July 2009 rads group

Irishred!  I too have muscle spasms , I have had them since my bilat MX!  They got worse during chemo, my onc said taxotere, causes them, then they let up before rads, and have started again, it seems worse at night, but I think the more I move around the better off I am! If they are bad at night I take some advil and it helps somewhat!  Good luck! Dawn

Well since I am not taking any meds, that doesnt explain mine.  I still think its from being in the "position" too long each time, shouldnt be more than 15 min, and mine are all 30-45 min.  And I am on a hard table, no cushions anywhere.  I think having to hold the arm that they took the nodes out of isnt happy being in that position for that long.  We''ll see.

Yes that's the study I am in. I will be having the IV and I had my first one last Monday. I agreed to to the study because from what I read  I could only benefit from it. I was hoping for the pill form. I have a mediport too but I won't for the next 3 years. I'm sick of Iv's and needles.  Right now I get one IV a month for 6 months and then one every three months after that. I was concerned with side effects as I am also " side effected" out, but they seem minimal, however this morning I awoke with my bones aching something terrible - like when I was on taxol. I am wondering if it wasn't caused by the IV I had last Monday or worse, now that I think with a cancer victim mentality, bone cancer.

13 rads left!

Three days post rads!!! I'm keeping up the camomile and aqeous cream - skin is pink and tight it may be a good thing that I don't have feeling there. The bolus to the scar has resulted in the scar becoming like a marker line drawn in darker pink.

Cathey - where I did my rads they were very helpful. There was a kind of mold on the treatment table with support for under your knees. I wasn't lying flat the mold held me in a semi upright position and there were supports for my arms. The techs always asked if I needed any help raising my arms.  My physio had told me that if I had any pain in my arm during rads I should take a pain killer about an hour before rads to help me get through the rads - I never had to but perhaps you could ask  you dr if this would help you. Be sure to tell them at your simulation about your concerns and ask them to work with you towards your comfort - remember all this is suppose to be for your benefit, don't be shy about putting yourself first. Best of luck to you.

Hope you are all doing well - considering the wet summer we have had the bit of sunburn I got from rads is about as close to sun I got!!!!

Take care.

ravenruth:    I just posted a new thread under radiation forum asking some questions about Simulation.  I have not gone through it yet but I have been told that it is simply an extra great Xray.  Unlike the older xrays the CT scan is state of the art and get the best xray pictures of the interior of the breast.  This new type of xray is used to determine exactly where the radiation rays should be directed and focuses on specific areas which are drawn on your breast like a map and by the time the simulation is finished the techs have put some pinpoints on your breast which will be used to direct the radiation treatments for the future.   I am probably not the best person to answer you but maybe someone will explain their experience to you.  I am not afraid of this procedure however you must hold still with your arms above your head while the doughnut shaped CT scan machine slowly passes over your body.    I will be having my simulation Tuesday Aug 4 and I will try to post my experience thereafter.  Good luck!

I just finished 28 out of 33 Friday.. all I have left next week are my boosts!! My skin is dark pink, no blistering, no breaking...I credit it to using aquaphor, calendula tea therapy and Aloe-Esta cream. I started the aquaphor the first week of rads as recommended by my radiologist... and I have been very fortunate that my skin area has not been to bad. I swear by the calendula tea applications and aquaphor!!

Best of luck to all still going through rads and congrats to those who are finishing up!!

Cathey....my techs put a sponge pillow under both of my shoulders when I get zapped...it really helps take a lot of pressure off of my arms... and I get a mold under my legs and that helps take pressure off the small of the back.,  Good luck hon!!

Janine- I'm having the same sleep issues! I go to sleep fine, and then wake up about 2 hours later. Usually I'm absolutely STARVING when I wake up during the night! I think the radiation must be increasing my already high metabolism- I'm guessing that the body uses a lot of energy trying to repair all of the damage that the rads are doing. Anyway, I wake up get a snack, and then I'm awake for a few more hours. It's frustrating!

