May 2012 radiation

BLinthedesert

Hello nrp - the not knowing what "the plan" is going to be is the one of the hardest parts of the journey.  Unfortunately, you are likely not to have definitive answers until after your surgery (or surgeries) ... feel free to post and lurk.  Try to stay sane during the wait. 

Mopsy

So who's counting?  The length of radiation pulses.

I told friends it was 40-60 seconds, but when I finally counted 1001, 1002, 1003, in yesterday's #10, I found these lengths of buzzing:  20, 26, 15, 17, 31.  I felt much better to learn it was a smaller length of time than it seemed.  The technicians (women) said "everybody counts".

I am using cream after morning shower, after rad, dinner if I remember, and before bed.  Strange, noticeable, pain in lymph node area of bicep, haven't felt since mastectomy.

BLinthedese:  technicians said radiation is dispensed as an amount, and that is why the time can vary by a few seconds, rather than as an amount of time.  "Machine is self-regulating", a phrase that somehow bothers me.  Shouldn't a radiation dispenser be regulated by people?   

sbelizabeth

mamawells--I'm so sorry you're on this treadmill again.  After twelve years, it must have been an earthquake-sized shock.  This is the first time around for me, but they wanted to blast practically everything from my earrings to my belly button to try to kill it all. 

Today is #4 for me.  Is anyone experiencing any nausea?  It seems like I'm just a little "off" for the rest of the day after my treatment.  My R.O. said if any part of my stomach gets in the field that might happen. 

You think if I flip over after the regular zapping is finished they would radiate my butt?  Smaller and tighter seems like a much better idea there than on top. 

mckenna

sbelizabeth, i wanted to know if they could zap my other arm pit or at least want to know if i can get a 1/2 price discount at a lazer hair removal place if i only need one pit lazered

i have a friend who just finished treatment and she said she got nauseaous (sp) after treatments but she said her filed of radiation was larger than mine and so the scatter may have been affecting her stomach.

9 down and today i think i had a hot flash and i was so crabby while it was happening.  i got into work after rads and felt hot all over.  it is gone now but my boob still feels hot.  also the boob is looking a little pink, not bright or anything just a little more pink than the other one.

and finally i saw the teeth, i could hardly keep my self from laughing, i was imagining teeth actually protruding out of the man hole not flat and encased   and i think the teeth did make the shape of my boob at one point.  i am going back to eyes closed tomorrow, much better for me

Joanne_53

Mopsy, I was told that the RO actually imputs a prescription into the computer and the machine reads that prescription - obviously the techs have to line you up and press "go" but it is all set as far as time.

sbelizabeth -- nausea -- yes at least at the beginning -- I think because the fatigue is starting and of course nerves and stress -- it went away for me.

sbelizabeth

Hello, again--I thought I'd share what's turning out to be a reasonable way to slather on the anti-nuke goo and still get dressed.  My R.O. has me slosh on a layer of 100% aloe, then a layer of Aquaphor lotion.  This leaves a greasy slab from my shoulder to armpit to waist. 

After the lube-job, I put on one of my husband's 100% cotton tee undershirts.  On top of the tee-shirt, I put on a sports bra with my foam foobie in the empty side.  That way only the soft cotton tee shirt has contact with my greasy (and perhaps soon-to-be irritated) skin.  Over this ridiculous-looking arrangement, I wear an loose button-up shirt.

This is my new "look," even at work, for the next seven weeks, but everyone knows and understands.

Jan24

I take Advil PM, however I'm not on cancer med until after radiation.

Jan24

My Rad Dr. indicated she could tell I was going to have problems with my nipple so she instructed the Rad Techs to tape it down during treatment. 

Earlier this week I had a different rad tech, she mentioned my plan had a special note that said 'Take Down Nipple'  she was wondering what Take Down meant and then she realized it was a typo and corrected it to say Tape Down Nipple.  We were all laughing as she said let's Taker Down.  My regular rad Tech is a young man and he tapes it down with a big X as he says like Madonna or Lady Gaga might wear in a music video.  At least I can laugh about this as the nipple discomfort is getting worse each day.  Today is Blackjack rad #21!

