Fall 2012 Rads girls......come on in!

Andrea623

Which exercises did you find the most helpful? I don't want to lose any more mobility, but I could tell when I was on the table today that my muscles were a lot tighter when I raised my arms.

Tazzy

I do these ones regularly.  The walking up wall - arms that is .  The one where it is like you are making a snow angel.   Hands clasped behind your neck and bring your elbows together.   I also do the strengthening ones.  I use a bungy cord attached to a door handle and stretch that way.   Do these a couple of times a day.  I know I should do more, but am comfortable with these and it does work for me.

Andrea623

Thanks, Tazzy! I do the snow angel one, and some days are easier than others. I can reach up fairly well, but other days have a harder time, cause I get a pain on the bottom of the TE on my right side. I have some nerve damage pain from the bmx, and sometimes stretching can be really painful.

llr010200

Andrea

I had se's within a couple of weeks of treatment but after it was over it got worse. I also have te's so just giving you the heads up that they may actually cause a worse tightening feeling tho I'm not sure. As Tazzy mentioned continue to do the exercises throughout treatment as well as after. The ones that she mentioned are what I do as well. I finished about 4 weeks ago and the tightness is just starting to get better. I think the exercises along with constant moisturizing is the key. I just had a follow up appointment with my RO today and she said there's still

some swelling post rads due to the

te and the "hole" from the node

removal. Best of luck to you.

Andrea623

Thanks, llr010200. I'll keep stretching and moisturizing! 

Lifeonitsside

Soltanio - I'm not in rads yet but I've used arnica for other things and it's amazing. Heals bruising very quickly and other things like that. Couldn't hurt to try it.

loveofcritters

A fellow survivor told me about Alra. It says it is a gel but it looks more like lotion. Its 100% aloe vera and I guess made by a man whose wife had breast cancer. I originally bought the shampoo because my hair is coming back in patches and I like it. The shampoo is also an all-over gentle body wash too, which I use on my fried breast. I did show it to the nurse and she read the ingredients and wanted to know how to go about getting it. I don't know if you can buy it anywhere except the internet.

I hope it works because everyone is using something different and I just don't know what to use. I have a boat load of Aquafor and then the RO said not to use it until after 3 weeks because it is greasy. I read on someone else's post that we shouldn't lube before we go in for rads because it can actually make the burn worse! But then, shouldn't we shower any residual stuff off before we go? I go on my lunch so that would mean a definite shower in the morning without lubing. Any ideas?

I am not a rocket scientist, but I'm not totally a moron and I feel so dumb these days with trying to figure all of this out!!!!

Junif

Loveofcritters--I too was told not to use anything before treatment.  Just take a tube of whatever you are using and lube after radiation.  Never feel dumb about figuring this out because half the time we aren't given really specific info.  In one week I had 3 days of x-rays, so tweaking is pretty standard, but I know just how you feel and wondering if something is wrong that they keep changing it.  I think some of this stuff is so routine to the techs that they forget the patient doesn't know what is going on.

Andrea--a lot of nurses and RO's blow us off--that's why the forums are so important.  You can get side effects from day 1. 

Good Luck Ladies!!!

Rose_d

Loveofcritters-

I was told no lotion 4 hours prior to radiation.  My doctor really didn't overly stress the lubing during the treatment.  I had a prescription for Biafine and was told to use it at night before bed.  She said there was no need to do it more than once a day.

Towards the end as my skin got bad, she gave me another prescription for something to help with the rash.  It wasn't as itchy as I think she thought it was so I didn't really use it all that much. Just kept up with the once a day biafine, maybe twice towards the end because it was soothing.

As I finished treatment that's when she said "ok now lube AS MUCH as you can!".  She said the more I lubed the better my cosmetic results would be.  I'm now 3 weeks post treatment.  My chest is basically back to normal (I can tell that my right side is very slightly darker than my left but don't think anyone else could tell).  Just under my boob is a few shades darker and under my armpit still looks like it is recovering from a sunburn.  I'm hoping that it will all look like my chest soon!

Rose

sonson

So this tightening thing that most of you seem to be experiencing towards the end of rads is this just something associated with a masectomy or will us lumpectomy girls experience the same thing?  Just wondering because I'd like to stay on top of of it.  I just finished up chemo and have noticed that all my muscles have stiffened a bit just from the chemo portion of all of this so I've been doing stretching again since it has all tightened up again so once that subsides I just want to stay on top of this other possible development as well.  Anything I can do to facilitate the healing process I want to be ahead of it.  I asked my onc about PT, but he didn't seem to think it was necessary at this point.  He told me instead to have patience...yeah I'm really running low on that too!

Soltantio-I haven't really gotten much feedback on starting a new feed so I'm kind of wary about doing it yet.  I really like the fact that so many people post to this one and we get so much good feedback on this and it's not so long yet at 27 pages out so I'm still not sure.

