that catheter being inserted for a week.  Also, I thought the traditional radiation would cover a larger area (not that there's a very large area to cover! ) I've started generic Arimidex for 5 years; was worried about side effects, but so far they are manageable - some joint pain and maybe my hair is thinning, but that could be my imagination.  Already on Actonel for osteoporosis.  My heart goes out to the young gals;  I keep reminding my daugther to do self exams - I never did.....

CT124

Brth49: So happy to hear you are doing well w you rads. I hope I can say that in a few weeks. I did do my BSEs and mammograms and though I was doing everything right and they found mine kind of by accident. I have ILS which gen doesnt form a solid mass and shows up only on MRI, so I have told my daughter and nieces to be proactive and ask for this. It didn'y show up on ultrasound either. I was "lucky" that I had 2 tiny new microcalcifications which were nothing and a very aggressive radiologist who said if it was her she would do the stereotactic bx and they picked up a few stage 2 cells then. I had one area that was 2 cm and multiple other areas and something questionable on the other side and ILC gen goes to the other side so ended up doing BMX.

bubola: sorry to hear of all of the challenges you have. I hope this gets better for you.

melbello07: You made my day when you talked about your hair coming back. Haven't lost it all-really really thin, lost most but still have eyelashes although they are getting thin and eyebrows. Can't wait to see it again.

sespebadger sorry to hear about the funny sensations. This is one of my worries-both lymphadema and neuropathy. I have a friend who had severe neurop. a few years after her treatment and is now trying acupuncture and its seems to be helping. She had no lymphodema. I'm keeping this in mind if I need it for the future. I will be interested in hearing what your doctor recommends.

I have to say that while I never wanted to be battling this disease, the one good thing that I have experienced is the amazing, generous,supportive women on these discussion boards who understand what we all are going through and who share their experiences. I have learned more from the women here and it is nice to know that we all get frustrated or angry or discouraged or anxious at some point on this journey and that it is OK.  I had another friend come up to me today and tell me I looked great and didn't look like I had cancer. What is cancer suposed to look like? Thank you all for being there!!!

Deb

dutchgirl6

Hi Beth49, thanks for the input.  You must be excited to be halfway there, it sounds like you are firmly entrenched in the routine.  Are you working full time?  How is that going, are you feeling more tired than usual?  I sometimes worry about going back to work next week, if it will be too much.  I work in retail and I have to be on my feet most of the time.  Hopefully starting back with part time hours will help. 

Jeanne, good luck with your first treatment tomorrow.  

sespebadger

I am watching for signs of neuropathy and lymphedema too. My thumbs are feeling better today. Maybe I'm on the computer too much?

When people tell me I'm looking great it always seems funny to me. If they could see my chest they might not say that! I TRY to feel great as much as possible and as often as possible. And when I feel tired or sore or achey I try distraction!

julia2

Does anyoneelse lay there wondering what will happen if they move, sneeze, breathe deeply?  Does anyoneelse have a strange urge to move, pretty much just because you're supposed to lie still?  I think i'd be fine if I could turn my brain off :-)

Julia 

KaeB

Hi, new to message boards. Had BC about 10 yrs ago. Did chemo but no rad. Everything fine until last yr. DX again with BC this time with 1 node involved. Triple neg both times. Did chemo again last yr. This time only 8 months between but have a reoccurrane in the inner mammary gland. did chemo a third time earlier this year (Apr) and just had my first week of rad. So far the skin is doing ok. Using Eucerin and was told to get Pro Shield (not rx but pharmacist had to order it) for at night.

swiftbird

julia2, OMG I totally was thinking that today.  I caught myself doing a heavy sigh today and just then the "Beam On" light came on and I was like "oh geez, figures..." and started wondering.  They're doing xrays on me too... staying in that position for so long, I also found myself wanting to move or cross my legs, just BECAUSE.  Funny the things we think of in midst of this. 

Doctors gave me aloe vera (like 98% or something) today.  I ordered Jean's Cream this week though and waiting for it to come in... have ladies I know who have gone through rads recently swear by it.  Using aquaphor until it comes in. 

Very curious to hear from you gals who are further along this month - I am working full time (I worked through chemo) so anxious to hear about fatigue.  My two biggest worries: lymphodema and fatigue. 

MelBell07

Hi All!

Yesterday's rad treatment seemed different to me than the one before as well - quicker. It had concerned me. I talked to the techs afterwards, who told me that once a week they do the x-rays and that's why it takes longer sometimes. Phew!

Anyone else with pets finding their hair in the Aquaphor?? Everytime I wake up I'm finding my cat's hair stuck to my breast! It's somewhat annoying but also kind of funny.

