Spring 2014 Rads

have2laugh

Redheaded1 - you all talked about having marker early on and I got tattoos. Now you got tattoo and today I got markered up for boost. I started day before you but machine was done one day. Last 25/25 whole breast done this morning (that phrase "whole breast" always reminds me of chicken) now on to 8 boosts-end in sight! Right now my armpit especially where lymph nodes done borderline red/purple so very glad to give that area a break. I like to garden, too though the last few years I haven't done as much. My husband was going to plant some flowers with my daughter on Mother's Day but I told him to hold off. In a couple weeks we can pick out and do all together-I would enjoy that more. Just booked flights for family wedding on my side and vacation with in-laws to follow. Need to pick up few more things to protect skin and found a site girls at work use that has some cute rash guards. It is called Athleta, lots of yoga and exercise things. I like the fact that these rash guards could be matched with skirts and shorts and they don't all look like bathing suits. Plus some styles are looser so you could wear comfortably over tank top or while doing something-like gardening. The calendar may not say it but it is full on summer here in SW Florida and I feel the sun even going for walk in early evening so time to cover up!

count_it_all_joy

Hello - 

starting rads on Monday, so just introducing myself.  I've been hanging out on the Dec Chemo group - more so early on than recently - they are Wonderful.  Today I have my sim.  Not too worried about it since reading on here - I think I would have been, otherwise, so thank you already!  Just remembered as I'm typing that a few of you have recommended pain reliever beforehand to help with the aches of positioning so long - that's a priceless tip, so thanks again!  Also, this will be one of my first dr visits without hubby, and just thought to warn him last night that when he sees me next I'll probably be all sharpie'd up.  Adding to the pretty factor all the time.     

The RO already told me that I don't have to have my node area done, and I'm curious to see what my area covers without that.  I'm trying to get caught up on housework that has suffered all during chemo, and have become super aware of how much you rub your right arm against your side as you're scrubbing away.  That can't be good for the radiated skin!

Best to you all today.

Mary

Redheaded1

Count it all----even if you aren't radiating your node (underarm) you will still need to lotion that area with your crème.  Good luck with your sim.  you don't need hubby for that.

Have to laugh--they offered to do tattoos about 1/2 way, but I was scared of them.... big pain baby--goes with the naturally red hair....LOL  Now I can't wait to be done, face the shower and not have to worry about something coming off me.

Rash guards are made out of what kind of material?  Are they hot?  Will check out the site.

BB- just discovered my RO has a blog---it is drwoodhouse.com  she hasn't posted much since Feb 2014 when she took on the study about mammograms.  you would enjoy reading her posts and her common questions, etc.   Hope she stays around here forever.

mz_mes

25 of 33 done.  Was itchy when I saw RO on yesterday - Tuesday so he prescribed betamethasone for use on the itchy section only.  One dose last night and it already felt better. To use it 2x day and not put the aloe or cornstarch on that part.  It calmed the itch  down very well.   Using the aloe and cornstarch on the others parts which are not itchy. 

Crazywabbit

Mary,  my Dec Sister,

good to see you jumped on board over here also. You are lucky not to get LN RT. Hopefully that means a short time to go through this all. I think I am getting it over my entire left side.

I go for my SIM tomorrow, guess I will find out start date then.  I am making a long list of questions for the RO. I just heard from a friend who is starting later this week that he allows deodorant of any kind as long as not within 4 hours of Treatment.  Yeah I will not be stinky for 6+ weeks. 

Barbara

Debzjourney14

Hi everyone, I start my Rads tue.  I've been here since Feb or March.  I don't post very often.  I had my simulation Tue, they covered my markers with little round clear circles.  One has already fallen off.  Should I call the nurse or wait until my appointment?

AndreaJ50

Congratulations everyone  who finished Rads!!  

It is great being done with this stage of our treatment. Happy healing!! 

AndreaJ50

Has anyone had trouble with getting a deep breath after Rads?  I can  breath normally but when I try to take a deep breath I fall short a little bit.

Redheaded1

Debzjourney--you call them first thing in the am. and get there toget it reapplied.  Otherwise they might have to re-sim u.

 

Redheaded1

Flagirl--you taking brand name or generic of the Arimidex?

Redheaded1

Andrea--- call your Ro and tell her abut it.  Your rads probably didn't damage your lungs, but you could be having early radiation pneumonitis.  Stay on top of it.  don't let anyone diagnose you with this just because you had radiation----my MO warned me of that--so I would talke to either your MO or your RO before you deal with a PCP.

Anneb1149

Good Thursday morning to all

Would you believe that after the day I had Tues (Dr, X-rays, long wait, etc) that yesterday was way worse... 

First Redheaded- I am being treated for lymphedema in my right arm, no nodes or anything were touched on right side, plus lymphedema comes with swelling, this is painful, but no swelling that I am aware of, but thanks for the suggestion.

