JUNE 2018 starting RADIATION

mwaucker

I know it is still early in May but I’m scheduled to start rads next month and didn’t see a June topic out there so I thought I’d start one.

What’s the verdict on deodorant (not anti-perspirant) use during treatment? I live in the South so June can be HOT! When I had my radiation oncology consult the nurse said I could use deodorant during treatment but the doctor said I couldn’t use anything. The doctor said I wouldn’t want to use anything because my skin would be too sensitive; he also said body odor wouldn’t be a problem because the sweat glands in my treated armpit wouldn’t produce sweat...is that true? I asked my dermatologist about it and she said the crystal deodorant would probably be fine. I’m scheduled for 20 treatments starting 21 Jun and don’t want to stink up the office anymore than it already does during the obnoxiously hot summers here in NC! Haha! Any advice or suggestions are appreciated!

Moderators

mwaucker - Welcome to the BC.org Community and thank you for starting this thread!

We know you're talking about deodorants... but till you get responses from other members here, you may to check out the following article from our main site: Should Antiperspirants Be Avoided During Radiation Treatment for Breast Cancer?

Also, to find deodorants that are free of parabens and synthetic fragrances, check the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

We hope this helps a bit!

Kind wishes,

From the Mods

GreenEyes81

Hi mwaucker, I'm joining you in June as well...pending onco dx comes back as expected and I will skip chemo. Currently trying to decide between getting rads local where it is convient vrs travel and stay will family out of state. Just not sure about the local facilities, but I have appointment Wednesday to check it all out. lol

mwaucker

I hope your appointment went well, GreenEyes81! Neither my husband nor I have any family locally but I feel so fortunate to have an employer (& boss) who is willing to work around my radiation schedule, super supportive co-workers, and an amazing treatment facility that is doing their best to accommodate my work schedule! Having people around you who support you on your journey is so important and really makes it easier to deal with! Best of luck with your decision!

GreenEyes81

I think it went well. The cancer team at the "new" hospital was very welcoming and kind. The doctor....not sure. Seems "dry". lol Maybe not the biggest on bedside mannors, however I wasn't concerned "medically". I think it will work out! Though, I might be a "May" club member. lol

EveyHammond

Good morning lovely ladies!!

This is my first time posting, and I wanted to share a POSITIVE experience. Lord knows we need more of it. I had a patient that works in radiation that gave me hope and I hung onto that for dear life during my treatments.

I have one more week of radiation to go, so technically I'm a May Girl, but I wanted you all to know that you can do it. Here I am after 25 radiation treatments. One more week to go.

I was so worried about burns and fatigue, but I have not missed a single day of work (I have 2 jobs) and am doing really well. Once the team dialed in my schedule, the only fatigue I feel is just the running around here and there to treatments. All very normal and completely understandable. I even added some walks after work which I hadn't done much of during the chemos.

The Rad team gave me instructions of twice daily aloe and nightly Aquaphor. I had a harder time finding 100% aloe and was using the CVS brand with Aloe listed first. I developed crazy, crazy itching at about week 3 so I found an organic 99% aloe gel. This dried out the skin more, but I felt it helped the itching a little. The Dr put me on a hydrocortisone 1% cream, but that did nothing. They called in Clobetasol Propionate cream .05% and it was magical. Just start there.

I also use Miaderm and My Girls some of the time and on weekends when I can walk around the house lubed up. The Miaderm has a nice smell to it, but the My Girls just plain ol stinks. Looking back, I would honestly get the Miaderm.

They sometimes use something called a bolus which is a gel pack to mimmic fatty tissue and it helps bring the radiation up to the surface of the skin. The redness increases after the bolus, but goes right back to normal after a day or so. There is scatter radiation that bounces off my sternum and clavicle, which you can see in red. That's where the Clobetasol works miracles.

If you have any questions, I hope I can help. I have gotten so much out of this website and others that have gone before me. Good luck, and you CAN do this.

EveyHammond

Good morning lovely ladies!!

This is my first time posting, and I wanted to share a POSITIVE experience. Lord knows we need more of it. I had a patient that works in radiation that gave me hope and I hung onto that for dear life during my treatments.

I have one more week of radiation to go, so technically I'm a May Girl, but I wanted you all to know that you can do it. Here I am after 25 radiation treatments. One more week to go.