Since I've started working again, people keep telling me how "great" I look. Ugh...if they only knew how I looked underneath my clothes!! Major fatigue hasn't really hit me too hard yet. My doc told me the 2nd or 3rd week is when it usually kicks in. I'm also nervous about that as well.

Hope you all have a great day! </p>

bubbalu

KaeB:  Welcome to the thread, you'll like it here!  I too am TN.  Did the neoadjuvent tx and a LMX.  I'm sorry to hear of the reoccurence.  May I ask did you opt out of rads the first time?  I've been told that rads will lower my reoccurence from 30% to 10% but I'm having a devil of a time tolerating the rads.  I'm very sensitive to them and get burns outside the rad area.  Only got 4 out of 33 done then had to break for 2 wks.  Told I was my situation is rare!  Going to try again Monday. Congratulations on completing a week of rad tx.  Eucerin is good and so is Aquaphor (made by Eucerin). 

dutchgirl6

Hi KaeB, welcome to the group.  I'm sorry that you are dealing with another recurrence, but I am glad that you found this site.  There is so much information and support here, I don't know if I could have gotten through the past six months without it.  How are the rads going so far?  Do you feel that you have recovered from the chemo yet?  I hope that you will be able to give yourself some time off once the rads are behind you.  It sounds like you have had a stressful couple of years behind you.

Swiftbird and Julia2, each time I am lying on the table, and the techs leave the room to hide behind their 12inch thick door, I get an itch.  It's usually my nose, but today it was my back.  I wonder if it is a subconscious reaction to knowing that I can't move until the machine is done.  It's a real exercise in self control.

I was wondering why radiation causes fatigue, so I asked Dr. Google.  Apparently, nobody really knows, but it is thought that it is partly because cancer treatments destroy healthy cells, and the body is trying to rebuild them.  So, in order to help this along, it was suggested that a healthy diet and drinking lots of fluids, especially water, can help to reduce fatigue.   Hydrating from the inside can also help with skin irritation.  It's one of the things that my rad techs told me.

Have a good day everyone.

forwardbyfaith

So glad I found this board.  I just got my BRCA results back yesterday and found out I don't have to have a double mastectomy or ovaries removed.  Words cannot describe my relief!  I do know I have to have radiation and am waiting on the Oncatype test to see if I need chemo.  If I need chemo does anyone know if they do chemo or radiation first?  Although it is sad to see so many on this board, it is great to know I have others who are going through the same thing.

maranatha

Julia 2 -  Yeah, it sucks having to lay there so perfectly still.  My nose sometimes itched.  Just had to ignore it.  But one time I had to cough.  Couldn't help it.  The techs called into me and said it was okay to cough....straight up theysaid.....just don't move my hands.  Great. The radiation happens so fast you would think we could just lie there but I'm sure our brains get us going.  Good luck.  Glad mine is at last over.  Now if I can just get through five years of Femara.

shells43

Hi Kaydub

Yes we will definitely be close together on schedule. Let's keep each other posted on how things are going.

Dutchgirl6 - thanks for the head's up about the x-rays. I might ask about that too so I can plan my time better (for work).

Bubbalu - you are one tough cookie, you go girl!

All -I had a box drawn on me in red marker yesterday and one corner sort of goes up into my arm pit a little bit. Before this I had asked the Rad Onc about my nodes (axilla) and he said he would not irradiate those since the SNB was negative. But still it looks like the box he drew goes up there a little bit. Did anyone else have this experience? I guess I will confirm on Monday that they are NOT zapping my nodes, just to be sure.

Shelley

MelBell07

forward: Congrats on the great news!! I was negative on the BRCA as well, but still opted for a double mastectomy. But yes, I was SO relieved to not have to worry about other factors.

As far as I know, radiation is usually at the end of treatment. I believe chemo usually occurs first, and then it is followed by radiation. At least, that's how it happened for me, and how my doctors explained it.

dutchgirl6

Hi forwardbyfaith, glad you found us.  What a relief that must have been to get your BRCA results.  I am still on the fence about having that testing, but I have an extensive family history, so I should probably pursue it.  My sister, who was diagnosed last year too, had the test done, and it was negative.  If you need chemo, you will most likely have that before you start radiation. 

I think that they do rads at the end so you can lie down and rest.

Shelley, definitely talk to your doc about the location of that red box.  You don't want then zapping those nodes if they don't need it.  I am not having any rads to mine, and I was node positive.

rcca

Kaydub, I was told the reason the radiation extented a little under my arm was that the breast tissue has a tail and they want to get all of the breast tissue. I was node negative also.