Tazzy-I really appreciate all your support and I'm really happy for you that you are done with rads!  Can't wait to be in your shoes and celebrating!  At this point it still seems so far away, but I know it will move faster than chemo.  Still really nervous about the whole process though and what to expect.

Did anyone find wearing underwire bras to be difficult?  It's the only type of bra that I own at the moment.  I was wondering if I needed to invest in something else or is this just something that I will have to wait to see how it works?  Also, I've heard that you can't wear deodorant on the side that is getting radiated...is this true?  What do you do to keep from smelling?  I guess it's good it's not summer over here in the south! --Sonya

allurbaddayswillend

Congratulations Tazzy!

I'll be starting rads in December. I'm game for a Winter group.

Tazzy

It is funny, but this year was going so slowly, now I look back and think 'where did this year go'... suddenly I look and its all over.  

Hugs and minimal SE's to all.... and remember MOISTURIZE !!!

cvmarilyn

Cowpower & Moonwillow - thanks for the info Hope you are doing well. It's so weird starting the rads when I lookat the calendar with all the holidays I'll be into January when I get done - ugh.... I went into work yesteday and kept hearing how great I look.. really? I feel like one of those hairless dogs - LOL

Tazzy

cvmarilyn:  everytime some said to me "You look great"... I'd think to myself "so what on earth did I look like before I was bald, with no brows or lashes"  ha ha!!

PaEaglesFan

Woohoo!! I got the BEST NEWS at Rads this morning.  As some of the girls won't be there on Monday morning when I go for my last treatment, they were all giving me hugs and wishing me well.  I will MISS THEM!!  They've been a fun group to be with  
My Dr passed in the hallway and asked if I was graduating today and I said "No... 1 more to go, see you on Monday."  He asked if I'd like to come in tomorrow so I can finish.  Well YEAH!!! 
Yippeeeeee!!! In less than 24 hours I will be finished! In 200 days I have had 4 Mammos, an ultra sound, a biopsy, 1 surgery, 4 chemos, 36 radiation sessions and I have survived!!

patti3796

Saw the RO for weekly appt.   I realized my skin looks pretty bad 25/33, but before I said anything he asked if I needed a pain killer...I realized that he thought it looked pretty bad too.    Declined as I hate how pain killers make me feel "loopy".    I am onto the boosts...the RO thought my skin would continue to redden and would peak on Wednesday and then I would start to see improvement.    And of course have 18 people at my house for Thanksgiving.

Yesterday started with the T-shirt under the bra and felt much better.

For those starting soon....as you read you will see that each of our RO's has different thoughts on creams both the what and when.   Also we have all had reactions at different stages and different degrees.     So do not think you will have all the SE's.   But what does help is when you do...you can gain insight from how others handled it in the past.

Have a good weekend

loveofcritters

sonson: I'm so glad you asked about the tightening for lumpectomy girls. I didn't even know that I should also be aware that radiation can bring on lymphedema if nodes were removed and that area is being zapped. I started to do the exercises that were mentioned by Tazzy ...simple stretches feel good anyway to me. And I am experiencing some swelling in my arm. Don't know what to do about that.

Underwire bras (all I owned too) are not the best during radiation, so I picked up a couple of 96% cotton cami's with shelf bras today. I already had a couple sports bras i purchased for use after the surgery. I have just finished 7/31 and have not worn an underwire since the first treatment. Deodorant should not be used on the radiated side before the treatment, and then, when it is used, only use the aluminum-free kind (Tom's of Maine). I have found that I am not in need of deodorant on that side now...why? I don't have a clue. Only a few stray hairs are growing there now too, so no need to shave.

You girls have helped me so much as I am going through this. I don't feel alone.

Hugs !!!

loveofcritters

patti3796: That is awful. How are you going to do Thanksgiving like that?! I sure hope you have some very thoughtful family and friends to help. I hope you feel better soon. I like the idea of a t-shirt under the bra. Will keep that in mind if things get worse. I just finished 7/31 and already getting red like a sunburn.

paeaglesfan: Congrats!!! I am so glad you ran into the doctor and he offered that to you. Talk about an early Christmas present!!!! yay!

sonson

PAeaglesfan-congratulations...can't wait to get to where you are now!

Loveofcritters-thanks for the advice on the bras.  I wasn't sure if I needed to purchase some new ones or not.  My husband likes the think that I makes things up just so I can go shopping!  Okay so maybe sometimes I do, do that, but not this time!