Lynne

mckenna

nrp and mamawells, i some how missed your post.  sorry you are hear but welcome.

i wonder if they could take down my nipple too, that seems to be the most sensitive part  my gown covers me during the actual radiation though but i guess that is not enough protection?

i don't know if i am tired from other stuff going on in life or if the fatigue is actually hitting today but i can't wait to eat my lunch quick and take a nap in my office, i am exhausted

schatzi14

Jan24...getting that tape off must hurt...they had to tape my arm because of the LE...it was getting in the field...if I had a tech that was experienced, no tape but there was a young guy learning and he taped it about 4 times to make sure. Getting that off was no treat!

My RO told me I wouldn't have ANY underarm hair on that side EVER....well guess what? Wish my head hair would grow that quickly!

BLinthedesert

Yikes, Lynn - ouch!  "take down nipple" was pretty good!

For the past two days I have been going in at 7AM.  Not bad, but a little early for me, and it makes running a challenge. So, today I went in at 10.  Well, everything took longer (almost 35 mins) because I had to wait, and, apparently I was moving??  So they had to reposition me 3 times!!  I swear it did not feel like I was moving, I felt bad.  I wonder if 10AM is just too jittery for me??  Weird.  Have any of you had times when you move, even though you don't feel like it?

 "lube-job"  -- ha ha ha!! 

sorry you are feeling fatigued mckenna.  I am not sure if I have something unrelated going on, or it is just that the running is making things worse, but I am already tired.  Not good.  After only 4 days?  I really think it must be something else - or that I need to back off my running right from the beginning?  bummer, regardless.

I hope you are all having a wonderful day - looking forward to a 3-day weekend! 

Neeners815

Jitters - thanks for the info!

Jan24 - why did they think you'd have trouble with our nipple?  I had to chuckle about the Lady Gaga thing...

mckenna

since i did not have chemo, i still have under arm hair, it was last shaved the morning of my second treatment.  so now of course it is rather lovely but my question is, will it fall out or once my skin is up for shaving and i shave, will it just not return?

blinthedesert, sorry you are already starting to feel tired, i hope it is not from the rads already and you seem to be about 10x's more active than i and i thought that was supposed to help.  i am praying i am so tired as i should have started my period on monday, yet, no period but lots of pms symptoms and of course i am supposed to see my gyn on tuesday in preparation of starting tamoxifen on july one.  i am thinking i will have to cancel. were you running before the 7am appointments?  maybe if you ran after rads that would help with the "movement"

boob is getting more read and whoever said their scar looked like a pink caterpiller was oh so accurate, the caterpiller has arrived. 

today is crawling, i have fridayitis on a thursday, not good!

Spokanellie

sbelizabeth, mckenna and jittersmom - (Sorry if I'm duplicating a comment I missed.) Re: the man-hole cover thingy and the teeth - I asked the tech today what the teeth are all about. Turns out they're made of lead, so they're actually BLOCKING the radiation. In my case the open shape is square - he said my field of radiation is mostly square - and then on one side was a convex arc of the teeth, blocking the rays from getting to my lung. Huh! Makes sense, yes?

mopsy - I counted 180 one-one-thousands on my 2nd treatment, haven't done it since, but except the day of repeat xrays, 3 minutes seems about right from the time they dim the lights till they come back in the room. That covers two directions of the machine. If my right nipple pointing up is 12:00 and my back is 6:00 (okay, that's a lie; my nipple hasn't pointed up in YEARS, but you get my point), then the machine does its 1st dose from a 10:00 position, then arcs over my trusting prone body to about 4:00 and delivers the second dose.

nrp - Are you back from your appointments yet? The best advice I can give at this early point in your journey is to

1. lower your shoulders 
2. take some deep breaths
3. repeat often

Lurk here and try to gain strength from your sisters. That's what I'm doing and it's working!

