December 2011 Rad

LuvRVing

YaYa - I am glad your RO is taking good precautions and letting you heal before proceeding.   You sure don't need an infection at this point.

I hope everyone has a good weekend and enjoys some healing!

Southamptonmom

Well, it isn't me without a complication! I have radiation phayngitis and esophagitis. Started having problems swallowing. Food wouldn't go down and would come right back up. Though it was just because of how tired I was, so went to bed, got up and took my morning meds and they got stuck! I was struggling to breath at first, then was able to breath, but couldn't get the pills to go down for an hour and a half. I ended up in the ER, then the OR. My throat is swollen almost shut, and I scaped the hell out of it. They told me soft and pureed foods until I'm done rads. REALLY!?!? I am going to compile a list of complications I have had. I've had enough. I want to be done.

kennylynne

O.MG As if we can handle more hey???? hang in there one day at a time you will get through this Hang on Southamptonmom.

pebee

Oh, that sucks..... Did you call your RO?

Southamptonmom

I did see the RO before I went to the GI doc yesterday, and saw him again today. He's not stopping rads. This sucks.

sandy115

 Southhampton I am sorry you are having to go through this complications seem to be ongoing.The RO dont seem to stop radaition for complications my neck is purple and started opening up I was just given cream TG its the weekend time to recover then 3 more Rads to go I was doing wonderful untill yesterday.Hope everyone else is doing okay and have a great weekend Ladies.

Anita333

Southhampton & Sandy 115 - I so sorry that you have to go through all this. Did you try to use Aloe Vera on the skin? That's all I used and it seemed to help me. 

Hope you're healing well during the weekend 

LuvRVing

(((Rose))) - remember, you are in the driver's seat with treatment.  Might be time for a serious discussion with your doctors about the true benefit of any further treatment vs. the SEs.  I hope things improve over the weekend.

Hang in there, Sandy!

shelley2011

Rose, all I can say is Geez, I thought I was the Queen of the obscure side effects!!  I am so sorry you are going thru all of this.  Hang in there and know that we are all praying and rooting for you.

Sandy, I hope the weekend gives you a break and some healing.  3 more to go.  3 more to go.

sandy115

I couldnt go for rads today the pain on my neck and 2 scars is so sore.My neck is starting to open up and is weeping.I got some sort of sulfer cream from RO but it is not helping.Does anyone have any sugestions  I only have 3 rads left I and really want to finish.The RO said its my call I dont want to quit I want to say I did everything possible.

LuvRVing

(((Sandy))) I don't think there's much else you can do that will give relief in the next couple of days.  I finished on 1/12 and I still have some raw spots - delayed reactions are normal.  I hope you can come to terms with whatever you decide. 

YaYa5

sandy, i've tried many things for my radiation burns and honestly, i think aquaphor has helped the most.  i know it's very greasy and it's hard on the clothing that touches it, but i've found ways to protect the blistered areas and the clothing.  still, i had to take a week off from rads for some healing.  my RO prescribed an antibiotic (keflex) and i think that helped a bunch, too.  good luck to you.  

sandy115

Luvrving thank you and yaya5 I did not know that you can take a week off and go back I know I had christmas off 4 days but i thought that 5 days was the max I will ask that tommorow when I see the RO also I will try the aquaphor @ the this point who cares about the grease or the clothing the pain is horrible I will do anything right now for relief cant believe  how fast this happened 5 days ago i was fine now my skin is turning black and opened it seems to be getting worse by the hour.  Thanks for the tips .

YaYa5

sandy, i gritted my teeth and went back today although i have open sores.  i'm getting my boosts now and the therapists drew on my boob where the boosts would hit.  (and thanks to luvrving, they used the new pen that has my name on it!!)  the boosts aren't going to hit the worst open sores so i hope after three more, i'll be ok.  did your RO give you silvadene?  it's a very good cream used for 2nd and 3rd degree burns.  my RO won't let me use it except on the weekends because she says it will interfere with the radiation.  i don't know.  i think other women here have used it through rads. definitely use aquaphor.  it's cheap and easily available at any pharmacy or even large grocery store.  again, good luck.  let us know how it goes.

Grimbol

Can you please give me an update on why the pens are a problem?  I know I could go back and find it - but I'm tired tonight (poor excuse) and wondered if one of you would take pity on my and explain it again??  They seem to write/draw on me every time I go and I flinch each time, but can't remember why!  I had an issue with my RO last week as I questioned why they recommended the Udderly cream when it has parabens in it.  She was not very nice about it and claimed to not know anything about parabens and thought I was probably reading an advertisement by a competing manufacturer!!  She said all lotions have a certain amount of questionable ingredients, then she went on to say although she wouldn't recommend it I could try using Aloe (I'd asked if I could), but to be sure I found a pure Aloe, nothing else in it!!  It was not a good visit last Monday!!  My skin is pretty red and sore but hasn't blistered, she thinks it looks great and could be a lot worse - so encouraging.  I wil be so glad when this bit is over.  I haven't enjoyed rads at all.

Grimbol

oh yes, I have now completed 19, so I have 14 to go, including the 5 boosts at the end.

I read more than I post, although I obviously don't take in what I read!!  Thanks for being such a great group, and I am sorry for all of you who are having problems with the skin, the only light at the end is that we will get thru it and survive!!

LuvRVing

Grimbol - the issue with the pens is that my center used the same pen on different people's skin.  So especially if you have open, raw sores, there is the possibility of transferring bacteria from one person's skin to another's. 

Once I brought this to their attention, they stopped using a pen at all (and that was good because honestly it stings more than a little bit).  They have a template and used it to line up the boosts - no need for the marker at all.

