starting radiation

pattibear

ive done chemo,masectomy ,partial reconstruction and in one week start radiation. 6 weeks everyday.what can i expect and what are boosts? also can u miss a week?could someone give me an overall of what toexpect.....thanks

ebann

Will congrats on being done with chemo that is always an accomplishment. For radiation it is a long haul when it is everyday. You can miss one or two days but you cannot be gone for a week. You need to consistant with your rads. You may want to talk to your rads Dr if you are going to be gone and see what they can do but they do not want you to be gone and miss them not good for what they are trying to do. Boosts are just quick high doses of radiation.  Hope that is helpful...Make sure you keep the area moist...Run around without a shirt if you can help to let your breast breath...so wear breathable clothing

pattibear

thanks so much for the info.....it really helped

GmaFoley

To add to what Elizabeth said - i found some tank tops with a shelf bra in kmart the other day and they are very comfy - I was having trouble with my breast swelling and the tanks help greatly!

I start rads tuesday so we will be close in treatment - Good luck and breathe- we will both get through this

msjag

Pattibear,  I am 1 month post rads, and feeling/doing pretty well.  I was faithful in using aquafor three times a day, even during work hrs, and used pure aloe or aloe plant twice a day.  Aired out armpit/breast when I got home from work for at least 1/2 hr.  

Rad oncologist did have many of the women that I had rads with, stay home for a week at a time, if they were getting very red/blisters during treatment.  They had to add days on.  I had a couple of already sched. onc/md appts and could not miss them, so I did have to skip a few rad treatments, just added on.  If you have plans, just talk to them, its not ideal i'm sure, but I don't see why they couldn't work with you. 

I wore mens t/shirts/tank top style most of the time, when I started getting color, 4 week, I wore larger size bra, loose straps over the t-shirt to keep the underside of breast from touching skin to skin.  Good luck, hope you do well, don't anticipate, just take things as they come, you may sail right through rads, feels like a vacation compared to most people who have had chemo. Check out previous threads on rads, lots of info.