Ellen

Spokanellie

neeners - I'm chuckling about the Lada Gaga thing, too, but more about "our nipple." I agree we're all in this together, but that's taking it to the extreme! LOL!

BLinthedesert

Mopsy -- ha, I feel the same way about the computers running "the show".  When I got "into trouble" today I asked why they kept coming in the room and the guy said, "you are moving" -- to which I replied, "no, I wasn't" and then, he said, "you were, we could see it on the video" -- BUSTED!  ha.  actually, he told me that even the slightest change in breathing can mess up the positioning, really?  Then why do we trust the computer to move the manhole around?  I am fiesty today!

Neeners815

spoke!  OMG I didn't even realize my mistake hahaha.  Snorted laughing - thanks!  I am happy to share my winking nipple with those without, though.  I'm all heart!

Dizzy215

nrp - I'm sorry you are here, but welcome anyway! There's such a lot of things going when you are first diagnosed but it sounds like your 'team' has got your best interests at heart and are moving things along quickly for you. I had a lumpectomy, so didn't need recon - I've read pros and cons about having it done at the same time as a mastectomy or leaving it till later. Don't get pushed into doing something you don't want to do.

The blue dye is injected during your op and it's a common misconception that if the lymph nodes turn blue they are cancerous. The purpose of the dye is to identify the node closest to the tumor - the sentinel node - so that this node and possibly a few others nearby can be removed for the pathologist to look at. The other thing you might have just before your operation is an injection of radioactive liquid into your breast - it does the same thing as the dye and just gives the surgeon an almost foolproof method of locating the sentinel node.

I wonder if you might find it useful to look at the boards about surgery and what to expect, rather than this one, where we are mainly focused on radiation and it's quirks!!      

Anyway, I hope your appointments went well. Have you had an MRI of the breast yet?

wiskris

I am also on April/May rads but will finish in June so can I join???lol

I did #24 today and tomorrow is last full breast radiation then Tuesday we start with 8 boosts. My skin is a really red but not bleeding. I am using a cream they gave me and also aqua-for and sometimes Shea butter on nipple. My rad techs told me drinking water is more important than lotion to keep skin from getting dry. I am drinking 1/2 my body weight in plain water in ounces a day. I remember from my weight watcher journey this was also important many years ago.

MY issue is a seroma in treated breast. It started out as a large softball and now is down to a tball if that makes sense. My body never absorbed the blood after surgery. It rubs on incision so is very painful. I had to cut back a day of work to let it heal. I am a mailman and walk 10 miles per day. If it don't shrink anymore I have to have lx incision opened back up after rads of course:(

I am very fatigued and sleep 10 hours per night and naps on day off. I think my job takes all the energy outta me and it being 80-90 degrees sure don't help! I used to get away with 6 hours. I am 43 years old.

I am happy to meet ya all!

Kristi

Joanne_53

spoke and neeners -- thanks so much for the laugh -- at first I thought it was just me and then when spoke commented -- it made me laugh -- snort to be honest -- funny -- everything is OURS now it appears -- we flash so much that we might as well share.

jittersmom

had treatment #22 today after tomorrow only 10 to go. i counted today and watched the "teeth" my rad only last about 2 minutes. its seems quick.I am very pink but skin is intact .Finding stuff to wear without a bra when you have to go somewhere is kinda hard. And I don't want to wreck my clothes with all the crap i am putting on my chest!.

sbelizabeth: i have a bit of nauseousness it only last a few seconds I'm no sure why, nothing like when I had chemo. The shirt under the sports bra sounds interesting I may try that.

Jan24

I wonder why McKenna gets to keep her gown up?  It must be because I need the tape ritual.  Regarding trouble with the nipple, it looked really swollen and larger than the other and red of course.  They must use a special tape because so far it isn't too painful coming off.

