Summer 2013 Rads

lorettaloretta

Hello to all in this group. I will be starting rads mon but am concerned cause I work 12 hr shifts and will probably be exhausted. Plus I don't think I can go w/o a bra. Any advice

IamNancy

lorettalore- I never had to go without a bra.. I wore soft and stretchy kind but it never bothered me.. If you are use to working 12 hour shifts, you may do fine.. I only ad a few days that I had to leave work early.

LW0919

Lorettaloretta: not sure who you were referring to when you mentioned having chemo but know it depends on many factors. Nodal involvement being a big one and also Onco score, grade and age too.



Thanks for the suggestion Heart. It's worth a try. I'm off to purchase peach scented Toms deodorant.



I noticed some of you referring to the sharpie marks. Do you keep them all the way through? I was told I could wash them off. I did get 6 tattoos that they use when lining the machine up. Do you have those too? I'm thankful to not haveyo keep those marks all the way up my neck!

GoWithTheFlow

Well, slept a bit better last night.  I think the lanolin lotion in the bad spot on my chest helped.  It's very very thick, and I cannot rub in, so I just daubed it on heavily.  Probably glued my skin together.

encyclias

LWO919, my RO uses only special marking pens; no tattoos.  These marker lines are quite difficult to lose under normal living conditions  The ink is actually raised up and seems to have a reflective grit in it.  With an occasional re-drawing here or there, they stay on throughout the course of the rads.  Now to figure out how to get rid of them since I am close to the end.  Anybody?

Carol

GoWithTheFlow

encyclias, I wouldn't rush to get rid of them.  I know my techs use alcohol on a swab to clean up my sharpie markings, but trying to get rid of everything probably isn't good for the skin.  Maybe once it starts healing try alcohol on a swab?  Not too soon or you could irritate fragile skin.

beachbound009

Clyday- I also had reconstruction after my mx and was wondering how yours held up through rads?

encyclias

Thank you, GWTF.  These are not just Sharpie types of markings.  It's some sort of a very thick ink.  Last night, I tried getting rid of the ones which are not adjacent to the radiated areas of my breast.  So far, it is a tie between alcohol and nail polish remover.  Problem is the ink is so thick that you have to keep going over and over the line.  Eventually, they will probably wear off; I really want to wear my tank tops again without the no-longer-needed lines sticking up above the neckline.  A little kid in a restauant thought I had really awesome tattoos; had to tell him they were just painted on.  He was so disappointed, lol.

I am sure there is some sort of secret remover for this stuff.

Carol

beachbound009

Carol- they must be using something else on me because my marks come off on my clothes everyday. I guarantee I will not have any marks remaining when I go for treatment Monday morning. Or my skin is just as stubborn as I am.:)

GoWithTheFlow

Just be careful.  I'd worry about irritating the skin more and having problems.  Beachbound, sounds like sharpies.  When you sweat or have a wet fabric rubbing against it, I find the markings come off.  Also, some of the lotions/gels/ointments I use will transfer some of my markings to my shirts/sheets, etc.  

I've been using a lot of shout spray on them before washing, and using the Tide stain remover pods with my regular laundry detergent and running on the stain mode on my washer.  Seems to help some.

encyclias

Thanks beachbound and GWTF.  These markings have been on me for six weeks now.  They don't rub off, smear off, melt off, wash off.  When you run your finger across them, they are raised up and remind me of miniature asphalt roadways.  I'll find out Monday morning how to get them off.  The markings they put on me last week for my boosts seem to be just Sharpies; I've already half washed them off.  I get there about 9:00 am, if you are around, beachbound.

Thanks both, Carol

encyclias

Thanks beachbound and GWTF.  These markings have been on me for six weeks now.  They don't rub off, smear off, melt off, wash off.  When you run your finger across them, they are raised up and remind me of miniature asphalt roadways.  I'll find out Monday morning how to get them off.  The markings they put on me last week for my boosts seem to be just Sharpies; I've already half washed them off.  I get there about 9:00 am, if you are around beachbound.

Thanks both, Carol

beachbound009

Carol, my appointment is at 8:15 so I think we'll miss each other. I'm only getting the sharpie treatment I guess.

Lin43

Carol--Don't worry about not having sharpie marks. I went in most Mondays without marks. They did have some taped marks outside the radiation field that remained. They remarked the rest so many times. Take care of your skin however you need to (my emu oil --which I am still using weeks later because it is making my skin silky soft--would get under their tape but they said to keep using it). They will figure out a way to remark you. 

GWTF--Glad they will be dropping the top field. That was my worst area also and I was so happy to begin boosts. 

Johnetta--The advice to buy some cheap cotton tops is right on. And wearing a tee shirt under a bra has been a solution for a lot of women as the weeks of radiation go on. I threw everything out and am now thinking about donating my scarves from chemo. I bought some really pretty ones but never want to wear them again of course!

Heart--My goodness, you continue to have to deal with so much! This is such a marathon, isn't it? I am not on Tamoxifen--I was ER/PR negative--but I was Her+ so I am continuing with my weekly Herceptin infusions. I have what my doctor calls "gel joints" from the Herceptin...kind of like arthritis...and turmeric helps a bit with that. Also, my integrative oncologist has given turmeric her green light. But in your case I would do the same thing and stay away from the turmeric. One thing I have learned the past year is that this beast and the treatments are very complex--no easy answers. I am returning to physical therapy to deal with tightness and range of motion issues. I really like my PT so I am glad to be going back. I hope you get to a state of equilibrium soon. 

