Winter rads 2014-2015

kayfry

Skybunny, great that you didn't need to have boosts. Congrats on being done!

I'm only 3 days out from the last boost, but 9 days out from last regular tx. My skin situation seems to keep evolving in ways I didn't expect. I'm getting browner under my arm, and the main red/pink areas are turning a bit darker, itchy rash on upper chest still there but maybe decreasing slightly in size. Boost area really red, and underneath breast area turning from spotty to red to brownish now. Maybe it's going to peel, I don't know. I just keep slathering on the Miaderm and hydrocortisone.

Sjacobs146

Hello ladies! I am starting the next leg of this journey. I picked up my Tamoxifen prescription this evening, I'll start taking it in the morning. My MO said that only a handful of women in her practice have major SEs with it, I hope I tolerate it well too.

Wishing everyone who is still on the rads grind smooth sailing. looking forward to seeing the rest of the smiley faces

CassieCat

Skybunny, congrats! I had 7 weeks - very tolerable, but just a long time to keep going back there...

Sjacobs, I'm starting Tamoxifen on Monday. I have the Rx already but decided to give myself 4 days off between rads and tamox. A little holiday.

quiggy

CassieCat and skybunny, I'm supposed to start Aromasin, I have the pills but can't make myself take them!

It's stupid but I'm freaking about the SEs, bone/joint pain and damage. I have joint issues already from Crohns disease and rheumatoid arthritis. I just can't calm my mind and reconcile more pain. Feeling screwed!!

My plan is to take a breather and start in May.

It SUCKS to 've forced to make this choice.

grrrrrrr 😭😨😭😨

CassieCat

quiggy, I know. I am fearful of side effects too. I have fibroid issues, and my mom had a hysterectomy when she had precancerous cells in her uterus. I don't want to go down that road, and yet I need to protect myself from the evil that has already happened. I could choose to say no to Tamoxifen, but I'm not. I will do it. I'm only 44 and am not ready to be thinking about all of this. Chemo put me into chemopause and I do get hot flashes, and I worry that tamox will intensify that.

I guess, though, we need to stop worrying about things that haven't happened yet. {{hugs}}

quiggy

wise CassieCat. I know I shouldn't worry about what "may" happen. My ibd says suck it up but I'm really nervous and anxious. I get that it's not logical but I can't face it yet.

I'll get on board, just hate the idea of walking the plank.

CoyoteNV

Dear Quiggy ~ One who has given such wise counsel and support ~ Try thinking about those pills as a life raft rather than a plank to be walked. 

You have no idea how much I wish for something to take to help ward off another recurrence. 

ladyb1234

A little over two weeks out from RADs and so happy to report that my skin is on the mend. YaY! My skin did get worse before it got better. But so happy I have no open areas and it is just tender, peeling, and itchy. Still slathering on the calendla, silvedene (sp) and aquafor. I have also added vitamin to the area that have no "open" or pink skin. Still can't wear a bra but just happy I can put something on. The RADS did flare up my LE but being managed very well.

Congrats to all that have recently crossed the finish line. Can't wait to see all the smiley faces.

I too started Tamoxifen and on day 3 of a 10 year journey. Quiggy I had to change my thinking as Coyote states I look at Tamoxifen as a life raft. That I am happy to jump into right now.

I won't be on tomorrow so all have a wonderful weekend. Those that celebrate Easter/Resurrection enjoy.

sybilskelton

Quiggy, I'm in the same boat with the Aromasin. I filled the prescription, but can't quite bring myself to start taking them. Apart from the side effects like bone/joint pain, I'm quite torn about the potential for osteoporosis. I need to get the doctor to be more quantitative on just how much will this reduce the risk of more cancer and how much it increases my risk of not being able to walk across a room without breaking a bone. Numbers, I want numbers. I had the bone density test and it showed mild osteopenia, which is probably quite normal for my age. So it's a quandary.

quiggy

Sybilskelton, brittle bones and fractures are another real concern. I looked back at the % information and with aromasin it's a 10% chance of recurrence and 30% without (for my situation).

So I'm struggling with the 20% improved chances vs the pain and bone loss.

Coyotenv and ladyb1234; thanks for the analogy. It is a life raft and I don't want to miss a chance to save myself from recurrence because I don't get in. I'm just afraid.

