August 2018 Starting Radiation

NVDobie

Glad everyone is all right with the treatments. There is light at the end of tunnel. I am 10 days post, still having some skin issues just different areas. Old skins are peeling off.

Has anyone experienced increased appetite before Tamoxifen? Wonder it is due to the return of estrogen which was supressed by chemo. I start tamoxifen in next couple of day, will let everyone know if my appetite changes after starting tamoxifen

Djt

Hello my friends,

So my last radiation treatment was a week ago today, and iv had the increased redness and irritation. In fact the skin is so fragile, where the nurses peeled off the stickers left scabs and sores. I couldn't figure out why I had increased pain over the last few days, then looked very closely at nipple area, well. It looks like iv been nursing a five year old with a full set of teeth. Rough .no skin left on nipple. I will say iv tried all the different potions and lotions and found the most serious and beneficial one is First Aid brand, intensive moisture cream.

On another note as the beat up breast started to calm, my underarm area and lymph node scar are turning a very deep ugly red and pain was extraordinary. I got up yesterday and could not touch it with the cream, multiplex, or anything. Through the day I had chills and felt very sick. Called and explained to nurse at mo office. She said will call me back, after she explained to my dr. So, the call back is to come in and be seen which I did a few hours ago. Lymph node scar and surrounding tissue is infected. Picked up my 10 day supply of antibiotic...hopefully will kick in soon, cause this is SOME painful pain.

Ingerp

Ugh, Djt--so sorry to hear that. This stuff is hard enough without extra complications. Hope you have a restful weekend and it all clears up quickly.

moth

I had my first boost yesterday & the boost itself was easy peasy but the machine was being temperamental at the beginning and would not communicate correctly with the computer so there was a long delay. They even called the RO and the medical physicist who did the calculations to make sure the prescribed dose and math were correct in case the computer was rejecting it because of a safety margin dosing error - that wasn't it.

Finally some other people came in and swapped out a bunch of parts on the machine and it all started working again.

And I made it through my first week of school; I don't have classes on Friday so today I'm catching up on everything. School is great so far and once rads finish next week and I don't have this extra appointment, everything will be easier. Yesterday it took me 1 hour 20 min to drive from school to the cancer center. I'm looking forward to having all those hours back in my life for other things.

Ingerp

Oy moth--so close but I'm sure it feels like still so far. Sorry about the hiccups but you're almost there!! What will you have after rads? Nothing but semiannual check-ups? Won't that be nice!!

moth

Ingerp - well, I guess I will still have appointments. I have my check up with the MO at the end of Sep, a dexa bone scan next (not sure why really because I probably won't do hormonals but I'm curious anyway so I'll go through with it), and a mammo in 6 months.

My GP also said she'd be willing to try to get a breast MRI for me so I might get in the queue for that because I think in Canada if it's not urgent it can be a long wait for it.

But it will be nice to not have weekly or daily trips to the cancer center, kwim?

Djt

Ingerp and moth...🥂🥂🥂

moth

Djt - thank you! Just two more boosts. Tuesday by 4 pm I'll be done!!!

mLghtn

Hi everyone,

I just had my sx and starting to plan for next step--radaition. I was wondering if everyone is having CRT, or anyone having IMRT? I am curious after reading that IMRT can deliver more homogenous dose and better outcome for larger breasts where shape and folds can be an issue. Wishing everyone well,

M

NVDobie

How is everyone doing? 13 days post radiation. Skins are still peeling but pain is gone. Using Polysporin and Calendula salve and aloe plants and salt water.

I started Tamoxifen few days ago. And started a new thread for anyone who is starts Hormone therapy in the fall.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topics/867099?page=1#idx_1

Hope everyone is doing well. Almost there!

lg10

Question for those who have finished--when your skin is peeling, does it seem like the new skin underneath will be like your old skin? I am on treatment 20/33 and my skin is starting to feel thicker and rougher so I'm wondering if it will go back to normal.

Djt

lg10, we are all unique, of course, but i think with time.....it will be as before...as far as skin condition. Im 11 days past end of rads, and the breast itself is a different color, but i can see it is calming down. The lymph node scar and surrounding areas are still fire red for me, and the peeling of the scar skin is painful. But even with that, i think it will eventually be as before. I hope so anyway.

Marymc86

I am almost 2 months past radiation. Skin seems drier on that side and it's sore if I press anything against me. However, the skin irritation is all gone and my black armpit is back to normal. Feeling more like myself again.

Ingerp

I had rads two years ago and that side is absolutely fine. I think I kept putting goop on it for several weeks after I finished until I got tired of it. Your skin will heal.

lg10

thanks everyone!

moth

I'm all done, yay!

Ingerp

Congratulations, moth!! That must feel wonderful. What are you going to do with all of your free time? ;-)

I'll have #17/33 today, so just over halfway. Keeping my fingers crossed that Florence stays far enough south that my treatment center doesn't close on Friday. I'm counting on being done 10/4, although I guess another day wouldn't be awful. Same as last time, the only affected skin so far is on my chest, where a swimsuit would not have covered all those years we <stupidly> sat out in the sun. The rest of the breast is only a little pink, and I haven't noticed any fatigue yet. Fingers crossed for resilient skin for all of us!!

