Rads - What to expect?

Brat: I'll be starting rads the end of this month or early September.......I got on the August rads thread to get info there. Maybe oneof us can start a September rads thread soon.

Deb,

Compared to chemo, rads will be a breeze. The two major side effects are feeling tired and skin irritation. Feeling tired usally kicks in toward the end (after 4-5 weeks) and will last for a couple of weeks after you complete therapy. However, a little extra sleep will do the trick because it's not a persistent fatigue, but rather like you just didn't get enough sleep the night before.  I worked every day and could have taken off time if I needed to, but I always felt fine.  I was also working fairly late almost every night, but just got some extra sleep on the weekend and that worked. The skin irritation is similar to a sunburn.  I am very fair skinned, so I was very red and swollen by the third week, but I moisturized multiple times throughout the day and used an ice pack (not directly on my skin, but over my clothes) througout the day and both symptoms were very manageable. The redness and swelling completely subsided within two weeks of my last rads appointment.

Re: what you should expect - rads is basically a twenty to thirty second x-ray. I had two x-rays and was in-and-out of my appointment within 15 minutes.  The most time consuming aspect of rads was the techinician getting me into position - that took ten minutes.

There are a couple of threads on bc.org discussing different moisturizers to use during rads - check them out because it's really important that your skin stays lubricated and healthy. 

You or Jeanne should start a september rads thread - it will be very helpful to compare notes with others for the 6-7 weeks that you're both going through this. Best of luck to both of you - you're in the home stretch and it will all be cover in a couple of weeks.  

J

Hi Ladies:  New to this post but I've been reading.  I have a frustrating situation and wondered if any of you have experienced this.  I was supposed to start rads the day after my simulation but I woke with a rash on my neck and was put on hold for rads and given prednisone for 9 days.  After the 4 day waiting period and the rash had cleared up I started rads.  I got 4 done and woke with a terrible burn/rash just below my chin down to just above my breast area.  Went early, showed it to the rad onc and he has no idea what it is or what's causing it.  That was 3 days ago and it's still flaming red and burning and has spread to the other side of my neck/chest area.  They are not radiating the area where the rash is, so he says.  The nurse says this is radiation dermatitis and they expect this to happen about halfway through txs and gave me XClair (script) creme.

He wants to see me on the table to double check everything they are doing on Wed.  I had chemo from Jan to June, followed by a modified radical mx on the left side on July 8 and was to start radiation on mid August.  I was slathering with Eucerin 3-4 times a day before all this. 

I need this radiation as I am triple negative and it's my insurance policy!!!  Anyone have or hear of similar experiences?

 Isn't this supposed to happen in the area that's radiated?  and later in the txs?