Cancer SUCKS!

zjrosenthal

Weight bearing exercise and vitamin D with calcium helps prevent bone loss. After radiation for a totally different cancer 6 yrs ago I actually was able to build bone doing this and I'm post menopausal. Use calcium citrate, not carbonate for better absorbsion. Exercise also helps with joint pain. Just don't do high impact, ie. no jumping. Love, Jean

WndrWoman

quiggy. Jean's tips are good ones. Remember that you always have the option of stopping taking the pill. So give it a try and see how you do. Stomp those cancer kicking boots for weight bearing exercise. You've been a big help to others here and know that each step is a scary leap into the unknown. You have plenty of company.

kayfry

Quiggy I think it's reasonable for you to take some time to weigh risks v benefits of the drug, given your other health issues. It's your decision. I would gather as much inf as I can, maybe get a second and/or third opinion. I don't think you need to rush into anything

kayfry

Ladyb, this is good to know, my skin is not better so far, but it is changing. Only 4 days out from last boost, so hoping I can say things are better by 2 weeks.

kayfry

sybilskelton, I think that's exactly what I would want to do before making that decision

Viceroy

CoyoteNV: Yes, I will keep monitoring this thread but obviously don't check in every day. It has been so helpful as I have gone through radiation. Thank you ladies!

WheelyGirl

My radiated breast is pink and underneath is starting to get pink.  The itchy rash on my chest is driving me nuts but no broken skin so far.  My RO said he could give me steroid to help the itching but I think I will try to do without.  His nurse said to try a cold wet washcloth and believe it or not that is the only thing that has stopped the itching.  It is almost like the itching is caused by the air touching it.  Only 2 more regular and will start the 7 boosts on Wednesday.  RO also said the boosts should allow the rash to begin healing as they will be directed at the tumor site which was right behind my nipple.  Keeping fingers crossed that this is the case.

For all of those worrying about starting the Tamoxifen, I have a follow up with my MO on Monday and I know he will be wanting to discuss this issue at that time.  I am really unsure about this drug too!  I did read a post on one of these sites from a women who was afraid of the horror stories so she decided to introduce it to her body slowly.  She asked for the script to be for 10 mg tablets and she broke those in half and started at 5 mg for the first week, then increased to 10mg the second week and so on until she got to the 20 mg.  She said she took 10mg in am and 10mg in pm at first and she has had no major side effects so far.  This sounds like a logical approach so I am going try the same approach when the time comes to start the drug.  I may be delayed due to my heart surgery, I think I will find out more about that Monday.  Will let you all know how it works for me.

magdalene51

I'm 3 weeks out now, finally healed, and still haven't started my anastrazole. It's been sitting on my bedside table. As bad as my joints are now, I shudder to think... But I will start on Monday. I don't want to take a chance of it interfering with my Easter plans.

Quiggy, I feel your pain. Literally.

kayfry

WheelyGirl, the itchy rash on the chest is also driving me crazy, but it's only intermittently—I think it's settling down slightly from the most intense itching maybe a week or so ago. I bought a tube of the 1% hydrocortisone with "cooling relief gel," but it's no better for my itch than the regular HC or the HC with aloe, both of which I've also used. I will try the cold wet washcloth if it really starts itching intensely again. I've had that and the rash underneath since my first skin signs, maybe about 10 days or so into treatment. Overall redness in the treatment area on whole breast. It's true that once you start the boosts, the rest will begin the healing process, but I guess that process is that it might continue to get worse for a week or more before it actually begins to look and feel better. Now the red rash underneath is turning kind of dark, and it doesn't itch. My boosts were right over and around the nipple, and that area is pretty red and swollen at this point. I get little sharp pains (inside, not on the skin) from time to time, too, but overall, things are starting to feel just a bit better. Looks like it's going to take 2 or 3 weeks for things to heal, from what everyone says.

Beachbum1023

Hi Kayfry, I am 3 weeks out today from the boosts. The skin has mostly all peeled, stopped itching last week, and looks pretty good. It does have a tanned look compared to the rest of me. I use clear 100% Aloe multiple times a day. So I think I am on the other side of rads I hope. I see the RO on 4/24 for my final follow up. Whew......what a ride. Wearing a bra is still a project, and I hardly wear one except when I have to. But that may come around when I go to a mastectomy bra, right now I make due until the rest of the swelling goes away. But it is not comfortable. Have a nice weekend. Cheryl

kayfry

Hi, Cheryl, yay for getting to the other side of rads! Three weeks does seem to be a kind of magic milestone for the skin SEs, from what everyone's saying. I hope mine doesn't peel, because then I will have to resist picking at it That would probably be even worse than scratching!

Bras are kind of a daily project for me, too, at this point. I like that way of putting it. I've been going without most days when I'm just home working, and otherwise going with how things feel at the moment. I have some swelling, too, and the bum shoulder that causes bra straps to fall off that side, but the sport bras I have are a little bit too tight, confining, or otherwise uncomfortable until everything settles down. I did find a cheap solution to shoulder straps falling down (not that this is a problem for most people)—a little adjustable elastic strap, like a bra strap, with a hook on one end, with which one can fasten together the wayward straps in back to make a sort of racerback style out of any bra. So that makes a couple of light, non-irritating bras I have work, but it's not easy getting it on right. Things will probably change again when the swelling goes down and (sadly) the shrinkage comes, if it does. One step at a time . . .