I was so worried about burns and fatigue, but I have not missed a single day of work (I have 2 jobs) and am doing really well. Once the team dialed in my schedule, the only fatigue I feel is just the running around here and there to treatments. All very normal and completely understandable. I even added some walks after work which I hadn't done much of during the chemos.

The Rad team gave me instructions of twice daily aloe and nightly Aquaphor. I had a harder time finding 100% aloe and was using the CVS brand with Aloe listed first. I developed crazy, crazy itching at about week 3 so I found an organic 99% aloe gel. This dried out the skin more, but I felt it helped the itching a little. The Dr put me on a hydrocortisone 1% cream, but that did nothing. They called in Clobetasol Propionate cream .05% and it was magical. Just start there.

I also use Miaderm and My Girls some of the time and on weekends when I can walk around the house lubed up. The Miaderm has a nice smell to it, but the My Girls just plain ol stinks. Looking back, I would honestly get the Miaderm.

They sometimes use something called a bolus which is a gel pack to mimmic fatty tissue and it helps bring the radiation up to the surface of the skin. The redness increases after the bolus, but goes right back to normal after a day or so. There is scatter radiation that bounces off my sternum and clavicle, which you can see in red. That's where the Clobetasol works miracles.

If you have any questions, I hope I can help. I have gotten so much out of this website and others that have gone before me. Good luck, and you CAN do this.

GreenEyes81

Looks like I will be delaying rads until around August....change of game plan. Looking at starting chemo in a couple of weeks instead.

Good luck to all!

CindyNY

mwaucker- I completed accelerated hypofractionated whole breast rads (16) back on 1/18. I was allowed to use Crystal roll on deodorant. I think they don't want stick deodorant pulling on your skin; precautionary. I slathered on Aquaphor 3x a day; added 100% aloe (Wal-Mart had it) as it progressed, and mixed in hydrocortisone as I got itchy. Everyone reacts differently, my skin held up very well. I don't notice that armpit sweating; and now only have about 3 hairs there high up. The hair stops growing where rads hit. I wore tank tops, with heavy fleece over it - winter in upstate NY - that have been thrown out. Aquaphor is thick and leaves oil like stains. Its all manageable. Our Jan group used to mention in posts the music that was playing during rads. I think anything to take our minds off of what's happening. Best of luck to you, you too are strong and will get this behind you before you know it.

Green eyes- so sorry you had to put off rads. You are stronger than you know, and will get thru this. Hugs.

PNW1950

I'm sure glad I decided to ask this question. I thought I was crazy and found out there are others who experience hot flashes due to radiation. I'm going in to day 10 with 13 more to go. I slather the Aloe Vera on several times during the day and then use Aquaphor in the evening. I place a pad over the breast because of aquaphor's greasiness. Maybe it's too early for burning, but the combo is working so far. Bummed about hot flashes again because I've been there, done that after a medical - partial hysterectomy 12 years ago. I stayed away from hormones for two years and when my ovary quit pumping out hormones, I went on Premarin for a few years. I stopped when I found out what it was derived from and the means by how they got it. Anyone here use Premarin and ended up with breast cancer

Pattimills2017

I too am waiting for oncotype DX testing results. I was told 3 weeks to wait. I had my lumpectomy May 8th which was 6-1/2 weeks after my quadruple bypass. I'm praying for no chemo. I should be starting rad in June.

Hariry

Hi there,

I'm gonna finish my chemo soon. It was a long journey. Think my rad starts mid June. Bit nervous. Don't know what to expect. Thanks to have started this group greeneyes, and your sharing Eveyhammond.

Wish everyone the best

Hariry

mwaucker

Thank you so much for the information EveyHammond and CindyNY! I am trying out a new deodorant called Native and I LOVE it! Even if I can't use it during rads (I can see how it would pull the skin when applying) I think I will continue to use it after my treatment ends. I have about 4 more weeks before I start rads and I am trying to moisturize my skin regularly...give myself a head start maybe. I don't know if it matters or will help but I figure it can't hurt!

Has anyone ever had the radiation oncologist decrease the number of treatments recommended after seeing the pathology? When I went in for my initial consult mine recommended 20 treatments. Since that time I've had my lumpectomy and received my pathology. They found a VERY small amount (1 mm) of DCIS remaining - - they anticipated the majority of it had been removed during my initial biopsy...which it appears it was - - and I had negative margins; the closest one being 8mm. I'm just wondering if given the small amount of DCIS and the large margins if the radiation oncologist may reduce the number of treatments he thinks I need...

