January 2011 Rads

suzieq60

I used pawpaw ointment on my nipple last time - it did help. Don't know what you would  call it over there.

sunangel27

Confusion, Confusion, CONFUSION!!!! Arghhhhhhhhhhh.........

 I started Rads on Monday 1/17.  They did an MRI on that day.  Tuesday evening I got a call from my surgeons office to STOP rads!!  WHAT????  Yep, stop rads. The surgeon is going to meet with the radiologist Wed. and then call me back.  Ok, Tuesday night I get another late night call from surgeon's nurse. DO NOT go to rads tomorrow. Surgeon talked to Rad Dr. ok, no rads, but why??

Wednesday I got a call from the Rad Dr. he told me they found another spot (small one) on the mri in the same breast.  *( I had triple biopsy on same breast 12/9/10. Lumectomy to remove three spots and margin on 12/22/10.   LCIS. Well, I was confused about why I would have to have rads for LCIS anyway....but ok, I started on them on reccommendation from rad oncologist. and med. oncologist         Then surgeon talked to rad oncologist on Tuesday....and stopped them.

NOW I have to go to another oncologist on Friday... to talk about what they or I want to do about the new found "spot"........... I am so scared, and so upset and soooo confused!!!
I don't want to go thru another biopsy, another lumpectomy..... maybe I am looking at masc...

The nurse talked to me a bit yesterday and she said that is one reason they stopped the rads.....because if I chose to have masc. that it would be alot harder on a reconstruction! :

Still confuses me.......and I'm scared again. 

walker2222

Sunangel - Huggs and prayers going your way.

Omaz

sunangel - Oh dear, my heart goes out to you!!!  I hope you get some answers soon. 

No rads for me today, server was down and they didn't know when it would be back up.  Will tack on an extra tx.

jo1955

Sunangel - Gosh girl friend - my heart goes out to you.  Wish I could be there to give you a big hug. I hope you get some answers real soon.

Sherryc

Sunangel I will be praying for you.

Blossom-I too have had nipple soreness since the beginning.  I also exercise alot and run.  My RO suggested that I get silicone nipple shields.  I purchased them at the mastecomy supply place.  I called and they shipped them to me they were about $6.50 for a set.  At first I just used them when I wore my sports bra because that was when it bothered me.  Once I quit wearing my reg bra I wore them all the time so it was less noticible that I did not have a bra on.  They were a life saver for me. Being that they are silincone they stick to the skin without irrating it and keeps the clothe from rubbing.  I have worn them religiousl up until this week and haveing some real problems but I will be finished on Monday if I can just hold out till then.

Elisimo

Looks like I will be joining in the Jan 2011 rads group.  I go see my RO on the 27th to check on the healing from my reconstruction that was done on the 6th.  Hopefully he will to do the simulation then and I will get started by the 31st.  Last time I talked with him we were looking at 35 - 40 treatments, not sure how many will be boosts.  My RO says to use creams and he will give me several different ones to try and find the one I like best.  Friends on other threads highly endorse the use of emu oil 3 - 4 times daily, especially if you have fair skin, like I do. (Friends call me snow white because my skin is so fair.)  You can find the emu oil at health food stores. 

I had 12 rad treatments on my T4 - T11 area of my back a couple of months ago and had a really rough time with it so I am not really looking forward to this, but the sooner I get started, the sooner I can be done.  I have several good creams that I used on my back that worked really well, Eucerin, Aquaphor and Lubraderm all kept my skin soft and were ok with the RO for me to use.  

Joy and blessings, Amy Jo 

Sherryc

I hate to keep whinning but I am in pain.  This raw meat on my chest is worst than natural childbirth. I have taken Darvocet for the last two nights and had to go ahead and start taking it round the clock this morning.  I have a call in to my RO, talked to the nurse but she is not sure these is anything more that can be done because my nipple is in the boost area.  It is not infected or bloody just raw meat.  I told her it looks like ground meat. It is actually my areola that is so bad. Hate having to take pain meds when I am at work as I don't funtion really well with them but boss is gone until next Tuesday and it is quite today for a change.

walker2222

Sherryc - hang in there, hope you get healing and comfort soon.

lestwin

Just got back from the CT similation and it must be a day of problems for us ladies.  It seems I have to see the surgeon a.s.a.p.  The underside of my bc breast is very red and my arm is painful with the vein feeling very hard with knobs in it.  I told the rad doc this 10 days ago and he didn't have much to say except after rads are over with I may need to see a therapist.  I can't wait that long, I only have full use of that arm the other one is pretty useless so I have to use my left one for EVERYTHING.  Can't get an appointment until Monday....he's (surgeon) only there two mornings a week and then I had to push them to let me come then.  I had my marks put on and was told do not shower until the next appt, probably end of next week, hand bath only and do not excersize or anything that may make me sweat!  I hope this is not the start of "more to come".   Sorry, had to gripe, hope those of you that are having problems get them resolved pronto.

Omaz

lestwin - So sorry you having this trouble!  Is it in infection under the breast?

Sherryc -  Can you take a day or two off work to just rest and take care of the breast?

