March 2012 chemo

lanagraves

RADs aren't bad. Finished mine today. A few burns but nothing unbearable.

kltb04

I am just relieved to have the decision made and a plan in place...the thing is, had I not pushed for the appt BEFORE surgery, they would just have done the TE's as planned and I would have found out later I needed rads.  As it stands now, that is still an option depending on what my PS says (can't talk to him until Monday) but I am really glad I was proactive about it and found out now rather than later.

Alicethecat

Hello Ktlb

Your treament plan is sounding more like mine every day!

Here's hoping your 'lump' is a port issue, just like my lump was a PICC issue.

Best wisehs

Alice 

Alicethecat

Well done Lana!

I keep reading your posts in preparation for my rads.

Congratulations on finishing this part of our journey!

Alice

kltb04

Thanks Alice - as obsessive as I am, I am not really as concerned about it now that I have asked two drs and there is really nothing in the area it could be!  I haven't even called the MO office's scheduler back to see if they have the appt set up.  Figure they will let me know when they do

Oh and another good thing is that I am going to be able to go to the nearest town (about 20 min away from home) rather than the larger city where I go for chemo/BS/MO (about 45 min away)- there is a satellite office here so that will save me TONS of time.

onvacation

kltb- i'm glad you feel better about the port issue, but still would be nice to know!  The worst thing for me with rads is because it was daily.  But now that I'm down to my last one, it went by much quicker than I thought.  I didn't have many SE other than really tired by the end of the week and my boob is very tanned, but no burning or itching so I hope the same results for you!

journey4life

kltb - when I was told I should have rads (33 tx!), I thought that I'd never do it. Every day for 6 weeks? It seemed impossible. But, I finished and the time flew by! I was radiated at 4 different angles and the worst skin damage was under my armpit where I had the ALND. Luckily, I still don't have much feeling there since the surgery. I used the gels and lotion they gave me and now, a little over 2 weeks since I finished, the redness and peeling have disappeared. I have a nicely tanned armpit!

I'm glad to hear your lump is probably a port issue! Whew...

Also, I had rads while having the TEs in. My PS wasn't thrilled about it but I think that's because he wants a perfect result when the implants go in. The tanned skin just doesn't "match" the other side! My RO told me they'd rather radiate with TEs than implants.

lanagraves

The worst thing about RADS really is having to go daily. I was fortunate with mine that the cancer center in right around the corner from my office. That made it easier since I didn't have to drive a long way every day. Yesterday was my last treatment and the burns have begun to heal. I had two relatively large open burns by the time I was finished. I had a couple of days of pretty significant pain and burning with them, but they are healing quickly.

Alice72

Hi Everyone,

I'm getting cLose to the end of rads : 22/25 regular and then 6 boosts. Saw the RO yesterday. My irradiated area is really red like a bad sunburn. The doctor had given me a tube of Radiation-Gel. But n
NOw he wants me to do something I haven't found on the boards before. He wants me to soak my skin with salt water. Ideally, I could do this in the ocean, but then I'd be red all over. So instead, I soak a cloth in a qt of warm water and 2 tbsp regular salt (not Epsom). I place the cloth over my breast for 15 mins 2x /day. I just started yesterday so don't know how effective it is. He swears by it. He's been a radiation oncologist for a loooong time so I trust his experience. Maybe this will help someone else.

onvacation

Hi Ladies!  I'm done!  Rang the gong, did a little dance, had beer!  In that order!

Hope everyone has a great night! 

KCB

Alice72: my RO also recommends that, they call it a Saline Soak. I'm supposed to boil my water/salt for 15 minutes, and discard it after 24 hours. I think it's supposed to soothe the irritated skin...? I've only done it for a couple of days too, only just started getting itchy!

Alicethecat

Congratulations On Vacation!

Well done!

Best wishes

Alice

Bev_22

Congrats Onvacation and Lana.

Journey4lif:  I have Her2+ so I had chemo before my masctecomy.  I will have a bilateral.  I have invasive ductal and lobular bc.  I am told lobular has a tendecy to move to the other breast.

I have no update other than Onc working with insurance on Xloda approval. That is what he calls the chemo pill I will be taking for a month or two.

kltb04

Bev - so you still don't have a surgery date right?  I am getting crazy nervous about my BMX coming up.

Kim - so happy for you that you are done! YAY!

lana - OW on the burns.  Sounds painful...glad you are finished!

Lisa - I agree with you on the PS - that is what the RO said too - that a PS is going to be concerned with cosmetic result so that is why they are so hesitant about expanding radiated skin but it can be done.  Do they do fills during rads at all or not until after?

Alice72 and KCB - thanks for the info on the saline soak - I would never have thought that would help, interesting!

AlicetheCat - when are you supposed to start your rads?

Alicethecat

Hello Ktlb

I'm being measured up for the rads on Friday September 14 but don't start until October 3. The hospital just can't fit me in until then.

Don't mind at all - hope to hop over to Spain for a few days. Haven't been able to leave the UK for six months and I can't wait to see a bit more sun!

If you're not having immediate reconstruction afterwards, I think you'll be amazed at how well you will feel after a mastectomy. The docs give lots of happy juice - I was bouncing around and walking round the ward so much afterwards they had to ask me to get back into bed.

Hopefully it will be the same for you!

Best wishes

Alice

kltb04

As long as the PS agrees (supposed to hear this afternoon), I will be having the TEs put in at the time of the BMX  - so I will have those issues as well - sigh...