Beachbum1023

Kayfry, even if the skin does peel, mine washed off in the shower, so no issue, and it doesn't itch. Bonus! And the new skin fits right in so I hope the rest of the healing goes as well. I just keep slathering on the body cream, and at this point it is something that smells great like vanilla or lavender. No more medical potions! I always thought that my boobs were pretty small until I had one, it's a giant and hard to dress. I think if it tries to kill me, she is a gonna go. I should have done it the same day...........hindsight.

windgirl

hi everyone,

I hope you are all doing well, I have to catch up on the posts. In the meantime I wanted to give you an update in case any one of you have similar discomfort with the arm on the treated side. I had developed some discomfort and mild swelling in my hand/arm towards the end of rads. The assistant doctor at the radiation oncology pretty much dismissed it as I only had 4 nodes taken out and basically said don't move your arm if it bothers you! Anyway, I insisted to be set up with a physical therapy appointment which I went to for the first time today. The therapist was very sweet, she confirmed I have swelling pretty much all over my arm and hand and said that while it was very mild it was important I follow certain precautions to not get it worse. She said it did look like edema. She told me to buy a specific type of compression sleeve for my arm and one for my hand, and wear them as soon as I feel discomfort. She also will be helping to move the swelling out of my arm over the next two sessions and then will help me train my arm and chest with super light weights until I can be ready to go and do this stuff on my own. I was very pleased to have seen her as I started working out at the gym last week and she told me to absolutely not do anything by myself at the gym for upper body until she can slowly get me there. She also gave me a stretching exercise to open up my shoulders and taught me how to massage my breast as I have a lot of tenderness. Finally she said if I was to fly, that I would need to wear the compression garments as a precaution.

Maybe all would have been fine in time regardless but I am glad I saw her as I do not want to make this any worse. Just letting you all know in case you have s similar situation. Take care!

scubawoman

Hi everyone -- Back from business trip after finishing rads (so 10 days ago). Congrats to those finishing up! Skin is looking pretty good, definitely is darker, a little itchy, and still using the Aquaphor (at least until I use up the last of the big jar I started with). My nipple looks like a bullseye with a dark ring around it. Still getting tired in the late afternoon, but that may be because work is insane right now -- only have 718 emails to catch up on! :>) Appt. with MO is for the 17th and expect to get put on Letrozole then. Had a bone scan done and it came back normal, but my vitamin D was really low so have added that to the regimen. Am a little concerned about the SE of the drugs, but am approaching it as the life raft!

Hope everyone has a calm, relaxing weekend. It snowed this morning, but is now clear and sunny and supposed to be 70 on Sunday.

kayfry

Beachbum, not itching=good! I am slathering, though mine smells like nothing. But I feel that my skin is saying thanks every time!

You crack me up about the boobs and the boob. I mean, "It's a giant and hard to dress." So funny. This reminds me that it is, after all, just a boob. Important to remember. Whether or not she tries to kill you, I think your attitude will go a long, long way.

WndrWoman

windgirl. That is a helpful report on the swelling in your arm. Glad you were proactive. My surgeon sent me for a PT consult re lymphedema even though I had only 1 node removed. So measurements of my arm had been taken before rads. I did have some slight swelling and heaviness and the therapist did 3 massage and exercise sessions. Just finished with that this week. Very helpful as you describe.

CassieCat

windgirl thank you for sharing. Good for you for bring proactive!

I'm still using aquaphor and vanicream as needed. I still have a ton of aloe Vera and calendula left. I guess it's good that I wasn't so bad off as to have to finish them off. Things are healing quickly. I feel lucky.

WndrWoman

CassieCat. That's great that your skin is recovering so well.

Redhead01

I only had TWO lymph nodes removed, and developed Stage 2 Lymphedema, so wearing a compression sleeve as much as possible. Am hoping some weight loss in the future will help with this. Good to catch it early, but hard to reverse, if at all.

ladyb1234

Redheado1, I have lymphedema also. MY LE flared up before Rads and got a little worse during RADs and I have been going to an LE PT. It helps a lot.

Windgirl, thank you for the info. So glad you are being proactive.

Cassiecat so glad your skin is recover well,

What a difference a week makes. Skin is healing nicely. Underarm is almost healed. The under breast area and the clavicle area both are healing nicely. -- still a little raw, sore and tender -- but healing nicely. The remaining darken skin on the breast and back is starting to peel off. About 2.5 weeks out from last Rad. So glad you ladies kept telling me that once it starts to heal it is quick. So glad there is so much progress from last week