Sherryc

mjbmiller and Omaz-thanks, and Omaz I may just have to take off work.  I feel bad because I am the only one in the office, if I am not here we shut down.  I have volunteers that come in the afternoon to answer my phones and just a a body here for people that walk in.  Depending on how I feel in the am I may just stay home.  I know my boss would be fine with that it is just that I hate doing it.

lestwin

No, it doesn't seem to be an infection as it is not hot, just red and not painful except the lower part of my arm is when I stretch it out.  I am praying that it is NOT LE.

Sherryc

lestwin have they mentioned anything about cording?  I don't know much about it but you can google it and I think there is info here on BCO.  I have read a few people talk about it on the threads

Omaz

lestwin - Do you have LE services in your area?  It might be worth a consult even if it isn't LE, just to get an initial evaluation and if they have any suggestions for you.

Sherryc - Just a bit of time to heal.  By the way, your doggie in the picture is so cute!

jo1955

Sherry - My dear friend - I am sooo sorry you are in such pain.  I know the end is in sight and it has been a lengthy experience but just a couple more days.  Even though you want to be done so badly, I can't believe your rad onc did not stop treatments until your skin had a chance to heal. And I also can't believe he let it get this bad.

lestwin - Sorry you are having troubles - hope you get answers soon. 

saturn

Sherry- I feel so bad for you, that must be awful pain.  You're almost there though!  Just keep focused on that.  I hope you get some rest and relaxation over the weekend!

oakley

HUGS to you Sherry, but gentle ones.

oakley

lestwin - hoping that whatever is going on will be diagnosed and treated quickly.

raincitygirl

Sherry - feel better fast.  I hope you are now feeling some relief.

rachel5738

#9 completed today--feeling pretty good--no skin issues but my arm is a little achey. When I mentioned it they said it is more than likely the strange position that I am in with my arm than the radiation. Today, things took longer as they did the pictures and the planner wasn't 100% happy with the positioning on my axilla area--they said it was perfectly fine for the radiation but they knew that it could be perfect. Glad to hear they are watching things very carefully.

Sherry--Sorry to hear about your skin problems---sounds horrible--here's to a speedy recovery! You are not whining at all. 

Lestwin--Hopefully you get some answers soon--the good news is that they won't do radiation unless absolutely sure and confident about your skin/area.

suzieq60

sunangel - maybe your LCIS was pleomorphic - they don't do rads for normal LCIS that's for sure. Your profile says HER2+ - is that correct?  You sound like me with lots of spots in the one breast. Only 1 of my 3 MRI spots was a cancer - the other two were ADH. I had 2 lumpectomies on the same day.

Let us know what happens.

((((HUGS))))

Sue

cmf

sunangel, so sorry.  Hope  the docs come up with a good plan for treatment

Sherryc

Just two more to go.  My RO is trying to work with me he gave me the option if I want to take a break I can but I really just want this over with.  I will see how I feel in the morning, if I think I can handle it I will do it and hope that the weekend break will give me some comfort and then Monday it will be over with.  They also gave me the option to put a shield on half of my nipple and areola. I tried but they have to use lead and it was too heavy and hurt so I did the tx without it.  The rest of my skin looks really good.  The first blister area has cleared up the second area I was worried about I managed to not get blisters after all.  I creamed and creamed. If I can just suck it up and get through this.  The lidecaine cream does help it just numbs me up (not all the way but does help) so I don't feel but I have to put it on often.  I am now taking pain killers 24/7 to try to manage the pain which helps the most.  I think I may just stay home from work in the am so I can go topless until I go in for my treatment.

Thanks for all your support.

lrr4993

Gosh, sunangel, that really stinks.  Why on earth did they not do the MRI earlier so that your treatment was not interrupted?  Did you have one after diagnosis?  I hope you get everything worked out!  Finished no 9 today.  My skin seems to be better today than earlier this week.  But the aching is worse.  I also have a pain between my shoulder blade and spine that could either be from sitting at the computer all day at work or not wearing a bra for the last 3 weeks.  I hope it is nothing really bad.  Every ache and pain scares me to death these days.   

julie_dee

Gentle hugs and prayers for Sherryc, sunangel, lestwin and any other woman on this journey who needs them!  You can do it...breathe deep and hang in there.

Barbcard2

Help! Just when I thought I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, I discovered a bright red rash under my left (good) breast.  Can rad waves go astray, spread from one side to the other?  Am down to two boosts, haven't had the full breast zaps for nearly a week now.  Anyone else experience this? This morning I was advised only to use Domebro, the poison ivy "soak."  Maybe I've been using it TOO much, messy as it is.  A bra is just a memory now.  

Sherry--We seem to be on the same schedule and feeling similar painful SE.   I also have had to resort to painkillers, like tylenol with codeine.  Here's cheering for both of us.  And all the rest of you fine ladies.

heathermcd

Getting ready to start rads. Had to go meet with my plastic surgeon today so that she could take some of the fill out of my expanders. I just have saggy lumps there now. Anyone else have to have the their expanders "unfilled" before starting radiation?

Sherryc

Barbcard--Sorry things are not any better for you but yes we are on the same schedule We will cyber party on Monday. I don't know what is worse the rash and itch I had at Christmas or this areola pain that I have now.  Just ready for it to be over with as I know you are too.

oakley

For everyone who's having a bit of trouble - keep on going...it's difficult but you can do it.  I hope for healing for all of you.