Spring 2015 Radiation Sisters

MamaBearMo

How long after radiation until side effects subside? I have 3 big ones left and 5 boosts, and I don't know how much more my poor throat can take. I really didn't expect to have any issues with radiation but this has really started to bother me. My skin is getting itchy and my armpit is on fire. If I had a date in mind where I knew everything would start to improve, I think that would help me hang on. Almost there...almost there...

zjrosenthal

Mammabear, I am 6 weeks done tomorrow. Feelng good except for some stiffness in my armpit. Started wearing a bra again after 2 weeks. The boosts only target the scar area so your throat won't get worse during boosts. The first 2 weeks done are still a bit uncomfortable but it passes,quickly. Keep using your topicals for at least that long. Hope this helps. Love, Jean

Cjfishergal

I agree with zjrosenthol - stiffness under the armpit (do your exercises!!) and some discolouration. My nipple looks bubbly and a bit weird. I do get pains...shooting pains right through the boob. I am 6 weeks out too. Fatigue has set in for me...big time. I admire greatly all those who have continued to work through out treatment.

I thought I would be excited about treatment being over too...but it is a bit scary as well. I check my boobs every night, so paranoid now. Having so much medical care for so long...then...not so much...this will take some getting used to!

BC2015

MamaBear - I am two weeks done and more tired than I was during all of the treatment.   I can make it thru work but not much else. 

I felt that the last week of boosts was absolutely the worst and just wanted it to end.  The itching and blisters were very uncomfortable. 

My skin is getting a bit better except for the scar/SNB area.  I had a sore under my breast that has cleared up. I have a sore under my arm pit where my surgery scar is and I have a big sore there.  It is having a hard time healing.  It seems to scab over and then peel off.  I have pain in my breast and wake up a lot during the night as finding a position to sleep that I like is apparently hard. 

Everyone tells me that their own or their friends rad treatment was a 'piece of cake'.  I can't believe it.  Maybe they don't remember?   

I hope you heal fast.  You can make it and you will be soooo soooo thrilled when you bid your tech's goodbye.   I don't ever want to go back!

 

ElaineTherese

BC2015 -- Glad to year you're healing. Sounds like your skin suffered some, with those sores and all. As far as rads being a piece of cake, I think that some (unlucky) people just get more SEs than others. Also, some might be comparing rads to chemo, and so it's relatively easier.

maricar

Congratulations once again to those of you who have completed their rads since I last logged in and continued heartfelt thanks for all the wonderful tips!!!

I started rads on Monday.  So far, they've been going so well I feel that I'll breeze right through these but I know that isn't so.  How soon can I expect to start seeing changes on my skin?  I have all sorts of products and a regimen I'm following, will follow as it gets worse so I'm hoping I can really keep my skin in tact.  My RO's nurse recommended a new (to them) product to me and I was wondering if anyone is familiar with it or has experience with it, it's called Miaderm.  I googled it and it's $36 per tube!  I'm wondering if it's worth it.

mombiezombie -- Your post has me excited, I was worried about HI after rads.  How soon after you completed rads did you go on vacation?

thanks!!

maricar

live simply... love generously...  care deeply...  speak kindly

 

maricar

posted my questions before reading....  tapanga and iowawoman -- i saw that you both used miaderm, please share your experience with it, did it help?  thanks!

maricar

live simply... love generously...  care deeply...  speak kindly

NY2TXbaby

maricar - save your money. I bought 2 tubes since i thought I would try everything.it works no better than my calendula cream - and the first ingredient is calendula! The Calendula cream is only about $9 a tube, but I would also recommend the calendula gel because it is very cool and soothing and dries clean. I used the gel after treatment so I could then wear my nicer clothes for work. When I got home on slathered on the gel and a layer of cream and wore an old t-shirt. I also found that aquaphor was excellent - it seemed to heal in a meter of 1-2 days. I usually used this toward the end of treatment and before bed. I also would lay a piece of Saran Wrap over my chest to keep the aquaphor on me rather than it all wiping on to my t-shirt, worked great! Good luck - I creamed 3xtimes a day - got very red the last part of treatment but never blistered or peeled - at least not yet. I still have 4 boosts to go. My RO said she thought my skin looked "good" - I started early and will keep up my regimen long after I finish. Hugs,

JJOntario

I am 3 weeks post rads. It's amazing how quickly your skin heals. I breezed through the first 4 wks bot the last 2weeks and the 1st wk after rads were the worst. My boob looked like it had been set on fire with some open spots. Some of the creams helped (pure aloe) but mainly time and sitting at night with no shirt on.

The fatigue has set in for me now...and it sucks as I go back to work in another week. It also feels really weird to not be as connected to the hospital. It's an almost "is this it?" Kind of feeling. It's hard to jump back into your old life when I personally feel so different.