Bottom line, for everyone, is make them take a new marker and designate it as yours.  They can put it in a baggie and keep it with your chart. 

And they wonder how infections spread in hospitals???

bgail84

Any time my RO asked if I was using anything on my skin  I would just smile and say no, just doing what you said. Then I would go home and use Aloe (get the pure at Walmarts). He thought my skin was always okay too. It was burned but did not blister. Sometimes we just have to do what we think is best and not worry about doctors. The pens could possibly pass germs, etc. from being used on every patient. You could bring your own. Good luck, Grimbol!! It will end--I am a week out from rads--at one time didn't think it would happen but it does!!

kennylynne

Hang in there Sandy give it a break and see how you feel...... I was done last Thursday and believe me it gets worse. I am very sore and raw and will almost be  a week out. Take advil around the clock and do your stretches its very important. Hoping you are feeling better

Lacey12

Bgail84...I got a kick out of your feigned compliance. When I first started rads, I had a few discussions with my RO about what to do about my skin care, and she would always end with "in reality I know I can tell you what I'd like you to do but know that you may well go home and do whatever you want. I did use her recommendation of the Aquaphor and tho I hated it's greasiness, it did keep my skin in fairly ok shape...was just getting to the bubbly yucky state when I completed whole breast rads and moved on to the boosts, which for some reason didn't seem to be as harsh, even tho specifically targeted. Tho I'm three weeks out and still have a pretty bad burn on that small area. The rest resolved quickly, actually during the boosts. It did seem that rads would go on forever, but now that I'm out, I so much more appreciate the renewed freedom of not having to race out to the center immediately after work. What a relief!

kks_rd

Today was radiation treatment #21 out of 33. I wasn't able to get treated yesterday because the machine was down. Between the holidays, the migraine I had one day, and days when the machine was down, I think I've only had one week where I've actually made it all five days of the week! This is starting to feel like it's taking forever!!! I can feel a little resentment about the (almost) daily grind creeping in. I'm getting a bit grouchy; I just want to be done already.

What's worse is... I think most people are not aware that I'm still in treatment. That kind of makes sense, since I have ditched the scarves and no longer look like a cancer patient. I was in a meeting today, one that I had to excuse myself from in order to walk to the hospital for my daily rads. I said - a little too loudly - to the person next to me that it was "time to get cooked." (I know, I know, not at ALL a professional thing to say. See what I mean about being a wee bit resentful?) Anyway, it got some strange looks and that's when it occurred to me that most people in the room have no idea what the heck I'm talking about!

sandy115

Thanks Kennylynne I did see the Dr today and he said it was'nt a good idea to take time off for rads.He said that a 3 day weekend was to much so I went ahead with getting my 23 treatment  today only 2 more to go.He did give me tylenol 2 with codeine and said it was bad but I should not get infection.Hope you are feeling better real soon from the burns.

Grimbol

Has anyone doubled up on their tx's?  I am considering having the boosts together with the last 5 tx's, there would have to be 6 hours inbetween.  The reason being my dad is very poorly in England and I would like to be able to be there, but obviously I can't in the middle of tx.  I talked to my RO yesterday and she called me today to say they could do this, depending on if my skin could cope.  I am very red and sore now but no blisters etc yet. 

Any thoughts from you wonderful and wise ladeis?

michelleo13

Well ladies. I am done!!!!!! The computer went down right before my treatment today and I had to wait a half hour.  AARGH!  Then, the gate in the parking garage was broken and no-one could get out. They really made me wait for my freedom!! LOL! On the way home from the hospital, I went to the mall and treated myself to some new clothes at my favourite store. Oh, it feels so good to be done! Now, life can start to return to normal. Will be talking to the ONC at my appt on Feb 7 to see when I can go back to work.

kennylynne

Congrats Michello!!!  How is your skin holding up???

Woody53

I have 4 days of treatments left. My RO told me that if you talk to 10 oncologists you will have 10 differeing opinions of what to use. He recommended Lidex & Aquaphor. I LOVED the Lidex and felt it really helped with the redness but stopped using the aquaphor (it seemed like Crisco to me) I use "My Girls" cream. The biggest problem that I had was a VERY intense burning feeling in my breast. I did research an used LINDI Skin Cooler rolls. This product has been an absolute godsend for me other wise the "heat" that I felt would have been so uncomfortable that I don't think I could have worked.

LuvRVing

Yay Michelleo!  Shopping is so therapeutic, isn't it!!!

Hang in there, Woody!  You're almost there.

michelleo13

Thanks ladies! My skin is doing quite well. I have one large dry area just below my armpit and a few dry patches on my upper back. I'm using the Glaxal Base Cream twice a day.

kks_rd

Happy for you Michelleo13!!

Today I did what I can only assume was a simulation for my boosts.  They did all kinds of positioning, xrays, and I have two new temporary X's covered with stickers.  

I also had a visit with RO who, when she saw my skin, asked me if I'm *really* a redhead because I'm holding up so well.  My response was to ask her if they were *really* giving me the right doses!  My nipple is very sensitive and dry but the skin in still intact.  I also have some dry spots elsewhere but again... not too bad... yet.

She gave me a sample of miaderm cream, which I've heard about on this site.  Anyone here have experience with it?  All she told me is that it's one of the latest and greatest ones and that a little bit goes a long way.  By the way this is the first cream I'll be using - RO didn't want me to use anything until it was time - so all I've done until today is Tom's deodorant, cornstarch around the bra line to minimize chafing and absorb moisture.  I did buy aquaphor but so far have only used it on my wintertime hands!  So who the heck knows.

I guess I can start counting down a bit.  Only 10 to go including my boosts....

Anita333

Congratulations Michelle!