Welcome all new-comers! You will make it through rads and heal quickly from skin damage and regain your life. Hang in there! 

Gentle hugs to all

Linda 30/30 Finished 6/26

melody46

YAY Dizzy!  I've been having this weird throat issue for three weeks and I'm pretty sure it involves my stomach.  Prilosec doesn't phase it, I'm going to make an appt with Gastro guy on Monday.

CLYDAY

Beach bound I guess my skin did ok. It got pretty red on my chest and a little break down under my arm. It looks a lot better now...just a little tanner. Be careful with the marks...I rubbed one off with coconut oil and ended up having to get another sim scan which delayed my treatment a day!! I did my RADS at UAB and did not work so spent most of my time topless in my room lubing up!! I would love to meet up with u for coffee or something if you are up to it! Carol you can join in too since we are all in town :-)

DiZZyMom

That's great you three are all local and hooked up on here. Thanks everybody. My poor skin is really falling apart. Yesterday I only used aloe all day and then the SSD cream twice as prescribed. The aquaphor under a tank top causes the tank top to become pasted to me and I'm pulling it away all day which I believe is irritating things even more. But I do want the moisturization. If I didn't have kids, walking around topless would be ideal but not an option. I also have now developed an itchy rash on my upper back and shoulder of the treated side. Has anybody else experienced this? Two more, two more, two more....and then PLEASE some healing

I hope you all are getting relief with your skin, throat and other SEs that none of us deserve!

sciencegal

Gosh Dizzymom I am sorry.



My skin is sore and I dont wear a tank top, I wear a very thin nightie around the house that just barely touches it. no seams anywhere near the irritated skin. I wonder if you have one of those or could dash to a thrift store to find one and wash it in gentle soap (and a lot of fabric softener)?



For work I wear similar sundresses or tops that barely will touch the skin. They have to be very lightweight and have to have a ruffle on top to hide the fact that i am braless.



Just what I am doing to get through.



I hope everyone is enjoying this healing Sunday with no rads!



gentle hugs

15/25

slv58

DiZZyMom, I really hope you can find some relief, it sounds horrible and having to wear a tank top that ends up sticking just sucks! Speedy recovery!

melody46

Dizzymom I hope you heal quickly,  that nagging irritation drove me nuts.  I wanted nothing against my skin.  Cool compresses help.

patriciahurtado

Hello my ladies .... I been reading everyone's post....and I was just waiting on my dates to start...... So I had bxm on March .... Had one of my TE removed do to an infection so I was delayed 3 months for rads .. I started rads on July 16 ... I been putting on miaderm followed by aloe gel and rosewater and lanolin....3 to 4 times a day I want to keep my skin intact because I wanna have recontruction where the TE was removed ... And praying that this will keep my skin perfect... ..... I also have marker marks on my skin but it does erase .. So im missing one !!! I hope that they can get it back on tomorrow .. Any advice my ladies ...... Week 2 here we come o yea it's 28 treatments ...... Had bolus place. Twice I do get home tired and sleep 3 hours ... A small headache anyone else ??

regbeach

Mom's bright red/pink spots in the crease were blisters the next morning, then at one point had some pus. They are back to being red/pink spots but bigger now and today it looked like there was some dried blood (brown).  I have been putting the silver sulfadiazine on it 2 times per day and wiping them clean before applying it.  I will check in with the rad nurse tomorrow but any idea how many days til they close up.  Her last rad was 10 days ago.

Thanks.

LeeLeeLynn

A tip for what has helped me with the itching and heat are Froggtoggs. You wet the cloth and lay it on you...the itching subsides and it cools your hot breast, good for hot weather too. "Lavanilla The Healthy Deodorant" works pretty well in these 100 degree days. Calendula ointment mixed with hydrocortisone also has worked for the itchiness.

Monday July 22 is my final day of radiation. It has not been the horrible experience that I thought. Some pink/red,swelling, hard spots and itchiness but I've managed. Thanks to everyone for the knowledge you've shared.

mshelton

 Just to add a little to your great recommendation LeeLee.  I was interested in FroggsToggs due to the heat of Texas. I looked at these on Amazon and read the reviews.  I tend to be allergic to some items and noticed that a few people had allergic reactions to these.  Not many but a few people commented about this.  I would suggest that if one used these that they may want to try on a part of the body that is not compromised such as an arm before the breast area.   Just to be safe--we certainly don't need anything else to deal with unexpectedly.

Lenn13ka

Congrats Lee Lee. Ring the bell and move forward.

GoWithTheFlow

And FYI, I've used my frogg toggs a few times, and the wet cloth on my chest removes my sharpie markings.  The Lindi cooling pad works better for cooling and not removing markings, although it's much more expensive.

sciencegal

I have a blue frogtogg for my breast/neck (I do apply it over my nightie) and a lime green one for my feet since I work for hours on my bed with a hot laptop. It is over 100 degrees here and the AC doesnt keep up all that well upstairs mid-afternoon.



Today was hilarious- my little poodle mix laid on the edge of the designated foot frogtogg, loved it, and slowly it inched over to being "his". I covered him with it and he did not move for an hour.



SO, I guess I now need to buy a third. That one has been claimed!

beachbound009

CLYDAY - Coffee sounds good. Send me a message and we can make arrangements and hopefully Carol will join us.

GoWithTheFlow

Congrats on finishing toda Leelee!!!!!!!

Today is my final simulation and scans for changes for my last 3 treatments.  

FOUR left!  I can do this!

Heart2930

Congrats LeeLee!