Best of luck to everyone else starting rads in June; I'm sure we are all just ready to get it over with!

Puzzlewoman

Hello, I posted on the May thread too as I just had my cat scan and markings done today, but my radiation treatments don’t start until June 4. Hopefully it’s fine if I join both of you all

Mwaucker - it sounds like we have gone through similar diagnoses. I had my first mammogram a week before I turned 41. The day before I turned 41 they told me I needed a biopsy on the left one, that was a Monday. Then birthday on Tuesday, then biopsy on Friday, then the following Tuesday I got the call that I was diagnosed with DCIS. Had surgery almost two weeks after that, clean margins (yeah!), and according to my test results, high grade, er/pr negative, and high oncotype dx score. Did you have that test on your biopsy slides? It sounds like the biggest difference between our paths is the er/pr.

My radiation treatments are to start June 4, for 4 weeks. I just got the whole schedule today. They haven’t changed their recommendations any time I’ve met them, but I can see how that could happen. I really like my rad onc, he is very knowledgeable and very compassionate, and I need someone who can be both. They are constantly doing more research and studies all the time so their recommendations overall change over time. I like that he is keeping up with them and can answer all of my many questions!

Motherofall6

June 4 I get the ct and planning appt then the following Monday start for 33 sessions

GreenEyes81

Well....I've been floating back and forth on chemo or rads. I start rads on May 31st....so going to join the June club if you don't mind.

Still waiting on possible onco dx and the TAILORx results...so may still do chemo. Just going to go out of order. Paving my own road here. lol

Texasborn

I used Premarin for 20 yrs. stopped 2 yrs ago and now have breast cancer. I was always told that it was safe to use.

Texasborn

I start radiation June 4. I will have 20 treatments. The dr wanted me to have 30, but I told him I had plans for the summer, so we are consolidating it into 20. I don’t know how that will affect me. I was not given the option of lying on my stomach. How do you get that option?

GreenEyes81

Texasborn---I would love to cut mine down! We are closing on a house out of state and I can't move till I am done with rads. Being done 3 treatments early would be HUGE. I'm going to ask, thank you for mentioning that!

ChelseaSculler

Green Eyes, I'm also waiting on the TAILORx results with a 22 on my Oncotype but no one suggested I swap the order so everything went on hold. But I saw my surgeon yesterday and she said she thinks it'll come back ok to skip chemo so I'm getting ready to reschedule my radiation set-up and get started in June--at the far edge of 8 weeks out from surgery! I'd be halfway through if it weren't for that darned intermediate Oncotype...

ctula

HI Ladies,

I started radiation yesterday so the majority for my treatment will be in June.My plan is 33 treatments 26 of the whole breast and 7 boost treatments where the tumor was. I hope everyone has a nice holiday weekend.

PaulaAtlantaGA

Hello, June ladies,

I begin radiation on June 6, - marked up this week and having a final talk/plan with my radiation oncologist on June 5. I'm in for 28 rads, then heading for Xeloda, then hopefully a clinical trial. As a TNBC, I'm "high risk" according to my medical oncologist since I still had a 2 cm tumor plus 2/14 nodes positive after 5 months of adjuvant chemo. I appreciate all the good information here. Maybe I'm the only one - but I haven't used deodorant at all since starting chemo. I have the Tom's brand which is great, and I hope someone will let me know if I need to start using it again!

ctula

PaulaAtlantaGA,

My oncology team told me I can wear deodorant but I also have no nodes involved. My friend was doing research for me and found a great natural deodorant put out by Native. I switched when I started chemo. I have TNBC as well.