Sometimes I nap during the day and sometimes I don't. But I am having the same sleep issues - wake frequently during the night and sometimes can't fall asleep again for a long time. However, it's better than it was during chemo so I still see it as an improvement. I have done 19 out of 25 -- 6 more to go.

Hi Everyone,

Back after a wonderful weekend in Baltimore with the Red Sox!  Boy ... I'm dead-dog tired!  It was so much fun and felt good to let my hair down... oh wait ... I still don't have hair!  Thank God for my Red Sox cap!!!

Started back to work today for the first time since March.  Very emotional but good to see everyone.  I'm trying so hard to get back to the "new normal".  I have 6 more treatments to go.  I agree with you, Leah, it doesn't get easier for me either.  The closer I get to the finish line, the less and less I want to go. Breast is getting redder by the day and very, very itchy.  Of course this heat that we're having here doesn't help.

 Between starting work this week and the big weekend, it's going to take one heck of a nap to recover!!! 

Hugs to all,

Nancy

I finished my rads last Friday.  They had used the bolus on me from day 1 and everyday.  I had 28 tx.  Since they used the bolus as much as they did, they didn't do the boosts.  A week ago, an area on my neck looked like a floor burn.  My chest was a medium pink.  Last Monday was the last time they used the bolus.  They zapped me without it the last 4 times.  I only had 2 zaps done on me last Friday.  It was really quick.  Since Friday, the area on my neck and shoulder, as well as my chest area is red with my mx scar and under my arm a deep purple.  I had a regular checkup today and my doc said it would probably continue getting more red the rest of this week.  I told her that yes, I am now sore and quite itchy.  I had been doing well until last week.  None of the creams they gave me or that I have help.  I slather on the Radia-Guard cream about every 1 1/2 hours and my skin still feels like elephant skin.  I hear it gets better the the second week out.  I am glad.  Other than that, I feel pretty good. 

I also had sleeping problems.  One week I only slept about 1 night.  I was really, really tired.  Of course, they say it isn't because of rads.  I was on Adevan, then 2 different sleeping pills.  Each one was worse than the one before.  I told my rad doc that I was going to get Melatonin, which I did.  It helped tremendously.  She also suggest I eat a turkey sandwich close to bedtime.  That also helped.  I feel really good if I sleep 4 straight hours.  Much better than none.  I wonder what the rads do to our bodies to interfere with sleep.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WHO WILL FINISH THIS WEEK!!!

Hi Carollynn79,

I'm also taking Tamox.  What is the issue with Tylenol PM and it?  I haven't heard anything about that.  I don't usually take it anyway as it doesn't work.  My sleep seems to be no worse than before rads.    Personally I like ambien and it's about the only thing that allows me to sleep since I figured out the insomnia was most likely related to menopause since that's when it started. 

Becky

Good Morning All,

I'm excited!  Today is my last day for rads.  I'm getting ready to go!!!  I'll check back with you all later!

All the best!

Hi girls!

22 down, 8 to go... yeah! About the Tamoxifen and Tylenol PM.... I'm a NP and just looked it up in my handy little drug interaction manual and it says, "Cautioned advised as combination with diphenhydramine (the "PM" component) may decrease active tamoxifen metabolite levels, efficacy."

So, basically, it looks like dephenhydramine (or brand name Benadryl) decreases the effectiveness of tamoxifen. My guess is that would occur if someone were to be using Tylenol PM all of the time while on tamoxifen. Ask your Oncologist, but I bet a dose every couple of months wouldn't make that much of a difference. Of course, that does help those that are needing to take it often during rads. I don't start my tamoxifen until I'm done with rads, so I guess I can load up on it now the next several nights! :-)  

Leah, there are a lot of other drug interactions listed- too many to name here. If there is a specific one you want me to check out, I'd be happy to look for you.