Rads start next week - I have a few questions?

Hi, Juliet,

Love your avatar. Awfully cute fur baby, and so stylishly dressed! Hope he's managing to stay warm in these cold winter months.

I can guide you to some suggestions for reducing your lymphedema risk. The National Lymphedema Network has Position Papers on Risk Reduction, Exercise, and Air Travel here:
http://www.lymphnet.org

And here's the StepUp-SpeakOut page specifically for women who have been treated for breast cancer:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/riskreduction_for_lymphedema.htm

Your absolute best bet, though, is to insist on a referral for evaluation and education by a well-trained lymphedema therapist. Here's a page about finding one who is well-qualified near you:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

A therapist will take baseline arm measurements for future reference, teach you a prophylactic lymph massage, give you personalized risk reduction suggestions, and fit you for compression sleeves and gloves or gauntlets (fingerless gloves) you can also use prophylactically for travel, exercise, unusual activities -- and directly after each rads treatment. (Because you have had bilateral surgeries, both arms -- as well as chest -- are at risk for lymphedema.)

Taking some simple lymphedema risk reduction steps can also help with another of your questions, because avoiding truncal (chest/back/side) lymphedema will definitely reduce problems with implants. 

Be well, Juliet! Hope the rest of your bc journey is all smooth sailing!
Binney

Hi Juliet!  I just finished rad. on Friday.  Here are some things that helped me.

1.  I never wore a bra.  I just wore a soft cotton tee under my clothes. 

2.  Do not shave under your arm!  I had a patch that stopped growing but it was uneven and bothered me so I shaved.  Ow - that seemed to really irritate it and was the worst part of my skin.   

3.  If you start getting tired don't feel guilty taking it easy. 

4.  Drink lots of water.

5.  My skin held up pretty well.  I started by using Recovery Cream but switched to Aquaphor.  I liked the Aquaphor because it is so greasy that my skin wouldn't stick together in the bad areas...under my breast and under my arm.  I never got blisters....just some peeling.

6.  Try to think postive about the radiation.  It is killing off any stray cancer cells.

7.  Buy yourself something or plan a dinner when you are done so you have something to look forward to.  I bought a necklace for myself and am considering a purse too!

Looking back it really went faster than I thought it would.  I counted it down in weeks instead of days...it was easier to look at 6 1/2 weeks than 33 days. 

Wendy

Thanks for all the pointers.  I am set to start rads next month and this is all very helpful to me.  I really need to work harder on the positive thinking about radiation---it has really got me scared and its hard to remember that the purpose is to kill off all the stupid cancer cells so that this is a once in a lifetime experience.  I'm thinking I need to write up an affirmation to stick on my computer and say to myself a few times a day.

But I have already set my goal to look forward to when this is over:  our family is blowing out the budget and going to paris.  life is too short to defer everything until later.