June-July Radiation Therapy

Anonymous

June-July Radiation Therapy

pejkug3

Started June 28...just a newbie. 

juliet62

well istarted to head for rd clinic when i should have been going to work for a class!

elimar86861

A thread for this topic already exists:

July 2011 rads

(I'm sure there is one for June also, but since that month is over now I just linked you to July.)

Remember, you can always do a search on this site to see if a topic has a thread started already.

Anonymous

Thanks, elimar. I actually started in May and won't finish until July 21st. Hope everyone has a great 3 day weekend!

Anonymous

Welcome pejkug3! It seems like last week that I was a newbie too. People said it would go by quickly and I guess it has. Are you using aloe? I was using Aquaphor, but I changed to emu oil. It's so much cleaner. I keep a small container of aloe with me and dab it on in the changing room after treatment. It seems to keep the burning down. Hope your journey is a smooth one. Let us know. (HUG)

Juliet, we probably passed each other on the road.

Anonymous

I can now tell exactly where I'm being radiated. How? The entire area is deep red with darker red pinpoint spots. THE ENTIRE AREA! I'm seeing the onc tomorrow and I hope he can help. Not looking forward to the blood work though.

juliet62

rohanna i know my skin enjoyed the long weekend!  its red with peeling spots!  definitely piebald

pejkug3

How many days in arou you guys?  I'm just starting out...

What creams, lotions or potions have you used?

tunkylala

I started rad on June 6 and hopefully complete by July 15. I have doubled up several days so I can go on my cancercation (the beach) on July 16th. I finally started to see reddness in my skin over the past week. My areola is getting dark and dry and there is a hypopigmented spot on my breast skin. Other that that no major deal (except being tired). I have not used aquafor yet, but I am using Epicuren Aloe Calming Gel, it seems to really help sooth and remove reddness. I am also on a curcumin study so I am sure that is helping too!!

Anonymous

I'm 24 of 36. I use Natural Brand Aloe Gel and emu oil from GNC. I keep the aloe in the fridge and when I leave for rads, I take a small container and some cotton balls. After treatment, I use the aloe in the changing room. It is soooooo soothing on the burn. When I get home, I put on the emu oil or the Aquaphor. Since the Aquaphor is so greasy, I use the emu oil if I'm going out. The emu oil absorbs a lot easier. Some of us have gotten blisters or a rash on the chest or under the arm/breast and cortizone cream helps that a lot. My aureola is now dark and dry too, so I give it extra Aquaphor. I asked the onc about the spots and he said some would have shown up eventually and the rads just sped up the process. He said some will stay and some will fade. I hope this helps. I've learned so much from these threads and I'm so glad to pass along anything I learned from experience or from the awesome ladies who passed the info to me.

tunky, can you give me more info on the curcumin study?

Sending everyone big (((HUGS)))! We'll get through this!!

tunkylala

Yes! As soon as I started rad I signed up for a Curcumin Study. I am taking 12 pills a day through rad and one week beyond. Curcumin is supposed to help with rad related dermatitis and irritation. So far no dermatitis at all. I have done 22 of 33 treatments. BUT I do not know yet if I got the real deal, or just a placibo.

We will all get through this!!(my smiley face is wearing glasses because of rad..LOL)

Anonymous

tunky, hope you got the real deal. I wasn't offered any studies or trials.

Just wanted to share that since we're supposed to get a lot of protein during rads Special K protein drinks are awesome! I have one for breakfast right before I go to rads. I really like the chocolate. But then again, I would eat dirt if it had chocolate on it. 

Hope everyone is having a good week.

pejkug3

I started taking the Curcumin on my own.  I hope it helps!

Anonymous

Where do you get Curcumin? Is it in capsule form?

pejkug3

Yes, the Curcumin is in capsule form.  I get it at a local vitamin store, but I see that GNC has it as well.

 I figured it's worth a shot!

Anonymous

I'm going to try it. Let's compare results. Thank you !

tunkylala

I only have 7 rad treaments left this week! Doing double today and thursday. I am beside myself with happiness. So far has not been as bad as I thought. I do have fatigue, but it comes and goes. I have described it like having jet-lag, I am fine, then I hit the wall. Still no major burn, just a little red. Started Tamoxifen on Friday...not bad YET. Still on the fence about BRCA testing. Whew. Never thought I would have to face BC at 36. As my sister (who happens to be a 12 yr stage 3 colon cancer survivor) once you have faced cancer, you can handle ANYTHING!

