Spring 2016 Rads

Ingerp

Valstim--thanks for that. I guess it makes sense. <sigh>

cbowle and others who are itching--I don't think I was ever *crazy* itchy but I did occasionally take some ibuprofen. OTC pain meds can help with itching.

LovesToFly

glad your doing better katzpjays. I think I'm starting to, but I'm not sure it's hard to tell. I've also had a lot of skin come off my nipple, but I guess it was damaged skin that had to go. It was pretty gross! The part of my skin that was damaged the soonest, my collarbone, seems to be getting much better, but the area around my underarm and under my breast continues to be very red and tender

Ingerp

So I've really only been doing some yoga through the spring but decided to do my first body pump class since tx tonight. The cool down/stretch song? "Radioactive" 😂😂

New-girl

I am playing "One day more" from Les Mis loud and singing along.  Tomorrow I get released from the journey that started in May.  I have gone through two holidays and what feels like my summer.  Itchy miserable but probably because my nipples are reconstructed I was not afflicted like many others here.  Yeah for small nuggets of grace. 

Looking forward to joining the T-train and waiting to see how my chest reacts long term to the radiation.  PS thinks my right breast will shrink to nothing and rise up.  Will certainly be interesting to watch.  Have any of you who are out noticed any physical changes to your radiated breast like shrinkage and repositioning?  Haven't seen much of anything on this site but I have seen pictures and they are scary.  Lets hope only the worst cases like to post pictures.

PlanB58

Ingerp and New-girl love the music references! Rads humor! I have not noticed any size changes the swelling seems to be down and looking pretty normal! Hope it lasts!

Jill hope the worst is over and healing begins.

Grazy have a fabulous time!

I am enjoying a Dr free week this week! Love it. Will be seeing MO in 2 weeks to discuss the dreaded tamoxifen but until then feeling free!

tbalding

cbowle, I am itchy in the exact same spot plus the nipple. Probably started on me the 2nd week, but I'm on the 21 day schedule. I use hydrocortisone cream and try not to rub it accidentally & just try to ignore it. So far that has mostly worked. (but talking about it is making it itch more right now, lol)

Well, I finished 16/21 today, my last whole breast, woo hoo! The techs told me it'll be easy peasy for the last 5 boosts. Also saw RO today, he said that my really red areas are outside of the boost site. The boost area will continue to get redder, but it's not as red as underarm and upper chest area.. My tumor scar is at about the 9 o'clock position on the right breast. I've been very lucky, have some fatigue, itchy patches & some tender areas, but have been able to keep up with work & still go to Zumba class (not working out 100% by any stretch, but I'm still getting a good workout)

Jill, my nipple looks a little white when I get out of shower before I put on cream. It's doesn't hurt or anything, just itches. I thinks it's skin that will start to come off soon, too. I'm trying to be extra careful & not brush it with towel & am putting extra cream on it. Hope yours is on the mend.

Yay, New-girl, you're almost there! I'm right behind you, getting on the t-train in a couple of weeks. I finish rads July 12 & told my MO that I'd start July 16 (I want to start on weekend) I'm trying not to think about all the possible se & concentrate on why I'm taking it. Doing everything I can to make sure bc doesn't come back. I'm getting irritated with people because when I mention that I'll be taking it, they want to tell me about a friend who has bad se. I know it's different for everyone and I'm trying to wait and see & not worry about what hasn't happened yet.

Hope everyone has a good tx week

Trish

LovesToFly

planB-I started tamoxifen on May 10. The first week I had some brain fog, hot flashes (but I was still having those from chemo) and gained 5 pounds. All of that (even the weight, bloating????) went away over the second week, and now I feel perfectly fine (from the tamoxifen I mean, obviously I'm not feeling so great from the radiation!!). No tamoxifen side effects at all. Hopefully you'll be good too!

PlanB58

Jill love to hear the positives! That is my hope as well.

tbalding

Thanks Jill too for the positives too, I needed to hear it I'm starting tamoxifen end of next week.

ejmann44

I was told the itchy rash in that area is because we are exposed to sun a lot there and probably burned several times over our lifetime. It is expected. I live in FL and definitely know I've had burns there. Only on day 5 so no rash yet but I expect it. I bought some cortisone to be ready. Applying a lot of miaderm now and some aloe on the nipple area.

muh

Hi Ladies,

I have not been posting for a while, and had only recently joined before that. I am getting myself back together, though not without worries, because I really didn't want to do radiation (actually didn't go to rads one day and wanted to quit)....but it helps a lot to hear/read from all of you, those of you with the less difficult radiation and the ones that are painful as well, I feel supported knowing that I am not alone living with this. So thank you!!

