Starting rads this week and scared

Hope60

Hi all - I will be starting radiation on Wednesday.  Wasn't too worried about this.....after coming through chemo (DD AC+T) I felt I was over the worst part ...but now I'm feeling total panic about starting radiation. I came thru chemo without too many problems & have heard this will probably be  easier.....but I keep thinking maybe I'll be the one who has more problems with rads than chemo.

Can anyone tell me what to expect?  I'm going back to work during rads (took time off for chemo) so I'm very worried about the fatigue....how bad is it?  Also concerned about skin burns.  Any info would be great.  Thanks!!!!

 

Smile_On

For me radiation was easier than chemo.  Think of it as a slow build up of fatigue and general soreness/tightness in the breast/underarm area whereas chemo was a rollercoaster of feeling really horrible, okay, and then pretty good, and then horrible again.

 My skin did pretty well until the last couple weeks of radiation.  It was still manageable, but I definitely was wearing super soft t-shirts against my skin (Jockey at Kohl's has great ones that aren't too pricy).  I also tried not to stretch that arm too far the last week at my rad. onc's advice as I was having a lot of skin tearing.

Ask your rad. onc or nurse what you can put on the burn to help.  Mine told me I could use plain, clear, aloe gel up to 2 hours before radiation.  I also used hydrogel that they gave me after radiation and before I went to bed.  In the last week when I got pretty sore I used Neosporin plus which has some topical pain meds in it.

Good luck!

Eloise

There's a thread a few below this one (right now, anyway) about "tell me how bad is radiation?" which you should check out.  Also, in the next day or two there should be a thread called "February 2011 Rads" for people starting radiation then.  I can't tell you anything much because I'm only on #6 of 25, but so far it's easy.  Good luck!  

oakley

Hi Hope,

I can't compare rads to chemo because I haven't had chemo, but I started rads in the beginning of January and have had 20 treatments so far.  I had no side effects to complain about except for mild fatigue and the past week I've become very red.  I've been putting aquaphor on once or twice a day and just started to put on hydrocortisone 1% for a tiny bit of itchiness.  I have 3 more regular treatments left and then 7 boost treatments.  There's a January 2011 rads thread you should look through because you'll see what everyone went/and is going through.  Good luck to you - you will be fine! 

clariceak

I had AC and taxol and rads were a breeze.  No fatigue, in fact I went hiking or walking everyday after treatment.  Typically the worst effects such as peeling or burning happen the last week or after treatment has ended.

There are loads of suggestions on which ointment to apply, but most likely, you will experience some discomfort towards  end similar to a bad sunburn.  One thing that bothered me was by seatbelt crossing against my chest.  You can buy a small pad or pillow so it doesn't rub.

Hope60

Thank you all for responding to my post.  I've been looking through the other threads that were suggested.  Getting the feeling that this will be do-able after all...thanks again!

lakefront

Hope60,  I also start rads after chemo, also dd ac/t, which was pretty easy. I also afraid of rads. Not the skin side effects but the long term side effects. I had a double mastectomy with expanders and I am also concerned about my reconstruction. I only had 2 nodes that had micromets out of 5 and I feel like I am overdoing my treatment. I was told yesterday that my upper back would also get burned, I am freaking out! What is this going to do to my body? Anyway, we will be going through this together. Good Luck to you!

Hope60

Hi Lakefront - You've certainly been through a lot already, and now radiation on top of everything! I had a lumpectomy so I'm not so worried about my surgical site (although my breast is just starting to look normal again, and who knows what radiation will do?) or long term damage to my body. But, we're in the same boat when it comes to freaking out!  I'm trying to tell myself that this is just fear of the unknown. I was in a panic when I started chemo, and even at its worst, it was never as bad as what I had imagined.  I guess each stage of treatment involves a new freak-out Anyway, I wish you the best of luck!