Anonymous

Yaaaayyy, tunky, I only have 7 treatments left too! And they're all boosts! Can't wait to join the after-Rads thread! I am extremely burned and I've been begging for something to put on it for a week. After a sleepless weekend, I marched into the rad's nurse's office today and told her I wasn't leaving until she gave me something! She finally gave me a couple of small tubes of Regenecare. It's lidocaine. But I don't know what to do for healing the burn. The rads nurse acted as if I was taking her firstborn. Is there a sample black market I don't know about? Needless to say, I've been a bear today!

Elizabeth1889

Rohanna,

I am so sorry about your burns.  They sound painful.  Also sorry the nurse was so guarded with her samples.  Your sense of humor never fails to lift my spirits and I am sure other BCers feel the same way.

Sending hugs and healing thoughts your way.  May all the joy you have brought to others return to you. 

GmaFoley

Rohanna - you can use anything called hydrogel or aquaphor after you put on the lidocaine. The RO keeps telling me to air it out.. For pain, I find aleve helps take the burning pain away...I am so sorry your nurse is a pain in the butt!!  Can you go over her head and talk to the RO - my RO is usually more helpful than the nurse.

Anonymous

Thanks, Ladies! I really don't know how I would have gotten through this without you fellow Aquaphor Angels. My RO just keeps saying "Is not the radiation." But I'm only stuck with him and Nurse Ratchett for 6 more treatments. Now for the good news. A lady in the waiting room told me today that she was using Vaseline with Cocoa Butter. I'd never heard of it because I guess it's so new. I asked the pharmacist if she would use it instead of Aquaphor and she said she DOES! Yep, she's a BC warrior too! The pharm said Aquaphor is just Vaseline anyway, but adding the cocoa butter helps heal the burn and the skin! So today, I put on the aloe after treatment, then came home and slathered on the lidocaine and vaseline with cocoa butter. Ahhhhhhh! Has anyone else tried this? It feels so good. Rad tech said the skin under the breast will start peeling off soon so I'll let you know if the vas/cocoa helps with that. Hope everyone has random moments of being blessed this week.

pejkug3

Love this info about the Vaseline with cocoa butter.  I have some of that upstairs!  And I really hate the Aquaphor.  I only use it before bed.

Anonymous

The onc ok'ed the Vaseline with cocoa butter today. Great, I was using it anyway! The onc nurse then asked if I had tried coconut cream? Anyone tried it? Know where you get it? Once again onc refused to prescribe any topicals for the pain of the burn. He said "Will feel better in a couple of weeks when skin falls off." WHAT? I asked him what I was supposed to do in the meantime and he said, "Not so bad, I do this for many years now. I know what is best." If he was this burned, would he be this nonchalant? I think not!   So I called my nurse practioner and she called me in some heavy duty lidocaine gel. 5 more boosts and I'm done. In every sense of the word! Now if I can just hang in with the SE's from the Arimidex. {{sigh}}

pejkug3

I think my RO will be a bit more sympathetic if I fry than yours is, Rohanna.  Geez, what a jerk!

My RO was FLIPPING out on some young scruffy guy today who was taking his father's pain pills that the RO prescribed for rads pain.  The father was the patient and the son was taking his pills for back pain.  My RO was losing it on him.  LOL  But c'mon...what a jerk that son is.  His dad was obviously in pain.

Some people are so self-centered.

Anonymous

pek, I always think I've heard it all, but I stand corrected. A son who would take his father's pain pills while leaving the dad in pain? He should have to spend some time behind bars, but I'll bet he's the Dad's only help. Only consolation is that Karma will kick sonny-boys butt big time!!!

tunkylala

I was instructed not to shave my underarm with a razor (been using mens clippers). Anywho...do any of you know when I can start really shaving again?

pejkug3

I never got the shaving restriction.  I've been very gingerly shaving the entire time.  I had chemo first, so there really isn't much to shave.

tunkylala

I AM DONE! Can I get a whoop whoop!

pejkug3

CONGRATS, tunkylala!!!!!

Anonymous

WHOOP! WHOOP! Yayyyyyy for tunky! I'm 3 behind you! Let's par-tay!!!!!!