Have fun if you get to get away for a few days!  Wish I could "hop over" to another country, lol!

lanagraves

Good morning everyone. It's been Monday all day - yuck. The burns are healing nicely. The one on my neck is much better. The one under my arm is still open and raw feeling, but it's better than it was. I'm so nervous about my upcoming PET scan, but I am looking forward to three weeks with no trips to the cancer center.

journey4life

Congrats, Kim!

kltb - I had my TEs put in during skin-sparing BMX surgery and while I was on chemo, I had fills. My fills were completed by the time I started rads so my skin/chest wall muscles were already stretched. Hopefully, you can get some fills before you start rads. Would love to hear what your PS says today.

lana - did they give you a bandage pad for under your arm? My RO gave me one that kept my skin from rubbing together and the area healed more quickly. I think it was Mepilex or something like that. 

lanagraves

journey: They didn't give me a bandage, but that sounds like it would be better than open. I may give my RO a call and see what he says.

kltb04

I got the call. Not good. He does not want to do the TEs with the BMX. I think he said that doing it later might be an option but everything I am reading indicates TEs and implants after rads does not yield good results.





The problem is I have already had chemo so there is no time for fills after BMX before rads. I am really upset about it all and thinking of getting a second opinion. But I need to talk to BS first to make sure nothing will change with my surgery date (the surgery date/time was all set up through the PS office. )

journey4life

kltb - my PS wanted to put the implants in before rads but after talking to the RO, we changed up. I had my surgery on 1/31 and didn't start rads until 7/5. Do your MO and RO think you can't wait long after surgery to get rads? Heck, mine were in a hurry to do it as soon as they could after chemo but didn't seem to be in a hurry after surgery!

I would ask RO and MO why rads can't wait until you have your fills and ask PS how successful TEs are after rads.

I HATE CANCER!! 

kltb04

Lisa - RO said no more than 12 weeks after surgery to start rads...

onvacation

I would get a second opionion - can't hurt!  

Cancer sucks! 

lanagraves

Cancer sux. So sorry it's not working out about the TEs, kltb. I can't even bring myself to think about reconstruction yet. It's just overwhelming, all of it. Here I am, in the time I was so looking forward to - chemo is over, RADs are over. I should be celebrating. Instead, I'm still holding my breath, waiting for another PET scan. The closer it gets to time for the scan, the more freaked out I am getting over the whole rib issue. CANCER SUX!!!!!

kltb04

lana - my side/ribs are hurting worse than ever the last few days - I am convinced stress must contribute to the issue - thinking of you as you wait for the scan...

I have been doing caboodles of research over the last few hours and it looks like it really isn't a good idea as far as doing the implants unless you have everything done and expanded before rads. 

This just has me second guessing EVERYTHING I am doing - should I even be doing the BMX?  If I have to have rads anyway, why not just do the lumpectomy?  Ugh, f'in cancer.  I think that is why I broke down today. When I was in chemo, I was doing something, when I got my surgery scheduled, I was doing something.  Even when I found out about rads, I was still taking action/making plans.  Now I feel like I am having to start over in this decision making AND I DON'T WANT TO.  I don't want to have to make these decisions, I don't want to have to have all these surgeries, I don't want to be in the damn position to start with.  Dammit.  I don't want any of us to be going through this and I am so F******* sick of it.

journey4life

Amen, kltb - well said

kltb04

sorry for the rant.  I just get myself into a frame of mind, day to day where this is my normal.  Since I don't work outside the home and am not having to plan around work, etc...this IS my job and what I do and when things are rolling along, I just kind of say "oh well, it is what it is" and then every once in a while I realize the enormity of it all...

onvacation

Rant away kltb!  It sucks and it sucks that we have to deal with this and make decisions that could affect our lives.

I think everyone needs a hug today!  ((HUGS)) 

kltb04

I do...the ironic thing is I had already texted DH about how stressed I was today about the surgery, the recovery so I was on edge anyway.  Then not 2 minutes after the PS called, my NP who found the lump called to check up on me because she had the RO report.  I cried at her for awhile.   She actually gave me another PS guy's name but I looked him up and he looks strictly like he does augmentations and reductions - there was nothing at all about reconstruction on his site.  So I'll pass on him.  Guess this gives me plenty of time to shop around for a PS.

Interesting aside.  DH works with a guy whose wife had cancer years ago and had a local recurrance - so she is opting for a BMX this time - same BS and same PS I use.  She isn't having rads because she had them before - and the PS is doing the implants/TEs on her - he just said he had to take it slow.  So I guess it isn't a total impossibility but from what I am reading it sounds like it often doesn't have good results.

Alice72

Well, Friday I started back on Herceptin after a few weeks vacay. I was surprised when they gave me my schedule of appointments. I thought they had left off some dates. As it turned out, I only have to come in every three weeks for the infusion, instead of weekly. So, then I figured they'd Give me a triple dose. But, no, just the regular dose. I asked my MO if I'd have to make up the weeks I missed. He said no, I'd only get treatment until the year since diagnosis is up. So, happy dance for now.

Right now, he's trying to decide what to do about whether to put me on Armedex (sp). I am 1% ER+. Some oncologists believe even 1% + warrents treatment. Others feel 10% is sort of the cut off point for treatment. It's maybe quality vs quantity of life, too. Side effects can be problematic. Ugh! No happy dancing for that.