June 2010 Rads

Done!!   Today's treat is going to be a banana split! 

Took treats to the rads crew & said thanks for the good care, and goodbye rads-room!  Tomorrow will see med onc, see what she says, and onward from there. 

Have developed a mild LE, and am already dealing with that.  It may take some effort to find the right team, but my PCP will help in any way he can to expedite & refer.  

I'm looking forward to getting my energy back; and have really appreciated the encouragement and tips from those who've finished. 

Best wishes to all! 

One more boost tomorrow and I'll be done!  Yeah!

I have a family planned next week (before the kids start school).  I have to say that radiation has been quite easy and thanks to Barbara/emu oil, I've had virtually no skin issues.  My radiation oncologist saw me yesterday and said if she could pack what I did in a bottle and give it to other patients that would be great.  I told her emu oil did the trick. 

My elbows are usually very dry.  I have been wiping off excess emu oil on my right elbow after applying it to my breast ever since I started radiation.  The two are now night and day - the one that gets the benefit of emu oil is soft and smooth.  I'm sold on this stuff.

SallyEvian, I too find radiation to be somewhat of a drag since I have to go everyday.  Luckily the drive is not that far.  Chemo was not easy for sure, but I had very little side effects in that department.  I worked through everything full time.  Fatigue has not been a big issue, although my counts were low a couple of weeks ago. Did blookwork today and everyday is on the up side again.

Saw my oncologist today and he recommended Fareston (a newer? version of Tamoxifen).  Guess I'll move on to the hormonal treatment threads soon.

Take care, you all.  This can be done!

Wow Redsoxfan.  Congrats.  I'm jealous.  I'll finish my full breast next tuesday and then do 7 boosts.  My doctor said not to start tamoxifen for a month after rads are complete.  Maybe I'll see you on the Tamoxifen site.

Hi Redsoxfan.  Well, as you know I have 23 full breasts and 7 boots.  so tomorrow is number 20 of the full breast.  Wow, that came fast.  I really feel like I can see the end coming.  I too bought lottery tickets for each day of treatment.  I just bought 15 them today.  I started late.  Won a dollar so far.

I have also noticed that each doctor does something different for Tamoxifen. I have no idea why.  He also wants me to take an aspirin a day and vitamine D.  My skin is also doing pretty good.  Just very faint pink.  So far so good.

Thanks

Eileen56.

Redsoxfan: Congrats!!! Get 'er done!!

You sold me on that emu oil. I am running out to get some today.  The Calendula and Aquaphor aren't really helping.  The cortizone cream I have seems to be helping, but last night I was horrified to discover my chest smelled like rotten flesh where the blistering, broken skin is. I LOVE radiation!! (BLAGH-uuukkkk!!!)

My doctors actually changed up their plan again - they aren't switching to the boosts, instead they are going to treat me without the bolus to see if that helps. I hope so cause I'm going to miss getting taped down to that table every day!

Cheers to you and everyone!

Sally

Congrats to all who have finished!! My radonc saw me Monday and said that I had "GREAT cosmetic result!" It was entirely due to the emu oil and he said he would be recommending it to his patients. I literally had no burned areas, only one area of redness (more like irritated skin) under the breast.

To all who are still in tx: it is not too late to emu your brains out and it really works. That is all I used and it worked great. I am  blond/blue and fair. No problem.

I sound like a commercial don't I? Well. I want folks to NOT get burned because from what I have read that is really miserable and having cancer is miserable enough.

PS. Redsoxfan - Hate Yankees-Go Rays!!

Done done done!!  I brought a small pot of flowers to the rads center today and they liked it very much.  I literally counted the seconds during my last boost session today.

What I like is that, like BarbaraA, I've had virtually no skin irritation.  Just a small tan/pink area towards the armpit.  Other than that, no one can tell that I've had rads in the collar bone area.

Thanks to all of you ladies who shared your experiences here.  To those who are still in treatment, hang in there. 

Hello BoSox

I can't say I had much reaction to the Tamoxiphen. I am 44 and premenapausal.  I also get monthly ovarian suppression (Zoladex shot) plus Zometa infusion for bone building.  (I have low volume of bone mets.) 

 I haven't had any hot flashes. I am crabbier, but that could be to overall estrogen level decline, not necessary just the Tamoxifen. Nothing too bad, just a couple times I found myself in a really foul mood. But did not persist. I think I actually lost a few lbs. when I started treatment. It did come back but my weight is within about five lbs of what is was b/4. I had one charley horse when I first started (woke me up). Can't really complain, tho, really have not had much in the way of SEs. 