I went for my lymphodema massage at 1:30, so got to radiation about a half hour early. The lady that goes before me wasn't there, and didn't come in. I was worried that she was sick, but she came out from her treatment and said they had had some trouble with the machine. I went back and in the middle of the 3rd "blast" the machine sounded funny, then stopped. They came in to tell me they had to restart it and it would take 5-7 minutes, to please be patient. Long story short, finally a lady I have never seen came in, took my hand and rubbed my arm (still in position over my head) and said that I had been so patient and it was up to me if I wanted to continue waiting or leave. I said I couldn't add another day because I am flying out on the day of my last appt, but could I please move my head- I have to turn my head as far as possible to the left to protect my neck. She said yes and asked if I was cold. I said my arms and legs were freezing -I was wearing capris. She got me a blanket and put it over my chest(?) and as she was placing the blanket one of he regular ladies came in, took the blanket off and said it was just one section of the ray that wasn't working so they were going to go ahead and finish the treatment without that piece and would make it up in next few days tx's. When I finally sat up and looked at my watch, I had been on that table, in position for over 2 hours.  They said I was the strongest, bravest most patient person they had ever met. They apologized over and over, and I finally said that they hadn't broken the machine on purpose, and bottom line, they are doing their best to save my life and give me more time with my kids and grandkids. One of them starting crying and hugged me. I held my tears till I got home. Nancy and Scott were wonderful as usual and waited on me all evening. Scott even watched the View with us, and tried to explain that what I had gone thru was like the a/c they had installed. It worked for about 12 hrs then broke and they had to go all weekend hot until it the part needed came in on Tues. Uh, not really- the main floor still had air and they had individual units in the bedrooms. 

Here's hoping for a better day today...

inks

Anneb - you truly are a tough cookie, two hours on the table!!!!!! I wonder why they couldn't let you relax your arms. I would have been numb after all that. So sorry you had to go through all that.

Phebe38

his everyone: hooray last day of treatment today. I ring a bell there loud and clear.everybody clap their hands 

Redheaded1

Anneb--- How do you get lymphedema on the right side if no nodes were touched?  How do you get a mastectomy and still have nodes?  Did you get a sleeve to wear when you fly?  Have you seen all the colors those damn things come in????

You are so brave---I could not hold my arm that long---and You can just bet they would have had to just reposition me---easily enough done.  Also don't like he sound of one ray not working and lets catch up.... who the hell wants a double whammy. I thought this stuff was scientifically designed during our sims to give us the optimum amount to do the job.  Did you ask them how long before they buy a new machine---from looking at the bills I'd think it wouldn't take long to be able to pay for one, lol.

simplelife4real

Welcome Barbara and Mary.  Even though rads has it's own set of issues for most people (including me) it is far easier than chemo or surgery.  You are on the home stretch now.

I finished my last treatment today and rang the bell!  I had 28 full field treatments and 5 boosts.  I am amazed how well my skin has held up.  I am only very slightly pink except for my collarbone area.  That turned deep red about a week before the full field zaps ended, but it began getting better about two days after that ended.  It has not even peeled.  I don't expect any problems with the boost area based on the way it looks right now, but I'll check back in next week and report on that.

I did something quite different in terms of skin care.  Basically, I did nothing!  My MO told me not to use any lotions or  anything until I started having a problem.  At first I thought he was nuts and then later understood the wisdom of the "do nothing approach."  As I have said, the only problem I had was on my collarbone.  They gave me Regenecare for that which worked wonderfully.  

I am very fair skinned with lots of past sun damage so I am shocked that I managed to get by so well.  I did sneak and try using pure aloe vera a few days and Vitamin E cream but I realized I was better off just leaving things alone.  I don't sweat under that arm since my lymph node dissection, so I washed  the radiated area as little as possible over the last 6.5 weeks!  I  realized that my normal routine of daily showers wasn't helping even though I was avoiding that area.  After the first couple weeks, I took a bath each night and either didn't wash that area or just put a warm washcloth on the area and let it soak....no rubbing at all.

Like I say, I'm amazed at how good my skin held up.  

I was bothered by radiation fatigue.  I was surprised how quickly that hit me.  For me, it started up in less than a week after rads started.  I don't work, so I was able to come home and lie down for an hour or so after each treatment.  That also seemed to help with some minor LE-type problems I was having too.  It seemed like rads under the arm was aggravating the nerve damage that I had from the lymph node dissection and by giving my arm a rest, the nerves would calm down.  I don't have LE, but I'm doing everything I can to prevent it.  I don't want it!  I just got a sleeve today to wear while exercising etc. to hopefully prevent LE.

I just thought I would share my experience with not using any lotions and how well it turned out.  I know it's not for everyone, but it worked for me.  My RO turned out to be right....as crazy as it sounded in the beginning.

