March 2009 Rads Group?

Hey Caren, I was wondering how tired you got during rads?  I'm finishing week 2 and I feel a little tired in the evening, I don't know if it's the rads, leftover from chemo or my new exercise routine, or a combo of them all!  All I know is that it was hard to get up for work this am!

Have a great weekend

Cinda

My pulmonologist says my lung function is 60%. He wants me to wait a couple weeks for rads. Monday's chest xray will be the deciding factor, I guess. Is it my place to warn my radiologist of the pulmonologist's possible interference?

hi Cinda,

Interestingly enough, I did fairly well during rads, but I am now very tired since I finished on Monday.  Infact, I stopped at my med onc today for bloodwork since I have redeveloped mouth thrush (had all through chemo) and I have been so tired.   Of course I have been trying to claim my house back from nine months of minimal housework and I went to help my sister for three days this week following her getting a stent.  She is about two and half hours away, but I stayed two nights.  The good news is my blood work was great so even though I have the annoying thrush, there is nothing major going on.   So after all that, to answer your question, I have been a little tired after finishing 35 rads.  MId afternoon is the tough time for me too, and if I plop down to watch tv, I usually end up napping, but..................if I am out doing something fun, I am just fine.  I am glad to hear you are exercising and actually that should give you more energy in the long run.   I kept up my walking during rads which was usually 3,5 five days a week.  I have now upped it to 4.5 trying to jump start some weight loss before I start the AI's which I hear make you gain weight.  I already need to lose 25 so I better get a handle on this.  My last bit of advice is listen to your body.   If you are tired, rest.  But if you have the energy, then just continue exercising, etc.  Enjoy the weekend break and feel good.

Caren 

Torchsong! Thanks for asking! I am doing good. Just had some stomach issues this week that were not related to the rad. I am probably going to be staying there at least 2 nights a week to keep from driving so much. HOW ARE YOU?

cinda! I just got on to ask a question about Nioxin & saw your post. Glad it worked for you. I will give it a try.

Martha, sorry to hear about the tooth problem!  I know about those little things throwing you over the edge.  My teeth really took a beating through chemo, and rotted something awful. I'm due for some major dental work, and I know I can't afford it.

Mfgibby, I'll be celebrating with you on the same day -- Tax day!  That will be my last treatment, too.  It must be a pain to have to put up with the roads, etc.  It's bad enough that this is soooooo daily!!!  But yes, it will pass soon enough!

I'm just glad it's the weekend!

Cora

Hello Everyone!  Hurray, Saturday. No rads for any of us I hope!

I'm reading all the last 2 pages of posts. Everyone seems to be doing okay.MFGibby - I feel for you and the 3 little kids.  It sounds way too hectic.  Me too. Nancy, you might have a seroma again.....I think I might be a little puffed up there too.  Nelia 48 - I count, too.  18, 15, 11.  Renee, I'm going back to work on 4/21.  A week after last rad.  S Grimes, yes, my knees, feet also weird and sore - post Taxol?  I also still have a bad rash that hasn't gone away on legs and torso and calfs have been VERY itchy the past 2 weeks.  During the radiation zaps I can swear I do feel Currents of energy tingling at the treatment area.  My arm does twitch.

I've done 8/25 treatments.  So far, so good.  Side effects:

1. diahhrea on Mon and Tues (nerves?)

2. Sore throat (doing up by my neck)

3.  A bit sore - the boob bra too heavy.

4. a bit but not too much pink.

5.  tightness - like someone's 'pulling' my collar at the breast area.

6.  Afternoon tiredness

Torchsong! My hubby & I pastor a church. Just saw where you were preaching.

O.K. I had a breakdown today. All week long off & on I have been having stomack pain, upper abdomen. Twice I have thrown UP TERRIBLY and I NEVER throw up. I am thinking it may be gall bladder problems. I know it is not the rad because the pain started Mon. a.m. before my first treatment.

Anyway, I was just like , "What else" & started crying. My sweet hubby was trying to console me.