mwaucker

Puzzlewoman - It sounds like we have traveled very similar paths! I had my first mammogram about 3 months after I turned 40. They called me back the next day for some additional images; those images led to a biopsy which led to a DCIS DX. This all went down within a 3 week window. How quickly things can change! Truthfully, I feel very fortunate to have caught this so early. My DCIS was moderate grade and 99% ER+ and PR+. It was about 1.5 months after my Dx before I had my lumpectomy and it will be almost 2 months after the lumpectomy before I start rads. I didn't get the Oncotype testing. I was planning to but there wasn't enough DCIS recovered during my lumpectomy to send in. My surgeon offered to contact my radiologist and request the test be done on biopsy sample, but she wasn't sure if there would be enough there either. I decided not to pursue it at this time because both my radiation and medical oncologists do not use the DCIS Oncotype testing when deciding treatment. Apparently the DCIS test is relatively new and though they do not dispute that eventually it will be useful in helping to make treatment decisions, they do not think it is there yet. It is my understanding the Oncotype is useful in determining the benefits of rads....I'd be interested in finding something that can help be determine the benefits of HT. I am NOT excited about 5 years of Tamoxifen. I start that in Aug and an dreading it. However, my medical oncologist is awesome and told me to try it for 2 months and see how I feel. He said if it is hell I can go off of it but at least I will know I tried. He promised not to beat me up over it if I decide I can't handle the side effects. On the other hand, he said I may be able to tolerate it just fine....no one knows until they try. Best of luck to you as you start your rads...I'd be interested to hear how you respond to it. I have a 5 year old so I am really hoping I am not completely drained because of it...

ctula - I recently switched to Native too and I LOVE IT!!!

Puzzlewoman

mwaucker - best of luck to you! I will be posting back here about how my treatments are going after they start June 4

Texasborn

I was told to use crystal a natural deor

missmelissa90

Hi everyone!

I'm joining the June/July rads team with 30 treatments in my future. I had neoadjuvant chemo, but after my BMX and removal of my right lymph nodes they found tiny tumors remaining where the big tumor was and I had micro tumors in 3 of my 23 lymph nodes. It looks like GreenEyes and Paula are in the same boat as I am. Are you ladies worried about rads after surgery? I'm almost 5 weeks out from surgery, but everything is still very tender and I feel as tight as a drum throughout my chest. I did my practice rad scan last week and, boy, was it tough putting my hands behind my head and laying flat! I still have a lot of numbness in my armpit area and my chest below, but I'm slowly getting mild sensation back in that area. I definitely have swelling still on my chest and this makes me worry more about lymphedema, even though my surgeon's nurse told me to relax about it, as I'm not in a high risk category. I'm getting rads to my chest wall, underarm and upper chest area, which I think is about as much as they can give you. My radiology team has been great, but throughout my process, I have realized that there are a lot of things that my doctors haven't told me (a great example is that no one told me about the tattoos that I received at my visit up until the moment they gave them to me) that if I hadn't read about them on this website they probably would have thrown me for a loop (the procedure for my sentinel node biopsy was another great example). My post appointment directions tell me to avoid deodorants containing aluminum salts and to avoid corn starch or baby powder in skill folds. I've also already got a prescription for Mometasone, a steroid cream, that is supposed to help with inflammation. Has anyone else been told any tips or things to be aware of during treatment?

GreenEyes81

Welcome missmelissa90! Have you seen a physical therapist yet? I not I would strongly recommend getting into one ASAP. Your doctors may not feel you "need it"....just remember PT is not their specility. Its important you get range of motion and then keep moving correctly as you go through rads. A few weeks into rads if you do not keep/work on range of motion and correct massaging it can cause complications from the radiation.

Kelligirl5

I'm assuming I'll be in June! I have yet to meet with the MO or RO, both are scheduled for 5/31 back to back. Just reading trying to wrap my head around the next steps and prepare!

nonomimi5

My first post! I am so grateful to find this website... I have my dry run today and meeting an Oncologist after for consult on the hormone therapy. Starting the first of 16 radiations tomorrow. Wondering if the accelerated therapy is harder on the breast and the fatigue?

missmelissa90

Greeneyes- I'm scheduled to see a PT next week and in the meantime have been working on stretching more. I've been a real weenie when it comes to my stretching because I don't like the thought of feeling something tear, even though nothing I have been doing could cause that, and as a result I've probably been a little too wimpy with the stretching I did over the past three weeks. I have to admit that I worked in the garden all weekend pulling weeds and planting things and I felt pretty good. The worst tightness is when I put my hands on the sides of my head and try to move my elbows back, which is exactly what I need to do on the rads table, so I'm working on that move a little more intensely I'm normally pretty tough when it comes to recovery, but the fact that I don't have breasts, just long lines on my chest makes me feel weird about it all.

Anyone here going to start on hormonal treatment during rads? My OC said many women wait until after because they don't want to deal with side effects during rads, but chemo knocked me into menopause, so I'm thinking that it doesn't really make sense to wait.