Hugs,

Kay

Anneb1149

hi Redheaded - I have lymphedema on the right side where the BC was, and I had 9 nodes removed on that side. The X-rays were of the left arm. Funny thing about my LE- it started before surgery. They didn't think it could be LE, so they did all kinds of tests to try to figure it out. Best guess is it started from the biopsies they did on the nodes 4 months before surgery. 

Today was almost a repeat of yesterday, except I wasn't on the table. I got there at 2:30, they told me the machine was still broken, so they were going to work around me. I finally left there at 6:10. They are so apologetic. At least everyone knows my name. 3 more full, then 5 boosts, then home. 

Anne

Redheaded1

Anne-hope the LE improves.  thanks for answering my questions.  I have had a hint of some arm pain/swelling  after increases in activity.  I had 8 nodes taken on left side.  The end is getting closer for both of us.  I have 3 more full field rads counting today--no boosts due to elevated ANA .   my skin is really starting to be yucky.  RO switched me to Aquaphor (strongly suggested it, so I do what she wants) after seeing it on Wed. I will use it till rads over, but then I am going back to my Xclair for healing up.  Can't hardly stand a t-shirt, so I jacked up the heat in the house yesterday, drew the blinds and went topless... (It was a high temp in 50's yesterday and rain, rain, rain for 4 days)  Still cold today.

Redheaded1

Congrats Phebe and simplelife---Way to go-----now on to HT?  or not? Just think, your cancer is cooked!!!!!!!

We don't get to do anything on our last day, but they do have a big wall in the dressing room where you can write your feelings at anytime.  Its fun to stand and read what others have put on it.   

MaryFox

Had the first of five boosts today.  Only four more tx to go.

Cannoli1

inks,

It looks like we have similar situations with our BC. I will be starting Tamoxifen next Friday, May 23rd. How have you been doing with the Tamoxifen? I went for my CT Sim for radiation yesterday, so I should be starting my 5 weeks of rads in a week and a half or so.

FightBC

 Talk about Side Effects, I am done with 12 treatments, and today, I am not even able to get up from my couch! 

My body is so heavy. I am tired! tiredness that I never experienced! 

How do you live and do your normal things with this debilitating SE?

Redheaded1

Hey Guys & Gals---when we get our last RADS, is the old cancer gone????

And the HT stuff is to just keep new stuf from forming?   Does RO usually tell you it is gone?  My RO doesn't do any post rads testing......

 

Redheaded1

Fight BC-- I started with the wearies in my third week.   Took a short nap every day soon as I got home from my 1pm Rads.   Best way to beat it is to get some exercise. HA  seriously, take a short walk, every day--- that's what I did.  it did help.

FightBC

thanks for suggestions redheaded1. Reassurance is needed...... 

I am trying to do it thrice a week. And doing some breathing exercises. 

But today is not a good day. Wondering how next 4 weeks will be. 

flagirl

Redheaded I am taking Anastrozole 1mg so I guess it's generic. My surgeon explained it to me this way.  The surgeon got the cancer when you had the operation with clear margins.  I didn't have any node involvement either.  He said the rads are to increase the chance of not returning to the breast, an the meds are to suppress the hormone estrogen that produces the cancer.  So, after rads live your life, you are cancer free.  GREAT to hear those words I must say.

I have been diagnosed with radiation pneumonitis from the rads.  I sometimes at night especially have a hard time taking deep breaths, almost like asthma.  I don't have asthma but it kinda feels constricted.  I have a dry cough too that's annoying but not productive.  I have been taking cough meds prescribed by doc he says it will go away in a few weeks.

flagirl

FightBC just go with it, your body needs the rest and recovery. It will pass, I still get times when I am completely wiped and other times when I have tons of energy.  I just finished last week, this is the first week I didn't go for tx.  Nice to get on with my life, now to get my energy back full time would be nice. Have a good weekend and just give in... Hugs

 

Redheaded1

Had Rads at1pm  they did x-rays, then came in and wanted to"check my marks"  then adjusted and did them over---said they thought I might have shifted positions slightly.  Then X-prayed again, then did treatment.   Went to see my dad, went to Walmart came home and was itchy----tookof my top to put on some benedryl and MY GOD, my poor boob has never looked like this----even when I went to sleep sunbathing topless.    If this isn't better by Monday, the last two treatments will not happen..... I have had it..... forget rotisserie, forget microwave, they NUKED me today.

VintageGal1111

Does it hurt, painful, itchy? This was my flat chest at rad# 17. Clavicle area & back shoulder are bumpy & pink, under arm is wicked pink but chest is still recovering from the allergic reaction to the cream back from my first week of rads. I think mine looks worse than it feels.

Anneb1149

Vintage Girl

I look very much like you. I am at 26/28 plus 5 boosts

Anne