December 2010 Rads

Barbcard2

First of 32 rads tomorrow (includes boosters.)  Had lumpectomy only 3 weeks ago.  Anxious to get started, but I feel like I'm being treated on an assembly line--or as a slab of meat.  Shameful, esp. since I live in Bethesda, MD close to NIH!  Too late to go elsewhere.  Good luck and gratitude to all of you here.

jo1955

Barbcard2 - Felt the same way.  Rad onc & nurse had the compassion of a piss ant.  Doesn't make it easier.  Too bad they missed the course in bedside manner.  Those that treat their patients like that should be horse whipped - makes me so angry to hear you have to go through that. We have been through enough already and don't need to be treated that way.

Know you will have lots of love and support here.  We will help you get through this no matter what

Good luck tomorrow and I hope the staff turns around. 

Barbcard2

Thanks. Worst case, I'll have to put up with the icy, brusque staff, but I'll certainly make them aware of their rudeness if/when it comes up again.  And when it's all over, I'll certainly report my feelings to those in charge of this (highly regarded!) cancer center.

jo1955

Barbcard2 - Don't let them get away with it if they don't get their act together. Cancer patients should not be treated that way.

I have sent in a detailed account of my crappy experience and am just waiting for a response.

Keep us posted.

rachel5738

Question about CT simulation: I am due to have mine on Dec 22nd--is it like a regular CT but just on the breast or do they CT scan you all over upper body? Just curious if it is like a regular CT?? My RO also has the personality of a piece of wood--yesterday, I had appt for some post-chemo side effects and the nurse told me to make sure that I don't take no for an answer from him if my skin starts acting up. When I met him last, I told him that I was worried about my skin as I am so pale and he said that is "old wives tale" and the paleness of your skin won't mean that you will burn or have bad experience--getting information from him is like pulling teeth so I am not looking forward to the next 6 weeks.

michelekb

Hello again everybody. I have my third treatment today. The treatments have been ok so far. The worst part of the treatments is how cold I get in the room.

When I had my initial visit with my RO, I thought he was great. He spent a lot of time and answered all of my questions. Yesterday I had my weekly visit with him and was pretty put off. He breezed in and out so fast. He did not even shut the door when he came in the exam room. If he does that again I will call him on it. I hope it was just because I have just started treatments and there was not anything to really talk about. I hope he is better next week. I get very irritated with doctors. They are making a lot of money off of our cancer. It seemed they could be interested in us and not just rush us through.

I am using Miaderm cream. I asked the RO office about creams. They recommend Jean's cream, but I am more impressed with Miaderm. They only mentioned cream when I asked. if I had not brought it up they wouldn't have said anything.

I hope everyone has a good week with their rads. We will get through with this!

GIJan

Thanks for your kind words, Jo. Everything I read says 6-8 weeks is the optimal time for radiation effectiveness after surgery. I am looking at 3 months out and can't help but wonder if I'm wasting my time since I don't get a recheck on the latest delaying infection until Friday. The earliest I could start rads would be Dec. 13 and that would be to reSIM the area. Waiting is the worst part. Thanks again.

jo1955

GIJan - The time frame is okay.  The rads will still be effective.  Don't worry my dear.  Everything will be just fine.  The waiting is the worst part and once you actually start, you will fall into a routine.

rachael5738 - The CT scan is just on the breast that is going to be radiated.  The scan is used in the planning process to make sure the vital organs are not going to get zapped.  My rad onc had the personally of a piss ant - so I can feel your frustration,  He would look at my skin from across the room like I had some kind of a disease.  Wouldn't let me use creams of any kind until I was an itchy, burnt mess.  I am light skinned and it does have something to do with it.  Don't care what he tells you.  Everything you are going through sounds like what I just went through.

michelekb - Sounds familiar.  My rad onc would breeze in and out so fast, I didn't have time to ask questions.  He would be out of sight before I could get the words out.  Make him stay still until you have asked questions and gotten satisfactory answers.  They are charging us big time for rad tx.  I have seen some of my insurance papers and I was totally shocked at the amount that was billed.  I didn't think I would buy his next house and new car.

rachael5738 & michelekb - I am sending this out to you and just know you both have a lot of support here.  You will be through this.

rachel5738

Thanks Jo---appreciate your advice and help for sure--this is a whole brand new thing for me--another thing to learn.

Tg5471530

Well I thought I would be starting Rads today since they already did the tattoos and CT scans last wk, but I was wrong.  They had to readjust things so they had to do more scans, but thankfully no more tattoos.  They promised me I would start tomorrow.  After reading all you your post about the staff at your treatment places, I am really glad mine are nice.  Also, I tried Tamoxifin and had a bad reaction.  Last wk the MOncol. took some bloodwk to see if I was in perminent menopose from chemo.  Well today my results for 2 tests showed I was post-menoposal.  I am only 36 too.  This is usually a bad thing, but for me this means that I may not have to have my overies out after all, Yippie!

