Rads!! Need all advice or experiences!!!!

suzilla

Hello!! Hope you are all coping and healing wonderfully where ever you are at on this journey!!! I begin rads this Thursday, and am being as positive as i can, i dont even want to think about how bad the radiation burns may be. I will be receiving 7 weeks of treatments. I understand that since its IBC it will be more intense and more extensive than the usual breast cancers which are with tumors. I would like to know anyone's experience with radiation if they have already been through it. Please relate your experiences, advice, or suggestions to make it thru this part of my journey bearable and tolerable for burns. How low will i expect my immune system to go down? Is it anything like chemo, also esophagus issues if it happens what did u all do to get thru it? Thank u all! And God Bless You All!!

Kicks

I did 25 rads 3 yrs ago - no boosters.   Started them a week after last (12th weekly) Taxol.  I felt better every day.  I did burn VERY bad (have 'good' scars to prove it) after the last rad.  Yes AFTER.  The entire radiated area open up and it was 3+ months til the last of the deepest were healed.  What finally healed them were Domebro soaks.  I am very fair skinned but normally do not sunburn or only very mildly.  I had no issues with my immune system at all - even through all the months of open burns - I never had any infections.  Actually I'd had chronic sinus infections (several a yr) for as long as I can remember but in the last 3+ yrs I've only had 1.

Remember - we are each unique and no 2 will react the same.  edit added  We have not all had the same TX plan.  Mine was different than many/most.  I did 4 A/C neo-adjuvant.  2 weeks later had mod. rad. mast.  3 weeks later started 12 weekly Taxol and a week after last Taxol started 25 rads.  Femara since a week into rads.