So I started a new winter radiation thread...you guys are welcome to move over to that thread or you can hang out here...or do both.  But I'm sure as the month of December goes on we'll get more newcomers to the thread.  I would appreciate some of you veterans over there as well.  We learn so much from you guys.  I've really loved being on all these boards.  I've learned some really wonderful things from everyone.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend with very minimal SE's and I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Nkb

I asked my RO if I need to shower off the Aquaphor or whatever was on my skin from the night before, before I went in for my radiation and he said "no, only if you had such a thick layer that it would change the thickness of your skin and it gets absorbed overnight just feels kind of sticky."

Lifeonitsside

Allurbaddays - I'm starting in December as well so maybe a winter group would be good.

sonson

LIfeonitsside, allurbaddays, cvmarilyn and anyone else who is getting started with radiation I have started a winter radiation thread.  Come on over.  Again I would love some of you veterans to wander over as well.  We could certainly use some advice from those of you who have been there and done that.  Thank you Tazzy for wandering over already...I so appreciate it.  Although you can bet that I'm still going to be lurking over here as well.  I need all the advice I can get.  I love to stay informed on this stuff and I am constantly learning from all you ladies.  I so appreciate it...you'll never know how much.  I hope that I too can impart some wisdom on some people as well.

heidismom

Sonson, I'm allowed to shave gently with an electric razor and wear deodorant, but am tending to spread my Radiaplex lotion halfway into that area since I'm feeling a slight irritation, so just a thin strip. The techs say nothing offends them anyway! As for underwire bra, I was told to avoid them, in fact go bra- less as much as possible, to avoid irritation. I've been wearing my sports bras since my regular smaller one seems to rub just at the wrong spot under my arm. Had #9 today, feel great and noticing just a little color change. My issue is a lingering hematoma from the needle biopsy TWO months ago, dr says be patient but it isn't comfortable to sleep on or exercise. Patience......

sonson

Heidismom-thanks for the advice.  I guess I could at least invest in two bras that don't have any underwire for now.  Then see how it goes.  See if I need more, see if I could just always go braless.  I'm really not that huge so maybe that could work!  Never have liked bras to begin with...just not sure if I'll be self conscious about it or not!  I work with a bunch of guys.

xtina

Sonya - I was in-between, I had a lumpectomy and a reduction, and had tightness on the rads side.  I am two and a half weeks post rads now, and it's starting to dissapear.  i just do arm circles, swings, raises, etc, in addition to my normal workouts and it helps.

My RO said no to any underwire bras, and from discomfort I probably couldn't have worn them anyway!  I found these awesome really soft shelf style this sports bras made of bamboo - I lived in those things.  Anything else seemed to irritate the skin too much. 

For deoderant, I had to use Tom's naturals - the lavendar scent one made me smell like hot dogs (Grody!) but the apricot one worked well enough.  Not as good as an actual anti-persperant, but better than nothing. It's the aluminum in anti-persperants that they wanted to avoid. 

xtina

Congrtulations Tazzy!

Good news PAEagles!

Patti - ugh!  Good thoughts are coming your way for skin healing.  Do not push yourself to do too much over the Holidays!

virginiab

My RO also said no underwire bras. They recommended cotton bras. Cotton bras? I found some extremely cheap sports bras (Hanes?) at Walmart in a 3-pack, but so far I have been wearing the Ahh Bras I bought after surgery most of the time. I guess we want to avoid hot sweaty creases under the boob, so depending on the size and droop of the boob, a bra can help with elevating the boob away from the chest/belly area.

Yesterday my RO asked if my skin was itchy and I told him that the affected area was not itchy, although the rest of my body was. My partner then suggested using the Radiagel on the rest of my body and the doctor said I can use it anywhere I want, if I can afford it....

Today was 17 out of 36, so Monday I'll be half way there. So far it's pretty easy, except for being so sleepy. My body is telling me that napping is mandatory, and not just a good idea. I have some swelling and soreness around the surgical scars and at a mole on my aureole, but it's not debilitating. When I work out, I can feel some pulling on that side, but it's not bad. I sometimes find myself sleeping on my stomach, so my breast isn't all THAT tender.

I'm hoping that effects on skin only continue to escalate at the present rate, in which case I'll finish in good shape. And it  it turns out to be more troublesome, I trust my RO and his team to help me deal with it.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

heidismom

I've heard many different predictions regarding tiredness, but my RO said "2 weeks in, 2 weeks out", meaning it would begin 2 weeks into treatment and last 2 weeks beyond. Guess I'm due for a slump pretty soon! Just in time for Thanksgiving. I won't be able to tell if its from rads or the tryptophan in the turkey, haha. One day off tomorrow, Saturday, and then Sun-Wed due to holiday and then a lovely 4 day break. My breast is pink today, no question.

cvmarilyn

Tazzy - that is soooo funny - and I sure did need that

Sonson I will look into the winter rads site - thank you~~~~~

Andrea623

Had 9/25 yesterday, and about an hour after my tx, fatigue hit like a ton of bricks. I've already had a nap today.