December 2009 Rads Group

Renee and others that can not sleep..ask your doctors about "trazodone", it's an old drug been around a long time, but it is the only thing that ever worked for me and I only take the 50mg (I believe they can prescribe up to 6x that) so it only takes a little to do the job.....That's terrible about your burn, mine was never a burn, just an ugly raised itchy rash and only on my upper right section of my left breast...I have not noticed anything under my arm except a pale red color...The boosts have not caused any extra redness...I wonder if it is the IRMT trilogy radiation machine that made the difference, but I can't seem to find too many of you that are using the trilogy...I think I might give myself about a week off before starting arimidex, it really scares me, but will do it, just want a break...

Adrienne, I had same talk with rad doc on first visit, they barely mentioned any se's....If we hadn't found this site, we might not ever have known just how bad it can get, I feel so bad for Renee and Runwithscissors and the others that the docs failed to tell them the rest of the story and now can't give them any relief..... 

To All....... Look into ordering the book I keep mentioning the more I read it, the more I want to share with all of you, but I don't think you want me to start typing even longer posts...

"Foods to Fight Cancer", Essential foods to help prevent cancer, by Richard Beliveau, Ph.D, and Denis Gingras, Ph. D.......I ordered mine on Amazon for less than $14. with free shipping....quote from book..."Preventing cancer through diet equals non-toxic chemotherapy, because it makes use of the anticancer molecules present in food. These molecules fight cancer at the source, before it can reach maturity."....You will find it extremely easy to follow and I just can not tell you how much sense it makes!!!!

LAST RAD DAY!!!!!.......Now I start the Arimidex, can you imagine getting to the last day of that 5 year...let's see that's only 1825 days......OMG!!!!!!

Congrats to those who are finished. Everyone else, you are in my prayers and this will be over soon for you all. Please hang in there, if I can do this, you can do this! (Believe me, I have the worst nerves on earth)

Well...I am finished tomorrow now instead of next week..Hip hip hooray!!!!!!!!!!. Doc said Im too burnt and dont need the last treatment. Go figure. Boy the doc changed the whole tune today (shakes head). Oh I am happy I will be finished early but I cant believe the stories Ive heard since day one..lol..

Somanywomen, on the same note as above, I agree these docs contradict themselves like in your case and mine. Today the doc also said my surgeon lied, radiation doesnt cause nausea..lol.. Even blamed the nausea on my other meds and other doctors for my pain. I dont know what its coming from but oh well, even though its hard, we have to let this stuff go or it will make us sicker. And its just not worth it.

Take care ladies and keep the faith. I hope and pray your side effects are few or ease up soon.

((hugs))

Jules

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Somanywomen: Congratulations on your last day!!! Thanks for pushing the book on us too. I'll get it!!!

Webstertoo: Congratuations on your last day too!!!

Jules: You're finished too! Congratulations! I'm glad your doc had pity on you and stopped, but you must be so burnt if he did that. Ouch! Good luck with your nausea.

Adrienne: Thanks for the feedback on the Aleve. I took some advil yesterday. Don't know if it helped or not. I still have the vicodin, just in case.

Renee: Yikes, black spots too?? Hang in there. Mynipple doesn't look too happy lately either.

Lisette: Black spots sound horrible!  Is the aquafor helping. I have not liked that stuff because it is so thick that it hurts to rub on. Plus it's messy.

tbaker: Thanks for the update on the arimedex side effects. and the rad after effects. 

Steeny: Your scar is starting to open?? Good lord; what does the dr say about that? I have not seen any gel-filled square. But if it's cold, I want one.

Me: Today was my first boost. 4 more to go then DONE! Red, swollen, sore, and peeling, but no itchiness or black spots (yet?) Hope I don't get them.

Tamoxifen for me, twice a day for five years. Anyone else for tamoxifen? Weight gain and hot flashes, what fun. I lost weight when first diagnosed, which was pleasant. Don't want to gain it back!

Sleep:  I get so very very tired, but even so I can't sleep well. Last night I went to bed really early (with ambien). I woke up a few hours later and took more ambien. This way I slept for 8 hours and then felt pretty good today!  Note about trazodone: It interferes with tamoxifen, so these can't be used together. 

