Summer 2015 Rads

meezers3

had #19 today, burned and itchy. Can't get "this girl is on fire" out of my head..

AndreaC

Keys-Plez - for a saline soak you boil water and add salt to it and let the water cool to room temp. Then you wet some gauze and put them in the saline solution and apply them to the problem area (make sure you have a towel underneath! You need to leave the soaked gauze on for 10 to 15 minutes and you can do it as many times during the day as you like. (If anyone wants to try it, it's 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of salt to 1 litre of water. Sorry, I'm Canadian...

My cancer clinic is really big on the saline soaks for radiated skin that's sore and peeling. It's supposed to promote healing. I got a prescription for flamazine ointment today and I think that does a better job though.

I just noticed that you live in Key West - my husband and I were there last fall and LOVED it! You are lucky to live there.

25/28 done! My last 3 will be quicker because they don't have to do the supraclavicular area for those ones.

Andrea

fltchr

CAMommy - what part of Florida did you move to? (I think I remember that was where you were moving - although these days my mind is not what it used to be).

Had my two weeks post rads appointment today. My RO said my skin looks like I'm about four weeks out. Yeah! I have used the prescription Biatine she gave me from the beginning. Other than that steroid cream for itching, Domeboro soak for itching, and aquafor on the nipple. She said I can now go back to my regular skin care.

My treatment plan is a mammogram in three months and an MRI in 9 months (since I had ILC ans it's not generally seen on mammograms). I'll see my RO again at the end of June after the MRI. I go back to my MO in Nov. It seems weird to have no appointments in the near future!

Keys-Plez

Andrea..Let me know if ya'll ever come back down. We'll have to have an adult beverage. The Keys are beautiful.I love the water. Unfortunately, it's not a good place to be if you're really sick. There are few health options. Fall? Hum. Must have been Fantasy Fest.

24 of 28 done. I'm beginning to think of what's next?.

Keys-Plez

fitchr...I have ILC also. How did they find yours? They found microcalcifications in my breast that lead them to a biopsy and ILC. I've heard that you should have MRIs, but my docs are just saying mammogram. That concerns me.

fltchr

I found mine. Had clean mammo nine months prior. They had a hard time seeing it on mammo and ultrasound even with me feeling a 2+ cm lump. I had an MRI too to rule out anything on the opposite side. I would push to get MRIs. I'm no longer comfortable with just mammos since all I hear is how hard seeing ILC is. Luckily, my RO was quick to agree.

Keys-Plez

fitchr...So your MRI detected it after you insisted? Excuse me if I'm a bit dense. I've been in this six months and have just realized that ILC is significantly different than IDC. Crap, another battle to fight.

And your RO is directing your future mammos and MRIs? They releasing me back to my PCP. Very confusing and not too comforting.

fltchr

I found a lump. They did a mammo (8 views because it was hard to see) and an ultrasound. Then decided to do a biopsy. Ultrasound techs both times had a hard time finding it on ultrasound even though they could feel the lump. Biopsy diagnosed IDC. Breast surgeon ordered an MRI for better view and to double check good breast. My surgery path changed diagnosis to ILC which made more sense since it explained why it was so hard to see. My RO is now in charge of my breast care and says she will be for a long time. She says the breast is her job and the MO is in charge of the rest of me. My PCP is only there for routine care - nothing to do with the cancer and I also have gyn for woman care. I had switched to just using aPCP, but my BS wanted me to again use a gyn because of more specialized care and is more knowledgeable of what to watch for after cancer diagnosis.

fltchr

Oh, and I never asked for the MRI. That was my BS wanting it. Today I asked my RO what would be done because of ILC. She said she still wanted a mammo at three months because it would be a new baseline since my breast will have changed after surgery and rads. Then she said she'd do the MRI at nine months. I believe it will then alternate mammo and MRI every six months for awhile. I can't remember how long she said though.

queenmomcat

General question that came up on the fall rads list: a reaction to the stickers laid down over drawn lines, which then rub off without the protection. How long are those lines supposed to remain? I've got only tattoos, so not sure how to answer.

fltchr

I would think they would be redrawn everyday and you'd have to be careful when washing. Some of mine washed off easy and others would last several days. My important ones were always covered with a sticker though.

klanders

skin question for all you experts. About week 3 I developed what looked like a rash all over my radiated breast. In examining my breast this evening I've realized it's not really a rash (at least not anymore). Now it's more like lots of permanent brown freckles/dots all over. They kind of look like age spots and there are a ton of them. Please tell me these will go away someday....