RCCA

jsmiley60

Well I made it through my first rad treatment! I didn't know I was going to have my breathe that long - 30 seconds - ugh! I"ll have to practice...lol!

Yes I agree that they usually do chemo first, then radiation. In my case I had chemo first, then surgery, then rads.

Only 35 more treatments to go! Ladies, lets kick cancers butt!!

LisaSec

Hello, Ladies! I went back to my rad onc yesterday and he agreed to do my simulation. I will start my treatment on Wednesday next week. I'll undergo 33 sessions with my last session on October 29th. I'm one step closer to the finish line.

BocaCiegaBabe

jsmiley, I think your techs forgot to tell you you can breath.  Happily, mine said it, or I'd have been holding my breath too, just like for the mammos, but it's OK to breath with these...at least that's what mine said!

caltex_catlady

dutchgirl6, I'm on a similar schedule. I go back to work on Sept. 23. I'll have 6 more rads treatments at that point. I haven't had much fatigue yet, so I'm hoping it won't be too bad. I've been off since Feb., though, so I wonder what my endurance will be like. Luckily, my job is pretty much all at the computer.

CT124 and Beth49, I'm another ILC gal. Even if we're vigilant, it's hard to screen for this, but I'm glad we've all found ours and can take action.

MelBell07: I laughed when you mentioned finding cat hair stuck in your moisturizer. I get cat hair in my eyes and everywhere else. I'll keep an eye out when I use Aquaphor.

Karen

jsmiley60

Yeah they told me to hold my breath several times and it took forever for them to say breathe! lol!

CELinVA

LisaSec - I'm starting one day after you, this Thursday morning. 

flopsy

Hi, rad pals,  I am going for simulation and to set up 1st rad tx 9/20.  Was hoping to move faster but my center seems slow to get going.  Had 1st rad onc visit on Tuesday and CT planning on Wed.   So at least that is done.  I am going to order the Jeanscream this wk so I will have it when needed.   I am using cocoa butter on my scars for now and seems to be doing well.   Please add me to your list for Sept rads.   Good luck everyone and I am thinking good thoughts for all.  Finished chemo 4 wks ago.

kaydub

Shelley, I didn't get a red box. I guess it's done differently with each doctor or center. I'm like you, they would not come near my nodes!

 I did get marked on my non-cancer side just below my rib cage.  Did anyone else get marked like this?

I don't know why, but I'm getting nervous to start my txs next week.  I was scared to death to start chemo but made it through.  I'm sure hoping the radiation is a lot better than going through chemo. I guess this is normal to feel this way.  I know I will be okay...thanks for letting me vent.

 You ladies are all awesome and I'm glad to able to share our adventures together.  Hang in there, this too shall pass.  :-)

Love and prayers to all,

Karen

MelBell07

Kay: I got marked on my non-cancer side too. The doc told me it's just so they can line you up the same way each time. I was nervous that they were going to radiate where I didn't need to be! She assured me that they weren't and it was just a marking to help them each day So far, radiation has been much better to me than chemo. The only bad side so far has been making the trip each day.

Dawn46

Hello Ladies,

I saw my radiation oncologist for the first today. Everyone at the center seems really nice and they will work with me around my work schedule. The center I picked is only 1.5 miles from my work location. Simulation is on Monday the 13th and then 33 treatments begininning on Monday 9/20. Unfortunately I was not a candidate for the MammoSite. They said because I had chemo 1st that knocked me out of the running for the mammosite. It sure would have been nice to complete this part of the journey in 5 days versus 5-6 weeks! Hope the time speeds by like it did during chemo.

forward-I had my surgery, then chemo & now radiation.

Bambaloos

Hello...........please add me to the September rads list - I start on Monday 09/13/10.  I had my CT scan and tatts done this week and have been told I will be doing rads for 7 weeks (5 days a week).  I have been told Emu Oil is the best for healing the skin - I purchased some online and will let you all know how it works.  I am a little apprehensive about radiation, but have been assured it is a piece of cake compared to Chemo.  Wishing all of you good luck with your treatments..............I never thought I would be fat, bald and have tattoos!!! oh well......

kaydub

MelBell, thanks for sharing that you also got marked on the non-cancer side.  I really didn't look at all of the makings until I got home and I saw that one and wondered why in the world why it was there...it does make sense, I guess, for measurements.

How far do you have to travel to get your txs?  How many more do you have?

I'm not even sure how many I will get.  I asked the technician and she said that "33" was the norm. I didn't see the doc at my simulation.  I start with my block check on Monday and I think I will get the first tx on Tuesday.

You are so beautiful in your picture!  Hang in there sweetheart, I have a daughter your age and I'm frightened for her now and always will be.

 Love and prayers,

Karen