On another note...I went away 2 days after completing rads. It was great to just to be with my DH with no appts to control our day. Yes, I did feel tired, but it was more of eat, sleep, read and repeat. I lost weight during tx and I know my diet has not been the best (it's a catch 22 though because everyone keeps telling me I look good). I also did something that I thought I would never do. I got a small little 1.5 inch tattoo on the inside of my wrist..just for me to solidify these past few months. I love it and my DD's do too.

Good luck to all!!

molly1976

Love it, JJ!

maricar

NY2TX - thank you!  I'm already using calenduIa amongst other things so I will stick to those.  I thought about the saran wrap thing but was concerned how it would react to the cream and the skin, it's great to know it works fine.  I will definitely do that!

JJ - love it!  I thought about having a very cancer small ribbon put on my chest after to cover the small dot that people keep thinking is a black head, lol!!  Not going to do it though, not exactly the place I'd want it.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!  God Bless!

maricar

live simply... love generously...  care deeply...  speak kindly

BC2015

maricar - the black dot can be removed. I have one in the middle of my chest that peeves me every time I see it. The others can stay as I don't notice them. My RADs onc approved doing it after my skin healed

suems

I've just started getting dizzy spells (vertigo?) - feels like I've just stepped off a rollercoaster. If I bend down to pick something up off the floor and stand up too quick, if I turn around too fast, even if I roll over in bed too fast, the world starts spinning and I have to grab something to prevent keeling over.

Is this a side effect of radiation, (15 sessions, finished 2 weeks ago), a delayed reaction to Tamoxifen (been on it since March), brain mets, or am I just going mad?? Should I contact my Oncologist on Monday, or go to my family doctor?

I can't find dizziness listed as a side effect of anything I'm going through, except possibly dehydration (but I'm drinking gallons) or low blood pressure.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Tapanga

lmoore4 - you will be great! It isn't that bad, it will just become part of your routine and the weeks will be over before you know it. I was even a little emotional at the end, not because it was over, but that I did it and it was such a great accomplishment. I actually came to "enjoy" the few minutes of dark and quiet (except for the grunting of the machine) where I couldn't do anything else but lie there. I let my mind rest, sometimes I kept my eyes open and watched everything, I prayed for myself and more often for others, I planned out the rest of my day, or just let my thoughts wander to whatever they wanted to. It also probably helped that I had no side effects except for the "sunburn" and that didn't really bother me until about 10 days from the end. The staff where I got my radiation treatment was fantastic and I saw the same few ladies each day and I enjoyed chatting with them for a few minutes here and there. Each person is different in their experience, so I'm not here to tell you how to feel or what to do, but I encourage you to figure out what works for you during all this and ask questions if you want to know how things work. Good luck - keep us up to date!

Tapanga

Just an update - it's been about a month since my last treatment and my skin has healed well. It took about 10 days after the last treatment for my skin to stop being sore to the touch and about a week for the itching to subside. The itching was really bad a couple of nights and kept me up so I finally went and bought some over the counter anti-itch cream and used it for 2 nights to take the edge off the itching so I could fall asleep. My skin is currently still pink, but 99% of the peeling skin is gone. And boy, it peeled. Not those nice thin sunburn sheets of skin, but it sloughed off in thick chunks. I'm glad that's over! I'm still surprised that I didn't have any fatigue side effects, just the red skin/peeling. Both the plastic surgeon and the radiation oncologist are happy with the healing and say I can put vitamin e cream or coconut oil or whatever on it. The radiation oncologist also encouraged me to take vitamin E pills, 800IU a day, to help nourish the skin.

Good luck to everyone who is finishing up!

Tapanga

maricar - I think it helped me to a certain extent. Maybe I didn't use it enough? I also used just plain aloe gel. I didn't like the Aquaphor, it was too much like Vaseline for me and was just thick and heavy. I liked that I could rub the Miaderm into my skin (help satisfy the itchiness too because I was "scratching" the skin) and didn't have a greasy feel. My skin got pink pretty quickly but then got red, but it didn't get really uncomfortable (I wore a bra each day without too much issue) until the final week and the few days after my last treatment. But maybe that would've happened anyway regardless of what I used. For me, if I had to do this again, I would use Miaderm but use it more frequently during the day. Some days I was so busy and my work schedule was such that I could only put a little on immediately after my treatment and at night when I was going to bed.

maricar

bc2015 - thanks, I will ask about that right before treatment ends.

tapanga - wearing a bra has been bothersome for me but it's due to my incision.  I recently bought some seamless microfiber wireless bra and I think that'll help a lot, just washed them last night, will try today.  I will definitely reconsider miaderm if the products I'm using now don't help.  thank you!

suems - sorry to hear you're having dizzy spells.  I wish I could help, but I haven't experienced anything like that.  My MO agreed to let me start tamoxifen after my vacation, which is after my rads, so I can enjoy it.