I like the pictures of cocktails (is it ever safe to drink again- hope so! ;-) and the nipple haiku :-) So, here I am, I finished 25 rounds of whole breast radiation! and yesterday began the first of 5 boosts. I didn't think I would be able to do it (sanely, and well, that's probably still questionable :-) My skin looked really "normal"...until last week- then suddenly everything is bright red, dry, my nipple throbbing and entertaining me with shooting pains. I have remained physically active and experienced little if any fatigue...until today! What's the deal? Is it the boost radiation, its directly from above, over the heart, though I know it is electrons and not photons, can it make you more tired?

I'm reading about everyone using aloe, which my RO says "no" to. I love aloe, it cools everything down. I only this cream, Bepanthen Plus (Bepanthen Plus: The medicinal substance - dexpanthenol - transforms into the pantothenic acid of the group of B vitamins. That is essential for the skin formation and regeneration and increases scar elasticity and strength. Chlorhexidine is a disinfectant which makes microbe propagation impossible on the wound surface. This way it prevents inception and spreading of infection in the wound. Bepanthen Plus also prevents wound dehumidification, and it also reduces their soreness thanks to the cooling effect.) Sounds like a wonder drug, huh? Well, not that wonderful, but so far I have my skin, and my San Marzano tomato breast still intact, so at about $25 per tube per week, I give in...

I am really looking forward to next monday, my last treatment day. But then there is kind of that feeling like "it's over, now back to life and try to forget about it?" I think there will be an adjustment period. I return to work the week after and will hopefully be feeling fit. To add to this experience, the radiation has killed my appetite, and my immune system, hopefully only temporarily. I've lost 10 pounds and got a yeast infection which is making me itch like crazy, but the itching is certainly a distraction from the sore breast! Go figure! Anyone having any chest pains/breathing/cough issues? What are the restrictions on swimming (ocean, pool, lake) or sauna afterward? I meet with the RO next week who will let me know, but wondering if anyone has had feedback. What about coloring hair? OH, I'm off to boost number 2.

Thank you all for posting about your experiences. My friend told me not to worry, that I will join the army of women who have marched this path and will be victorious!

have a great day!

muh

Hootowl

Lovestofly: Hope the improvement continues.

I have also had a tickling kind of cough on and off throughout the course of rads so there may be a connection. I was really frustrated yesterday. I was to have the number 30 treatment and be done on Thursday. Then they called with the machine is down message, ugh. So, end of treatment delayed until Friday, but I'm getting there with only some superficial peeling, darkened skin and swelling. I have noticed now at the end I have a definite afternoon slump

What about coloring hair? I haven't seen any definitive answer for that one.

Ingerp

New-girl--great song and congrats. I thought I'd miss it (had a few teary moments with my techs) but do not miss it AT ALL. (Although it did help that my son got married at my house 10 days post-tx. . .) I really don't think I've noticed rads-related changes to my hooter, although I don't look all that closely. Really just the "shark bite" as my BS called it. And FWIW, I don't have T available to me but would absolutely take it if I did. It's all about changing the probabilities.

PlanB--it will have been over a month with no medical appointments when I go back to the RO on the 22nd. Delightful!!

tbalding--the boosts were super easy for me, especially with the breath-holding for the whole-breast zaps. It'll go quickly and you'll be on the other side before you know it. Hooray for the exercise!!

muh--I drank throughout rads, and had my hair color done too. I didn't get any water restrictions either--not sure they told me there was anything I couldn't do. Oh well. . .

Hootowl--I have had what feels like a tiny bit of lung congestion and an occasional cough. And for the others who are several weeks out, is anybody else tired? It could just be the weather/summer energy level/. . .? but I am sleeping like nine hours a night and still feel like I could nap every day. Definitely not my norm.

cbowle

The itching continues today but comes in spurts. I have a morning appointment for rads so I don't dare put any lotion, cortizone or aloe on until afterwards. Oh how I would love to dig into my skin right now! I'm hoping once I get my break after Friday it will subside. I feel pretty fortunate right now though because my skin is not burning and painful yet so if all I have to deal with is itchy bumps then bring it!

I was not given any restrictions on hair color or drinking. I have done both and also plan to drink on my vacation starting this weekend. I was also not given any restrictions about being in the water and I will be spending loads of time in the pool all week. I purchased rash guards (thanks to LTF) and one piece suits to make sure every part receiving radiation is protected. My nurse told me yesterday just to be certain to wear sunscreen on that area but I'm keeping it covered regardless.