9 more treatments to go. I have 3 tattoos but one they have a hard time finding each day because of all my other new spots. Usually once they find it they draw with a sharpie around it. I have four sharpie marks indicating the edges of the bolus which have been with me since the beginning. They have stickers over them so they don't wash off. Only one is in a noticeable location when I'm dressed.

fltchr

Those spots go away. Actually they kinda just peel off eventually. Some of them peeled off pretty quick, I still have a few left that are getting loose. I am two weeks out. I've kinda laughed at myself lately at how having pieces of me peel off just seems normal now. Oh how life changes... My RO said to just let them come off in their own time.

Keys-Plez

fitchr....I like your team. Can I have them?

mira845

Hi all! Fall rad girl here. Question for ya. I'm at 9/34 zaps. I saw the nurse today. She said to apply the aquafor now before any issues start because they found it will possibly make things less severe in the end.

Right now I'm just a little pink and a little swollen. My nipple is a little sensitive but none of it is very noticeable really. Mostly it feels more bruised than anything.

I haven't applied anything yet. Should I be?

fltchr

I applied a prescription(Biatene) from day one. Compared to many my side effects were not that bad. Once I turned the slightest bit pink, my RO said to really be applying it twice a day. Another patient using the same RO did not start using the cream and her skin has not done well at all. I don't know if it was the cream or I was just lucky, but I'm glad I used it.

fltchr

Keys-Plez yes, you can have them, but you'll have to make a long commute to Orlando.

Keys-Plez

My opinion is yes. My techs are allowing me two things. CVS AfterSun Aloe Gel with Lidocaine. Not Walgreens. The ingredients are different. That has been a God send. The lidocaine really does help with the sensitivity. I apply it over the whole area 2x day and additionally whenever I feel a little tingle or sting. I've just started using Aquaphor. My skin has started to dry out and shrink and feels pulled when I stretch. It is helping with that.

I agree with fltchr, I also started using lotion, Cetaphil, everynight from day one. I washed it off in the morning and applied the aloe gel stuff. My RO said the Cetaphil was OK, but no closer than 4 hours before rads. I trusted my techs, with their combined 40 years of experience, with some of the more practical things.

Another thing I swear by is a cooling towel. I use it everyday over the radiated area. You'll find your radiated breast becomes several degrees hotter than your unradiated breast. I figure the heat can't be good for the skin, so I use the cooling towel. Maybe it's in my head, but works for me.

I also found that overall it was not as bad I had built it up to be. But with 4 to go, check with me again next week. lol With 9/34, you'll be done before you know it.

24 down, 4 to go.

Keys-Plez

fltchr....Orlando, huh? I did my LX at UFShands. I used to live up there. My daughter still lives there. I stayed with her for a few weeks. I felt very comfortable with the UF team, but could not stay for rads due to work. Gotta pay the bills. So my BS is up there.

Alibeths

rads, DONE!!!!

littleblueflowers

Congrats alli!!! How are you holding g up?

queenmomcat

Mira: my impression was "start with the lotions before you start having problems". I may have jumped the gun a bit--I started with the Aquaphor about three weeks before I started rads--but I'm no more than annoyed after fourteen zaps. And most of the annoyance is psychological! (I'm an exceedingly Bad Patient.)

The only problem is that the stuff is gooey as all bleep so you need to wear something disposable over the area, or you'll end up with smutz ALL OVER whatever you come into contact with. It does come out in the wash, but whatever-the-garment-is has to be able to stand a hot wash.

Alibeths

I just popped a pain pill. I'm in pain. Looks like I will blister. Ugh. Whatever, it's over!!! How u doing? Saw the good news on the other board!!!!😊😊

Keys-Plez

Alibeths....Congrats. How are you feeling? Speech, speech, please?

KBeee

Congrats Alibeths!!!!!

CAMommy

I followed everything my dr said to a t for skin care and I ended up with horrible burns. So much pain. I think I finally turned the corner. I don't hurt nearly as bad today and much less goop oozing out. I see lots of pink skin too. I'm hoping in another week I'll be better. I am 11 days out of rads.

Fltchr - we moved to Cape Coral FL, it's near Ft Myers. Today was the first day I felt like we made a big mistake, so freaking hot. I feel better though tonight. Can't wait until I'm healed enough to go in the pool.

ksusan

Yay, Alibeths!

fltchr

CAMommy I'm in Orlando area. FL is definitely hotwith lots of humidity. I did rads thru August and it was uncomfortable with the heat. It's been a little cooler the last couple weeks (not by most people's standards though).

Keys-Plez

fltchr...It's tons hotter and more humid inland where you are. On the coast it's much better. Yes. I can tell change is in the air. My glasses don't immediately fog up when I step outside.😊

CAMommy..Ft Myers us a great area. I've vacationed there. Great food, shops, beaches, fishing and weather. When you're more settled, you should visit the 'Glades. Nothing like it anywhere else. A great experience.

6doggies

Alibeths, Congratulations!!