Are you all getting a day off rads for Martin Luther King Day? Three day weekend! Yippee!

Hang in there everyone!

Bonnie

Congrats to somanywomen, Jules and Webstertoo on finishing!!!

My burns are better today and the Rad Onc said my skin looked good.  I completed #24 and I have 4 more regulars to go then 10 boosts.  Yeah!!

Silvadene has worked miracles on the burns... they told me today not to have it on when I came to rads... LOL!!! I have been wearing it but it has been absorbed in and has been 9 hrs later so I guess that is o.k. an hasn't interfered.  Skin is looking soooo much better!! :=)  hope I don't jinx myself.  

Renee

Lissette, so sorry that you're hurting. It should be just a few days before you start feeling a lot better. I'm envisioning you enjoying your rads-free life.

Somanywomen, you are DONE!!! Wahoo!!! I am so very happy for you. No more rads! No more rads!

Webstertoo, congrats on reaching your last treatment. That is wonderful. I'm delighted to hear that you're adjusting to your hormonal treatments.

Jules, how wonderful that you got a reduction in your "sentence." That puts a big smile on my face, thinking that this weekend will be the beginning of your freedom from rads. Congratulations.

hhfheidi, keep on going. It's great that you are doing so well.

Bonnie, I know it's been challenging, but you are almost at the end of the rads trail. How's the area where your skin peeled off in the shower doing? I'm relieved that you aren't having itchiness or black areas. 

Like you, I'll probably be doing Tamoxifen. Before I do, I'll have a long talk with my medical oncologist to see if the benefits outweigh the side-effects. I think they probably do, but I need to be sure. I certainly don't need any weight gain, but I'm already used to hot flashes.

Yep, this is a three-day weekend for me, too, and I'm going to enjoy the break. Have a good one.

runswithscissors, how are you doing now? Are you beginning to heal? 

Renee, I'm just tickled to hear that you are feeling better now. Excellent! Did you find the Silvadene yourself, or did your doctor give it to you?

Michelle, I hope your incision hangs in there for the last few treatments. I'm glad you have antibiotic lotion to help you. You're almost done: congratulations!

Veggy, how are you getting along? I hope that hole is getting smaller every day.

To everyone who's through, many congratulations. You deserve a round of applause.

To everyone who's hurting, I'm sending you a hug, and a reminder that soon it will be over.

Me: Nothing to report. After tomorrow I'll be almost 1/2 done, and I get a 3-day weekend.

adrienne

15 down, 18 to go.  

I got told the same thing, to put the silvadene on in the morning and at night and to wipe as much off as possible right before the zapping.  I find it really gets thick and goopy under my arm.  5 to go yeah. 

Im officially finished and home! YAY! Just check ups from her on in. My husbands making me spaghetti dinner before he goes to work and tomorrow Id like to go out for some seafood. The techs hugged me and gave me a nice certificate. I was in tears.

Everyone else who is finished congratulations!!!!

To all of you still in the treatment you are in my prayers and I will keep checking how you are.
((big hugs))

Keep the faith!!!!!!!!!

Jules

somanywomen - I found the information you wrote about your blood work interesting - I will ask my onc about the numbers you mentioned and especially the part about tumor markers every 12 weeks. I have no idea what this means - but thank you for the leading me to learn more. I am always on the hunt for information.

Now 1 week post RADS and I am still burnt/tanned and am actually quite sore. Its the same sore I experienced off and on throughout the treatments I thought it was gone but was wrong. Hard to describe exactly the type of sore it is - not intolerable just annoying. And still itching - not too bad though.

One week tomorrow of Arimidex and SE's have not changed just a little hotter than usual - hoping and praying I will not gain any more weight. I have put on 15 lbs since this all started in September - mostly from quitting smoking and subsequently quitting Nicorette gum. I saw a naturopath Doc on my last RAD day and she has given me alot of info on diet that I am planning on trying. I will write more about that as I go.