Can anyone share when you first started seeing signs of redness and/or burns?

maricar

live simply... love generously...  care deeply...  speak kindly

sandyhook26

Dizzy spells could mean you need an ant-anxity or depression medication. At an earlier point in my life I was getting light headed a lot. Never would of thought I had anxiety or depression BUT I was prescribed EFFEXOR and it resolved all my issues.

suems

Thanks Sandyhook26, but I am already on Citalopram for depression. Have been since before BC. I am beginning to suspect low blood pressure. My BP has always been normal, but Tamoxifen apparently lowers it - maybe that's what's happening, combined with dehydration maybe.

I'm going to drop into my local med clinic and have it checked this afternoon.

florida2015

After radiation it's been a few weeks. Anyone have some pain occasion my in breast that had radiation?

JJOntario

I'm 3 wks post rads and at times I get a whole breast ache...almost an internal burning kind of feeling

U4iachic

5 more treatments left and the itching started yesterday......hydrocortisone 2.5 is what they prescribed. I'm not sure it's doing much. I'm really just pink, but the itching.........

lmoore4

Hi everyone,  I cried again, this time during my "dry run"  .     I was told I  needed another tattoo and from there tears rolled.  I VERY rarely cry in public ( in private I let em roll with abandon)  but something about the situation makes me feel like I really am sick!  plus Im topless with my scars and tissue expanded nippless  foobs!   Its All so humbling , (not to mention crying washes off  eye brows and eyeliner , leaving me with a bald face) .  I know it will get better with time, I'm just surprised by my reaction.   

The skin care tips have been helpful  I bought aquaphor, and calendula (my daughter had from a rash the baby had) .So I feel more prepared  

The trick is to have the emotion express it and move on.   So its been a great weekend with the grand kids and Tuesday night is Dave Matthews concert on the beach!   

 Winston Churchill said  " If you are going through hell, keep going"            thanks everyone   linda

NY2TXbaby

So disgusted.I had a lot of breakdown of my skin over the weekend - so painful. Couldn't even stand to have clothes on. Today was supposed to be my third of five boosts but the doctor said my skin was so bad and raw they needed to take a break. They prescribed Silverdene which really feels so soothing on my skin. Hope my skin will heal quickly and I can get these last three boosts done. I have a trip planned on 30 June and I so don't want anything to jeopardize that. Cancer… The gift that keeps on giving!

zjrosenthal

Oh so sorry NYtoTxbaby. Silverdene is great stuff. Hope you feel better soon. Love, Jean

NY2TXbaby

Jean....thanks for the wordsof encouragment. I know my skin will heal - it was just that I was doing so well and thought I might get through rads with little to no major SE and then this happened. I hadn't cried at all through out rads but had a little moment today when I saw my rad techs and the nurse. Just a short pity party - but I am over it now. I also think it is because I am also dealing with a severe absess on my bum....had to have it lanced last week and have to have it packed everyday. I think today was just the straw that broke the camel's back. I have pain on my chest and pain when I sit...so overall I feel pretty crappy. Fortunately I have a lot of sick leave and a great boss and can take off the rest of the week If need be. I may just stay home and concentrate on healing! Hope others are doing better than me. Hugs, Candy

CassieCat

Anyone who finished earlier this season want to chime in and share how you're feeling? I had an MX in January and then finished rads in April. The whole area is sensitive and sort of bruised feeling. My guess is that it's normal, but it would be nice to hear from others.

cbooklvr

I had MX in Sept, finished chemo in February and 2 weeks done with rads. My, chest is itchy and skin peeling from armpit and breast. Not too painful though.

My energy is still not back to normal, hot flashes still and bit of nasuea from herceptin. Overall doing ok. I worked during treatment so that helped me from being to depressed to focus on other things.

Cherice

maricar

ny2tx - so sorry to read you are having so much trouble with your skin, and ur bum. Glad to see you're feeling a bit better, emotionally anyway. I don't have much to offer (since I'm new to rads and haven't seen much changes except being tired) except formy prayers and some words of encouragement. Everyone on here is so strong and I know you can get through this! Hang in there! God bless!

maricar

live simply... love generously... care deeply... speak kindly

MarifromPA

Just getting to this forum ... I start rads next friday ... armpit / breast and some higher near armpit?? I just noticed you mentioning throat?? are they targeting there or from armpit rads?? I'm pretty scared ...... heard it was cake ... then saw my friend ... shes RAW and looks like its NEVER gonna heal