Thanks for the your info, EnglishMajor.  I hope I have the same easy SE experience.  

Congratulations, eileen56.  Keep slathering that pink square.  And gentle stretches.  (Advice to me from LE therapist.)    Good luck with the boosts.  BTW, here's the address of the 8/10 Tamoxifen board:  http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topic/755763?page=2#idx_45

OK, off with my two big bags of donations, the library, and the bank. Tonight,RedSox v.Yankees.  It is wonderful not to have to have the radiation treatment factored into the day.  Yes!

To all:  Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences and thoughts through this phase of treatment.  It helped me a lot to know that I wasn't alone.  And, it's completely different to "speak" with people dealing with this horrible situation than it is talking to my friends and family.  I'm very glad to know you all and wish it were under different circumstances.  It would mean a lot to me to be able to keep in touch going forward during the adjuvent treatment phase of this.  Probably the easist way would be to compile a list of email addresses....This site is wonderful but I think it will be hard to keep track of people as the June rads group moves on.  Just thinking....

If you're a facebook user, I just created a closed-group called June Rads 2010.

You can request to join the group page and I'll approve your request as administrator.

If there is a way to include a message to me when you join, indicate your username from the breastcancer.org group.

Access2010 (aka Jenny Singleton) 

Access, I just joined our group. But hey, we can always come back to this thread and check up on everyone! RedSoxfan - beat those bums! The onc gave me an Rx for Arimidex Wed. but I'm having a DEXA scan next Tuesday to establish a baseline (osteoporosis runs in the family). Still wavering on swallowing those pills.

Lost_Creek, I'm with you on the A's I did get the dx filled, and found that my insurance covers the generic. The co-pay for Arimidex was $310. OUCH. So far I haven't touched the bottle and made sure it was produced in the US not India.

I'm still experiencing phantom pain and believe it's the nerve endings trying to repair. My AP told me it's like having a piece of meat cooked 1/2 way thru then waiting for it to heal again... Yuck!  He said to rest, rest, rest. So, I've been taking part of my lunch hour and taking a nap/rest. It's really helping with the fatigue. I really notice when I try to run errands during that time.... the rest of the day just drags.

My skin is much better although still dry. Yes the underarm is the worst but that's were I had the incision and extra boosts. I had a total of 33 sessions so I am jealous of you who had less. I meet with the Rad Onc next monday for my 3 wk follow-up.

I don't wear any plunging necklines because of the definite line across the top of my boob. And, I still wear the sports bras all the time! The FL sun is to hot to go out in yet, seems to activate the itching.

I agree with everyone that the staff at the rad's office/tech's were the nicest. Always accommodating and upbeat. Would love to have them take me thru the rest of the treatments. Onc office the pits, maybe it's just my attitude. Think it might need adjusting?

Love to all.

YAY EnglishMajor! You're DONE!!!!!! 

Congratulations, EnglishMajor,  Sorry about your blister.....

My breast is almost back to normal-----except for my nipple.  Yup, I told you it had been tender. I think the boosts were the last straw.   Over last wknd, the skin broke down and began to weep serous fluid.  Looked just as you would if you skinned your arm.  Sooooo sore.  Second degree radiation burn.  AKA, moist/wet desquamation.

To be sure I was on target, saw the resident on Tuesday,  Yup, and she recommended: Aquafor.  For the whatever number of times, I said again that I was allergic to lanolin....Fast forward: on the drive home I had a flashback of my babies' bums when they had really bad diaper rash and what helped them heal.  Since I arrived home, I've been slathering with zinc oxide and covering with telfa pads (from the cabinet and cut to size).  Way better.  TG I'm a good healer.

Second tamoxifen today.  Only 1824 to go!   (Right now, plan to refuse the switch to AI's. Hope tamoxifen agrees with me.  Encouraged in my thought by Oncotype Dx score which, regardless of age, is based on 5 years of T.)

Love and God's blessings to all.

BarbaraA:  Amazing TB is only a game and a half behind NY.  The damn Y's are a juggernaut so far.  Lots of season left though....

Access 2010:  Thinking about opening a Facebook acc't.  Thanks for starting the group!

Hi June-flock!

Went to the Rad doc today for follow up (it is now 3 weeks since my last zap). He wants me to increase exercising and stretching my sore side. Still says I can't shave my pits and no swimming (I've still got a weepy surgical scar, but it IS improving finally!). I am definitely less tired and feeling more like myself! I have been on Tamoxifen for 10 days. a few warm flashes-- it hasn't been too bad so far.  He says I'll continue to follow up with him for a year and a half as the breast is still healing after all that time!  

Looking at the bright side!