As always thanks to all for the valuable information - I can't write on here much - usually during my lunch break at work, but I value all I learn here very much :) have a good weekend

Renee, I'm surely glad that you had that Silvadene cream. How wonderful that it has done such a good job for you. I'll remember to ask for that when I get to the point that I need it. I don't know anything specific about it, but I've been told not to use anything within 4 hours before a treatment, as any residue left on the skin could change the dosage of radiation in some way. If necessary, I wash any residue off before I leave home.

I hear you about not wanting a surprise three-day weekend. Fortunately, it wasn't a surprise to me, because it was on my treatment calendar from day one.

February 5th: it's getting closer every day.

Veggy, you are healing really fast -- awesome! Keep on healing, woman, and you'll be on your way in no time.  

You're right: the women here are strong. I'm not, though: I'm a real worrier. However, so far nothing that has happened to me has been as bad as I had imagined it would be. Hopefully, that will be true for you, too. And no matter what happens, we will get through it, and someday it will be only a dim memory. 

Thank you for all the hugs. Hugging you right back. 

steeny107, you are nearing the finish line, and soon you will be happily done with rads. Good for you, woman.

Jules, I am now doing the official happy dance for you -- many congratulations on finishing rads!!!!!  Thanks for the big hugs, too. I hope you can feel that I am hugging you back.

hhfheidi, I'm cheering you on as you cross the halfway mark. Go, go, go.

tbaker59102, I'm sorry that you are still burnt and sore -- ouch. From what I've heard, that will go away quickly, though. Please let us know how things go for you.

Thanks for updating us on your experience with Arimidex, too. I'm glad it's not giving you any trouble.

Me: Not much to tell. I'm almost halfway done, although the techs did warn me at the beginning that the doctor could add or subtract from the boosts at the end. Subtraction sounds a lot better to me than addition

I have been much more comfortable and feeling far fewer burning sensations since I started doing two things: 1) Taking two Aleve (Naproxen Sodium) per day, and 2) Leaving my breast exposed to the air as much as possible. I know that soon this won't work anymore, but at least I am comfortable for now. 

To all who are hurting, I am sending gentle hugs your way.

To all who are finishing, I am smiling for you. Life is good.

adrienne

16 down, 17 to go. 

adrienne your half way well done as soon as the countdown starts it flys by, I have 4 to go and am so looking forward to not having to drive to Miami everyday.  1 hour 15 mins each way does nothing for my ass lol or my mind for that matter. 

My skin is very red with lots of little black marks and is blistering alot more.  

Went today for some lymph drainage as my back is all swollen it was nice to just lie there and let them massage me, had to keep bringing my mind back to positive thoughts.

keep going ladies Radiation is good. 

Just checkin in on you all. Somanywoman I ordered that book and await it. Thanks! Veggy Im glad youre starting to heal. To everyone else, youre almost there! My prayers continue for you all to get thru this and heal. Hang in there, its soon over.

((hugs))

Enjoy your rad free weekend ladies! (we were going out today but my husband decided to do home improvement projects so ahh I will just putter around the house today..lol)

Jules

Yippee!!!!!! I got my new computer today, the screen is huge, the keyboard is so tiny, but so far so good.....no more fingering the laptop...Jules and Renee, I know you will love the book, I hope everyone gets it!!!....Make sure you go to Amazon, it should be $13.57, I bought a friend of mine a copy and didn't want to wait for delivery, and it cost $19.95 at Barnes and Noble.....

I found a multi-level steamer cooker at Macys today and I threw in broccoli, garlic, onions, cilantro, then I put two fish filets and shrimp on top and steamed away..Squeezed fresh lemon over it when it was done...It was very pretty....I do cheat now and then but am really trying to stay away from all meat and use fish and anti-cancer foods as much as poosible....

I will be checking on everyone....I picked up my arimidex today, but I really don't want to start it yet, maybe in a few days...Or maybe in a week or so.....My rad doc says that each rad takes 30 days to leave our bodies, so only a couple are gone, so hopefully, I am still somewhat protected..

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Adrienne; I am also in Portland Or. I live in SE almost Gresham. Where are you? I go to the Northwest Cancer center at Adventist  Hospital. Which one do you go to?