JulieH

Barbcard2: Looking at your diagnosis, looks like we have similar situations -- I'm just a week behind you in my diagnosis.  Good luck with the rads tomorrow -- hope things get better at the RO's.  I haven't met mine, yet, but I'm hoping my experience is good.  There seems to be lots of support here, though, so at least we can all take heart in that!

jo1955

rachael5738 - Things happen so fast with me, I did not have time to stop and think or do research.  Thank goodness for the internet.  Got educated real quick.  On some things, I still had time to change things but I decided it was best to go with the flow.  I will do my best to answer any questions for you and more importantly, I will be here for support.  Even though I am done with rads, I am going to stay on this thread.  

tammyg - Good luck starting rads tomorrow.  You will do great.  Even at 36, being post menopausal is a goog thing.  Hoping you do not have to go through more surgery and keep the ovaries. 

cmf

Val,   Did your onc suggest no chemo?

cmf

Toni,

  I was just wondering if anyone was from the same area I live in.  I am getting treatment at Bryn Mawr.  Good luck with your treatment.  I know that HUP is a great hospital.

cmf

Tammy,

  This may be a stupid question but what are the tattoos?  My dr never mentioned that word.

colleen

cmf

Michele,

  I haven't gone for the RADS yet, have only met with the rad onc.  Is the room cold because we have to be undressed?  How long are the sessions?

jo1955

cmf -No such thing as a stupid question here.  All questions are important.

The tattoos are used to make sure you are lined up perfectly each day with the machine.  The alignment has to be perfect - don't want to radiate vital organs or areas that are supposed to be in the way.  The tattoos are really small and I know I have to look close to find mine.

The room I went to was typically not cold.  Sometimes I think it is just more torture - LOL.  As far as length of sessions, each person is different.  From set up to off the table, mine lasted 10 minutes. 

susantm

When I have my rads they always offer me a warm towel over my arms while they do the rads--which usually take 5 minutes or less. That warm towel feels great on days when my hands are cold from waiting for the light rail.

Valgirl

cmf - Both my surgeon and Onc said that chemo would not benefit me.    I will start Arimidex in January.   Not looking forward to that.  My sister-in-law had breast cancer 3 years ago. Pretty much the same stats.  She is taking Arimidex and doing fine.    The radiation room where I went was slighly cold.   I was so nervous though that I did not feel it for long.   For anyone who is anxious I suggest listening to a mediation tape before.  I downloaded one from healthjourneys.com.  Used her tapes before when I had trouble sleeping.   Feel free to ask any questions.  

DebbieLynn

Hey ladies, my last tx was yesterday ! I'm relieved and overwhelmed at the same time. My next decision to make is Tamoxifen or removed my ovaries. I have a thyroid issue and the medication for it interacts with the tamox. I suffered for five years with my thyroid and do not want to start all over again. Plus on top of that tamox. itself can cause thyroid issues. I'm abit concerned that my med onco new about my meds and prescribed tamox. to begin with . I also saw my endocrinologist, told him about the tamox. and he didn't not mention anything about drug interactions either. I found this info out when I had the silvadene filled and asked the pharmasist for a print out on Tamox. I see my gyn on 12-22 and will tell her all my concerns and hopefully she will know where to go from here. 

Wishing everyone no SE for life ! 

jo1955

DebbieLynn - Congrats on finishing tx.  Such a good feeling, isn't it?  I hope you get the other issues worked out.

 

Barbcard2

First rad this morning. Took longer than I thought because they added a couple of x-rays, but otherwise OK.  Closed my eyes as much as I could so I wouldn't see all those steel contraptions,as if I was trapped under a submarine.  Luckily I'm not claustrophobic.  Good luck to you and all the rest of you splendid women.

Sherryc

DebbieLynn--CONGRATS ON FINISHING RADS and good luck on deciding what to do about Tamox vs ovaries.

Jo-Thanks so much for keeping up with this board.  I can barely get things read before I am off to treatment.  My evenings seem to be busy as well and have not had time to get on and read.

Barbcard2-glad things went well for you today.

 I am on my way out to get tx #6.  So far so good since I stopped my cream immediatly after treatment.  Go figure I would be the one person to have a reaction.  Anyway using it morning and night seem to be OK and using aloe vera right after treatment seems to be working.  So I guess I will stick with that.  Ordered my silicone nipple guards for my sore nipple and DH wanted to know if they came with tassles.  He is a mess.

jo1955

Sherryc - Leave it up to a man to ask such questions.  Good to hear everything is going good.  Sure hope it stays that way.

susantm

Congratulations, DebbieLynn!! I look forward to the day I can post that good news, too. :-)

cmf

Everyone here is so nice and so helpful.  It's a shame than any of us have so much knowledge because we were hit with BC.  I am starting RADS on Tue.  I understand I have to have an MRI or something like that on the first day.  I am claustrophobic so I am more worried about the MRI than the RADS.  I had a liver ultrasound and blood work today, am hoping nothing shows up there.

JulieH

Good luck on the ultrasound, cmf -- hope the news is good for you.

I see the surgeon tomorrow who did my surgery last week and am really hoping that the 1mm margins will be deemed sufficient not to necessitate a re-excision -- especially as I'll be going through the radiation.

 Anyone else have close margins like that and not have to have more surgery?

Barbcard2

Started a poem about rads today; 'The Zapper's head swings back & forth /its steel eyes shooting beams into my flesh/ I clutch the ice-cold handle and pretend I'm on the Coney Island  carousel/but the music is bad, a monotonous whine..."  Just a rough draft.  I'll have plenty of time to add verses.

Meanwhile I feel very cranky tonight.  Anyone suspect that rads can bring on depression?

Sherryc

JulieH-good luck with your appt tomorrow.  HOpe you do not have to have another surger.

Tg5471530

Barbcard2 - I Like the poem.  It looks like the 2 of us will be on the same schedule.  I had my first Rads today too!  After a few more pictures the buzzing started.  I too kept my eyes closed.  I used the time to pray so that I didnt have to stress out about being cold, my arm falling asleep and the itch on my nose, then neck, and nose again.  I didnt feel anything from the rads itself.  But I did notice that my skin felt tighter and a little bit like sunburn.  But I wonder how much of that is actually just in my head.  Good luck everyone!