Yay tbalding!!! Boost away! You'll be done soon!

Valstim52

Question: Has anyone experienced loss of appetite on Rads? My RO says it can happen, but I had a better appetite on chemo.

Ingerp

Valstim--not really except maybe a *tiny* bit early on. And this may sound weird but I swear my sense of smell was a little off and sweet things weren't quite as appealing. But no weight loss for me. . .

muh

thanks ingerp! awesome that your son got married at your house!

I'm going to color my hair and have a drink ;-)

muh

I have had no appetite whatsoever sine the first week of rads, so much so that the RO said I need to consciously start eating. I'm 10 pounds lighter at 26 of 30. I'm sure it will come back, likely with a vengeance :-(

Ivegotthis

Vlastim -- YES! I don't think I've ever regained my appetite since finishing chemo. I can taste food now, not as much as pre-chemo, but I don't feel very hungry as before when I haven't eaten. The last week before each chemo my appetite was normal. I've actually lost a pound since chemo because I've been working in the garden and not eating too much. I thought I was going to gain weight! Pfffft!

Since I'm on the subject of me, I want to share that I finished my 33rd rad yesterday, the last six were boosts. I am pleased to say that I have had absolutely no problems whatsoever. I look like I have a sun tan. I have no burn, no itch, just a bit of soreness at the surgical incision area. I am so sorry for the ladies experiencing painful side effects. I wish you speedy you recoveries. I know that my skin may worsen in the next two weeks, but it hasn't been a problem yet and I don't expect it will be. I was using Miaderm. I'll be slathering myself with it until then.

I celebrated my last rad yesterday with my hubby and a bottle of champagne. I'll continue with Herceptin infusions until January 2017. But that's okay, I got through chemo and rads. And I get to live and tell about it. So whatever it takes, whatever life throws my way I now know I can handle that too.

tbalding

There's been nothing wrong with my appetite, I've been stress eating & it's a wonder I haven't gained! Had my first boost today. No big deal. Noticed at Zumba tonight, armpit is sore from rubbing I think, and tenderness where tumor was removed. Had to cross my arms over the girls when jumping , but made it through class. Still tired & itchy but it's manageable. 4 to go

Carlsoda

Almost there Trish...four to go!! I admire you for continuing Zumba through all of this...fun but exhausting!!

Katzpjays

Congrats, Ivegothis! I'll bet that champagne tasted great...

Ingerp

RAY RAH for Ivegotthis!! Feels good, doesn't it? Hmmmm. . . I think we need a new tradition where we *all* get to have champagne when someone finishes rads. ;-)

Valstim52

Count me in for champagne. Hello All, just spent most of yesterday and last night in the hospital. Pain in my hands and arm, my electrolytes were low, and I do have neuropathy. So very painful.Nothing worked. But on to rads today #10/33

Cathytoo

ivegotthis....I'm sooo happy that you've done well with Miaderm. I use it immediately after my treatment and several times a day. My RO loves it. I also bought Calendula which I'll begin using my third week. I'm only doing four weeks. So far so good.

tbalding

Congratulations ivegotthis! I agree with Ingerp on the new tradition

Valstim, so sorry you're experiencing pain. Hope you get some relief. Hugs!

3 to go!

Katzpjays

I really did well with Miaderm too. I did use a little hydrocortisone cream after rads when I was really itchy, but only used Miaderm during rads.

Valentin-so sorry you have hit a rough patch. Wishing you a speedy recovery

Ivegotthis

Ingerp, love the tradition idea! I'll just have to go out and stock up to keep up with everyone. I think after all we've been through, we should celebrate the milestones together.

Cathytoo, it sounds like you're doing great. That's wonderful news!

vlastim52, so sorry you landed in the hospital. I hope you are better soon and out of pain. Because pain meds and alcohol are a no-no. and I know before long you will have reason to celebrate. Hugs and best wishes for an uneventful completion of rads.

I bought a special bottle of champagne when I was diagnosed. I promised myself when this is all over my husband and I will pop the cork. Sigh...It will have to wait until January (Herceptin infusions). I can't wait to hear the sound of that cork to pop.

Hootowl

Valstim52: What do they think caused your electrolyte problem? I hope you feel better soon, a trip to the hospital can be exhausting, too.

Tomorrow is my last rad, it couldn't come soon enough since I had a panic attack in that machine today! I don't know why since I've already been through 31 treatments

tbalding

hootowl, hope you breeze through tomorrow. In your pocket