Summer 2013 Rads

sciencegal

I take turmeric daily as well- I used to have severe asthma which put me in the ER a few times a year but on turmeric I have absolutely no trace of it.



Like herceptin, to me turmeric is a miracle treatment.

When I go to my sim next monday I am going to ask them if I can still take it while on rads. they did tell me no major aniti-oxidants because that can help the cancer stem cells get around the radiation. But turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, it works through the TNF pathway, not DNA repair (sorry for being a science nerd, it is what I do).



SO, I am sure hoping it is okay to take during radiation!

Anonymous

Fefi49 - Welcome!

Robin3 - RADS is a "walk in the park" compared to surgery and chemo.  I was sooooo nervous and anxious about it but I go for treatment 4 of 15 today and it goes by as fast as possible and U R outta there.  All the Best to both of U Sister Warriors and everyone else here on this blessed thread!  Peace y'all!

CB

GoWithTheFlow

[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/o5ayqx.jpg[/IMG]Buttons I made for the waiting room in Radiation.  

Michele2013

Love the buttons! How about "wake and bake"





I go at 7:30.

GoWithTheFlow

LOVE it Michelle!  

ChickaD

LOVE THE BUTTONS -- TOO FUNNY !!!!!!

Robin3

cbernardi. ... you were right. That was  nothing compared to everything i've been through so far. But just in case anyone is reading this that hasn't started radiation. I thought there would be a flash of light or a "beam" or something to show they were "radiating me" I was anxiously waiting for it to "turn on". There was nothing just a lot of clicks from the machine.  Total letdown. I was all anxious for nothing! Thanks for the encouraging words. We can do this!!!

Robin3

I also love the buttons! LOL

Anonymous

Cute buttons!

So, started the rads today.  I didn't realize how nervous I was until it came time to hold my breath, since my lt breast is the one being irradiated.  My lips were trembling and my heart was doing flip-flops (I get atrial fib sometimes) and I was so nervous that I wouldn't be able to hold my breath long enough.  But it worked out OK.   Tomorrow: no more caffeine before treatment!   One down!

IamNancy

the buttons are so cute!

anxious to know more about the turmeric and if its ok during rads... I added lots of B vitamins to the multi vitamin I already am taking and today the fatigue didn't seem as bad

feif49

ChickaD,

Coconut oil- I bought it at whole foods but have since seen it at walmart and target, its for cooking BUT has been used historically for burns as well. It is very oily but I slather it on after showering and then lay down for 10 minutes to let it soak in and off I go. I use it twice a day and have not used anything else topically. Today is 21/33 and still no burns or peeling so I am hoping it'll keep working.

Heart2930- thanks, I'll look for those threads on no SE because I am very nervous about starting that when I finish up RADs. Congrats on getting half way thru every step counts…

ChickaD

Thanks so much Feif.....I am going to try it when I start next month !

caitlin61

Robin, I just had my fourth treatment today, and I have not been tattooed. They just keep refreshing my markings with each treatment and even sent me home with a Sharpie over the weekend. Have to say that freaks me out just a bit, since it doesn't seem very precise. RO told me not to worry because they check frequently against other images. He even mentioned that they sometimes purposely go for a bit of drift - it's called "feathering". Almost wish I'd had tattoos, since the markings seem hell-bent on rubbing off!

Heart2930

Went for my second sim today. This one is for the boosts at the end. No new tattoos. Instead they used a thin sheet of plastic and draw everything on it (scars, nipple, etc). They will use this as a pattern throughout the boosts.



My burn is actually getting painful and itchy. The painful part might be because I know I am scratching while I sleep even though I do my best not to while awake. The solution for this is cortisone and aquafor. I am supposed to mix the cortisone with the aloevesta to use during the day. At night I mix the cortisone with aquafor. Hoping this works.

Michele2013

Ladies,



Last week I ended up in the hospital because I did not drink enough water. My BP dropped to 84/80. I take high BP meds, so normally with meds it's 130/70.



I felt horrible and had a really bad headache. This is all from not drinking enough water and radiation.



So embarrassed, should have known better.

caitlin61

Sorry to hear you ended up in hospital Michele. Thanks for the reminder re: hydration - I was doing well through chemo, but I know I'm slipping. Time for some triple ginger tea (made by Pukka - Fresh Market carries it - contains turmeric).