Djt

moth-🔔🔔🔔CONGRATS!! Do something special today!

Ingerp, sounds like you are doing well, prayers the worst of the storm misses you!

lg10

ongrats, moth!! I’m ready to join you on the other side of this. 2 more weeks!

moth

Best wishes to everyone in the path or on the peripheries of the storms - stay safe. Some of the projections are quite scary and from past experiences they're saying even areas far far away will have torrential rain in the days to come.

Djt

is any one post radiation that has had a bad issue with arm pit, lymph nodes scar area, but not the breast? Im really not knowing what else to do with this dang mess. I spoke to a nurse again today, she says its slow to heal. Its raw, peeling, and such an awkward spot to bandage. Can't even use a washcloth it's so painful. Any experienced This?

LIFE1963

Hello. I started radiation treatments last week. So I'm at a week and a half right now and I'm already feeling the exhaustion. I literally walk into work in 3 hours later I have to go find a corner and take a nap. I am having struggles with sleeping at night as well as my arm is feeling heavy and burning feeling. I did talk to the doctor and she told me to wear my lymphedema sleeve. And take 4 ibuprofen every night. My question to any of you ladies is have you struggled with sleep since starting all this and what have you taken that works for you. I was kicking around taking Lexapro. I'm not a big fan of pills nor do I do a good job of taking them because I don't like to. But I'm getting frustrated with this lack of sleep at night and then trying to function during the day. I've always been that way but radiation seems to be making it way tougher. Any suggestions are welcomed.

RobinJ3024

LIFE1963 - when all this started for me, I called my Family Practitioner and asked for something for sleep. Lack of sleep makes me very emotional, so I needed to sleep so I could make decisions. He prescribed me with Xanax, and I've been taking it off and on since April. I know in my head I need to discontinue it, but if I don't sleep, I just can't be rational. I don't know if it's the Tamoxifen that causing the continued sleeplessness or just the general state of stress (which I feel has lessened since June). I have a routine appointment with Family Practice in October, so I'm going to discuss it with him then. I want him to review all my treatment and make his own recommendations for the "whole" me. I need someone to look at the "big picture" of my health with me; not just focus on the cancer, which will all have been treated by then.

Anonymous

My first treatment today:

I had my first radiation treatment today. In and of itself it was uneventful but the xrays and drawings on and about they put on my breast area prior to treatment was a pain. I wasn't expecting that it would take an hour laying still, and I started feeling a little panicked. And wouldn't you know, my eyebrow started itching....and I couldn't move to scratch it. lol

If I understand the technicians correctly, I have this set-up procedure every Monday and Thursday.

I bought the special lotion they recommended, which needs to be applied three times a day. I wore a v-neck jersey and didn't realize some of the markings could be seen by others as I walked around the store. Going forward, I'll wear a crew neck to all upcoming treatments.

Marymc86

I don't think you'll have to go through that set up procedure again until your boost, if you have one. They might do pictures occasionally to make sure your positioning is correct, but today was the most lengthy and you made it!

I got in the car to leave after my 1st treatment t and the first song that played on the radio was " This girl is on Fi re"...I had to laugh.

Kidogo

Djt,

I made an epic post a couple weeks ago that vanished. I couldn't bear the thought of starting over so never did. Mostly I thought I may have some info of use to others. Perhaps it will help you.

I used a product by 3M called Cavilon. Nothing else. It's a barrier spray and developed for a protection against bedsores originally. You apply 2-3 X /week. That's it. Sounds like this may protect your sore area while it heals. Does your Centre have a wound clinic? They could help you. Maybe ask your nurse navigator. Surely they must be useful for something.

Sorry to hear of your infection. The Cavilon worked extremely well for me. Oh and I bought it on amazon.ca. Small bottle 28 ml I think but I would guess st the end of my 16 treatments I had about 1/3 left. You can also get at the pharmacy.

Good luck.

M

Ingerp

My treatment center takes X-rays every Monday but those appointments are just a tiny bit longer than the regular ones. I’m only actually on the table for maybe 10 minutes. The techs re-do my marks as needed—they sometimes touch them up almost every day.

Today will be #19 of 33 for me. The skin on my chest area is getting pretty itchy but that’s about it for SEs for me. No real fatigue yet. My RO confirmed that my hair is indeed coming back. She thinks I’ll see a lot of growth in the three weeks of rads I have left. Fingers crossed she’s right!

Djt

Kidogo, thank you for taking the time to let me know about this spray. I may check it out. I think I'm almost to a turning point, a bit less red and sore today. It just such an awkwardly bad place for skin to peel and heal. Thanks again!!

LIFE1963

Kidago - Did you have an infection or is that the stuff you used during rads treatmentment to protect the skin?

LIFE1963

When receiving radiation did any of you ladies notice that the arm that you had your lymph nodes taken out of seem to be more irritated during radiation?