NancySchoen  Hi, thanks for your reply, my seroma is in front of my under arm. The surgeon said they did a fair amount of looking around there for nodes and what they found was a bunch of scar tissue and no nodes. A by-product of effective Chemo.  Honestly, it feels like a swollen lymph node to me, but 2 Radiology Oncologists say seroma and they can feel like lymph nodes according to him.  I was pretty swollen after surgery, and the swelling and numbness is just starting to decrease.  The CT prior to radiation says a seroma so.......  I see my Rad Onc on Monday. So hopefully they know what they are talking about.  

I have been battling THE worse cold for the last 3 weeks and can't seem to shake it!  Coughing like crazy!  But things could be worse I suppose so..... But since my bad news dept is closed I cannot any, only accepting good news!

Off to read a good book, to those not feeling better hope that changes soon!

Susie

Nancy and everyone,

Thank you for all the information.  I am trying to get the doctors note on Monday, but if I cannot I will call them and see what they say.  I was suppose to start on Monday but they did not finish my plan so I have to go and have one more picture taken.  I will officially start on Tuesday and I have to go 28 times so I will be finished in early May.  I also had some cream with the paraben stuff (not sure on spell) in it.  It is my understanding that that stuff is bad, but I do not know why.  The front of the bottle says it's 100% ALOE. But I guess other stuff is added in.

It is great to have some of you old pro's guiding us newbies along.  I wish we were all done.  I also found it interesting that it is important to get most things done in the morning, and that you might get tired in the afternoon.  Is that true with all of you that are a few weeks into this?  Just trying to plan my future a little. I am going to Disneyland after one week of treatment and then the next weekend I am going on a plane trip to San Francisco after two weeks of treatment.  Will I be able to do these?  I am going to SF all by myself to visit my parents.  I just want to make sure that you don't get to tired.  Thank you for your advice.  Kristi 

Hi Ladies, Just found this thread and thought I've give my 2 cents, hope that's OK. I'm a bit backward in that I did rads 1st and am now doing chemo. I must say, for the most part, rads is not that bad. Nipple itch is no picnic, but the creams (like aquafor) really help. When/if the burn, pain or itch gets bad, an anti-inflamitory like Motrin, coupled with a bag of frozen peas really does the trick. Yes, frozen peas. Have a bag of the cheap generic kind in your freezer and when it gets bad (like around treatment day 20 or so) slap the bag on your boob over your shirt for a bit...sounds silly but it's a big relief. Near the end of treatment you will get REALLY tired, sleep as much as possible. Good luck all, if I made it thru, trust me so can you. Rock on.

Kristi.... I am sure you will be fine at Disneyland after the first week as I was fine and did a lot that week. As for going to your parents that will be good for you. You should do all the things you want to while you feel good.

I think that there are a few things going on with all of us as far as when and how fatigued we are after tx. I am 57 and quite frankly I am over weight and up until this happened I did not exercise. I am now doing 20 minutes every day on the eliptical and eating healthier. The other thing is I think there is some type of relationship between the time you have radiation and when you become fatigued. I have radiation at 10. I get up at 7 and I am good until about 2 so if you think about it that is 7 hours so that is actually pretty good. I think that maybe the radiation effects us about 4 or 5 hours after our treatment. I wonder if others feel the same way? Just remember each of us are different. So I wish you the best and enjoy your trips.  Nancy

Morning, Ladies! 

I was supposed to start rads this morning, but received a call stating that the machine was experiencing "issues"....lol....so I'm in a holding pattern for the day until they fix it.

I'm just glad that I wasn't under it at the time!

Robin 

Hello everyone, well I slept 12 hours straight, (except for the night sweats!) on Friday night, I was tired!  Felt like Chemo all over again! Jeeesh, I thought I was over that.  I get rads at 3:00 everyday, and last week was the first week in a long time that I worked everyday, sometimes I take a day for an appt and to rest!  That was after only 10 tx.  I also have what looks like sun poisoning on my chest and I've been using the creams like crazy.  Sooooo I'm officially very tired with all of this and just want my life back!  I saw my onc last week and he told me I'd probably gain wt on Tamox., I gained about 8-10lbs with chemo,and I already had a good 5 to loose!

Well I'm glad I got that off my chest!  On a good note, my bulbs are pushing thru!  And I saw a Robin this morning!  And most importantly, my HAIR is coming in!  Life is Good!

Have a great day ladies!

Cinda