AnnieLane

I had my 6th of 25 treatments today, and no SE's or skin problems yet, but I am noticing that the distortion of my breast from the lumpectomy looks worse now. My RO did say there might be some shrinkage and or scar tissue from radiation. I'm trying not to think too much about what the poor old girl is going to look like after 19 more treatments

Michele2013

Yes, the aquafor and hydrocortisone works great for me. I would have scratched a hole in myself.

Anonymous

I saw my onc this morning to go over scans. Remember she was having the bone surgeon look over them (Bone scan, MRI, & Pet scan) to see if a bone biopsy was warranted. She came into the room with a big smile and said, " Good News!"

The bone surgeon didn't see any lesions, so we're good for now. She said, its still stage IIIc, and we will repeat bone scan in 4 months.

I have my first rad appt. with RO next Friday and I get measured & marked the same day.

Who would have ever thought I'd be thrilled to have arthritis. BC puts a whole different spin on our priorities.



God is Good!!!



Paula

ldesim

So glad to hear it Paula!!!! Happy Dance!

caitlin61

Great news, Paula! Happy for you!

ChickaD

Awesome Paula!

GoWithTheFlow

So happy for you Paula!!!!!  I got marked today.  Gotta love that my front side looks like I handed a pre-schooler a sharpie.  

Lin43

So happy for you Paula!!! It is funny how what used to be a big deal is now not a worry. Any other ailments I have have also taken a backseat to what was a very aggressive breast cancer. And my son needs hernia surgery--he didn't want to tell me cuz he didn't want me to worry. I told him, no worries, I can handle that easily these days.



Thanks for reminding us of the importance of fluids, Michele. So sorry you ended up in the hospital! Yikes!!!



I never got tattooed and their stickers and marker are always needing touching up. Friday they did my Sim for boosts which start on the 20th. I went home with blue, red, green, and purple marks all over me. Many got messed up over the weekend. I guess they expect that.



This morning I took a deep breath during rads and heard the tape they use to hold my bolus down go pop, pop, pop. Then a deep voice came over the speaker telling me to hold still please. I hope the rads were ok. No more deep breaths for me!



Sorry your burns are causing trouble, Heart. I am red and also have an itchy area but not really pain. Just heat... Here's hoping we can finish these next two weeks without additional problems.



Thinking of everyone, wishing you the best Tuesday possible!!!

Gentle hugs,

Linda 18/30

IamNancy

Heart - I mixed the cortisone and aquaphor together for itching and it helped so much.. it ended the itching.

Michele - so sorry you ended up in the hospital but its a good warning to all of us..

Paula - you are right - God is good! Happy for you..

Even with the tattoos they still draw all over with the markers - sometimes it looks like football plays to me.. LOL!

Robin3

This is so interesting, I love having this thread. I am definitely going to up my intake of water. I'm going to look for coconut oil too. Does anyone use pure aloe vera? I asked about the tatooing. They said they like to have 2 sets of x-rays before tattooing. Mine was wierd too about the dot falling off, they are like it's no big deal... What??  Be precise man. I don't want you to hit my heart!

Heart2930

Congratulations Paula!!! Kind of weird saying congrats to arthritis, but we now know there are worse things out there.

So sorry you ended up in the hospital Michele. Thanks for reminding us about fluids. Sometimes, especially when I am having a bad fatigue day, that bottle of water just does not look too appetizing, but I guess we need to make the effort to chug it down.

sciencegal

Paula congrats! I have been thinking about you and hoping for the best. As have many of the great girls on this thread, I am sure. Yay for arthritis!



Michele I sure hope you are feeling better by now and thank you for the warning about dehydration. Take it easy today okay?



Caitlin thanks for the note about the Pukka ginger tea, anything with turmeric in it I will try! In addition to the daily capsules I take. With all my previous ER visits because I could not breathe, the asthma I had before taking turmeric was on track to off me long before the breast cancer might have!



Thanks to each one of you who post advice and tell what it is like going to the appointments on this thread. My sim is on Monday and I am nervous. Reading about it and getting prepared really helps. Thank you!!!!

GoWithTheFlow

Heart, sometimes if water isn't looking appearling, i add crystal light lemonade mix to it.  

AnnieLane

Robin3, check out the thread, "a rad onc weighs in on radiation burns" - look at the first post that started the thread off. That RO recommends pure aloe gel. I am using that along with emu oil and the cream that my treatment center gave me. I alternate them and use each at least once a day. I also have aquaphor that I got during chemo because of the chemo induced dry skin. I haven't used that yet since starting rads, but I'm sure I wil down the line. I've only had 6 treatments out of 25 so far.