I forgot to mention I counted for the 1st time yesterday.  17 first dose, 19 for the second

Keep the posts coming I like to read about everyone's experiences.

Jan24

Welcome Kristi

WisKris, I had a seroma too.  Mine was gigantic and I looked so scary I thought my stitches might burst. My surgeon instructed aspiration immediately, once it starts to thicken the body has to absorb.  I live in a different city than the surgeon luckily I was able to get it aspirated 3 times.  My radiation was delayed until this was under control.  My thoughts are with you, hang in there!!  I'm 50, I turned 50 on Jan24 thus the only user name I could come up with that wasn't taken.  I was diagnosed on Jan 30th nice birthday gift.  So far I don't think 50 is going to be one of my best years.  Lynne  

mckenna

you guys don't?  while they are positioning me it is not up cuz they have to see all the marks but they cover me before the rads start.

40% done!!!! 10 down, 15 to go.  i think the tiredness yesteday must have been unrelated to rads cuz i am feeling much better today. 

it is going to be 100 degrees here this weekend (normal high temps 79!!) so we are staying in most of the weekend and having a men in black marathon.  have not seen one or two and kids want to see 3 on monday so i am going to lay in my a/c and watch movies all weekend.  anyone else have exciting plans?

wiskris, welcome!

jan24, i had my first mri 2 days after my 38th birthday and the next day when she told me something lit up i knew right away it was cancer so although i wasn't official diag til 3/23, i pretty much count my 38th birthday as diagnosis day, don't want that gift again

Elaine2Tervs

Number 10 out of 30 done today. So far my skin is holding up OK, some redness but it seems to subside by the next moring. I'm using GNC aloe gel right after treatment and aquaphor before bed at night. I n the morning after my shower I use Bio-oil all over - Love that stuff!

I'm really noticing the fatigue. If I don't keep moving I'll fall asleep as soon as I sit down. Last night I fell asleep befor 7:00pm and didn't wake up again until 11:00 pm. Got up and let the dogs (My Belgian Tervuren) out for a potty break, slathered on the aquaphor and went back to bed and slept through until 7:00 AM.

I'll have to count how long my zaps are. They are irradiating all the way up to the bottom of my ear. Funny half-tanned neck is starting.

Neeners815

wiskris - you walk 10 miles a day?!  WOW! You're legs must be in awesome shape

Chickenpants

Hi McKenna



Regarding your question about armpit hair. I tried shaving early on in treatment before the red radiated area starting appearing. I was surprised just how far up into the armpit area the rad field goes. I would suggest not tampering with the area as it becomes sore. The hair did not grown where radiated and now it has disappeared, stubble and all. Smooth like a babies bottom.



I switched to Crystal deodorant as it supposed to be endorsed by the breast cancer foundation.

silviazara

Hello all, so we have nice 3 day weekend ahead of us. Let's hope our skin will loose some soreness over these days. I had my #22 treatment today, 11 more to go!

Fatigue is getting better, it is wierd but true. I force myself to exercise every day. Yoga really helps.

BLinthedesert

Happy 3 day weekend ladies.  I was "good" today, and didn't move -- I was the model patient .  I still don't think it was all me yesterday!  I noticed as soon as laid down yesterday that things (like bum and arm holder) did not feel the same as usual.  Anyway -- it will be a distant memory now as I look forward to NOT doing the drive for 3 days!

mkenna - I hope your pain is getting better?  It is only going to be in the 90s here this weekend (the weatherperson called it a "cooling trend").  I am going to run, and rest, and read -- the 3 r's!

I also am going to start doing my arm exercises: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/MoreInformation/exercises-after-breast-surgery  I seem to have some sort of shoulder/neck pain for the past month, I am determined to get rid of it. 

Have a wonderful weekend Ladies! 

BLinthedesert

Silvia -- you are almost there!!  I am starting yoga next week, I hope you have a relaxing weekend.