July 2010 Rads

Hey ladies,

Almost the weekend and break for you all. It seems Karen and I are on the August Tamoxifen thread already. I would like to stick together - so I will post where ever you all are. I am sticking around here till you're all done and if the consensus is to start our own thread that's ok with me. I would like to feel like I'm getting to know a core group because it's easy to get lost on here - there are so many of us. 

Glad to hear you slept better Julie and KIm - wishing you another. 

Good Evening Ladies,  Hope you're all settling in for a sleep filled night.

Has anybody had pain in their side/back, like in the rib that runs around at that bottom of the treatment area?  My skin is filling in unbelievably fast, but now I'm getting this pain like someone is tugging at my rib.

I was thinking about finding a silver lining in all of this.  One silly one is that the good boob is looking really good, I guess the benefit of all the extra lotions and potions.  Another is finding the support of this group.  I'll stick here until everyone is done with this step in our journey and will jump to wherever everyone decides to post.

I expect to be getting my script for the big T the first week in Sept.

Sweet dreams.  Donna.

Good Morning Ladies:

TGIF finally...

Kim, I take bendrly each night to help me sleep, it did stop working since going off HRT,but I love it and take it 1/2 hour b-4 bed and I would sleep at least 6 hours, it was wonderful

I go three times per week for accupunchture for the 1st few weeks, then once a week, my insurance pays for it, so I don't mind, I do have to pay my Co-pay of $20.00 but at this point I would pay a million (ok don't have it tho)...LOL

I was reading that if you get a cough that this is not normal and to let them know ASAP, I was up all night coughing, so I will address this again, and if they blow it off as "NORMAL" I will have a big problem today with it.

Ladies:  I also get the pains and burning feeling, again "NORMAL" I was told, like always, but I do think that part is normal.  I put ice packs on the area of concern and it does help a lot.

I will find out today which pill I am going on, I know it not the "T" pill, I have to see the onco after my spa today, not sure why but will address my cough and other concerns I have, he will not say "NORMAL"...LOL  

Ok, ladies Big Congrats to those who are done or almost done, this part of the journey can be put behind you.

Off to the Spa I go, have a great weekend

Julie

Hi,  Thanks Bailey and Julie, mine sounds the same burning and pulling.  I'll wait it out unless it gets worse.

That's great news Julie!  We were offered some add'l insurance for catastrophic illnesses that would pay a lump sum when you're diagnosed and BC was on the list. You would get it whether you take time off  work or not. Problem was it came out two days after I was diagnosed...murphy's law!

Happy Friday everyone!  Donna.

Hi All:

Hope everyone is well.  Well again I forgot to right down the name of the pill I will be starting when the spa is over with I think it begins with an "A"....

So the Rad onc said see my family Dr. about the cough and shortness of breath....I was not happy...But I also had to see the Onco, he is going to watch this and took tons of blood.  he wanted to start me on an ABX but I'm allergic to 99.9% of them, so if he decides that route I will have to go into the hospital for IV abx's...Hoping its just my Acid refulx acting up causing all of this.

So next week I will have 3 weeks left...I'm really tired today, can't seem to be alert whatsoever, but TGIF...)

I hope everyone has a good weekend and takes some time for themselfs.

Hugs and nite

J

DONE!!!  Had my LAST boost today! So happy! So sore! Lots of blisters on the scar, and my armpit is a mess, but I ate SOLID food today! My nurse said it will take about 2 weeks for my skin to return to normal, and to keep using all the creams on it until then. Also hoping to be able to sleep in an actual bed by next week! I am sick of sitting up in a chair all night!

Julie, the cough IS from rads! I have had that, too, and the nurses all told me that's what it was! I hope you don't have the throat issues I had. Miserable! 

Spendygirl, I have not slept, either. I have moved to the chair that I slept in after my mastectomy, but much of the night is spent on the computer, watching tv, or reading. Can you nap? I seem to sleep better during the day! Don't know what that's about!

Anyway, all of you still in the trenches are in my thoughts and prayers tonight! We are all in this battle together, and I pray we all survive! 

Love you all!

Linda 

Question or more of a thought for me.

These Dr's want us to go on these pills, but after so much research and I mean hours upon hours I can only find that your survival rate goes up 2-3% while being on this drug for 5 years and they really don't know the perment damage it can do to the body.

I really need to think long and hard b-4 I start any of these pills.  I beleive a MAN MADE THEM...:)

Hi All,

Hope everyone is resting and taking care. It has been three days since I finished - weird thing is my skin is getting darker and more itchy as the days go by - they really do mean it peaks 1 week after. Is anyone else having or have had the same type of experience? Serious stuff this radiation!

Healing wishes,

Sonia 

Thanks for the information Donna. It helps to know I'm "normal". Gosh it's itchy though - makes me want to scratch and pick. You're bang on about the path of destruction - I guess that should make us all feel better - what could possibly survive under there. 

Good morning Ladies:

One more day of vacation (as I call it) and back to the Spa we go (radiation).

About the Pills they want me to go on.  Just reading my Oncotype DX test.  It came back a 9 and it said "Average rate of distant recurrence of 7% (95% CI: 4%-9%), then it said Breast Cancer Recurrence Score 9.

I really have to think long and hard over this drug, jury is still not out about the effects it can cause years after taking it, why add fuel to the fire...I guess I will try it but in my heart I just want my life back.  Just not sure what to do, still have until the middle of Sept to decide.

Marita:  Thanks for the tip on the pill, but I'm not going on the "T" pill its the  Armidex not sure I can cut it in half until I get the pill.

My nipple is also turning dark brown, and the ring around the nipple is huge, plus I also itch, I take a bendrly and it does seem to help some.

Ok ladies, time to go see mom at the nursning home, have a great weekend and enjoy the day OFF.

Many hugs to all

Julie

HI,  all,   I am back from our holiday and one of the first things I wanted to do, was check in with everyone.

Sorry my jet lagged and fogged brain cannot hold in everyone's name,  but I too would like to keep in touch as this has been very helpful for me.    Someone asked about what they can do,  my son gave me an excellent book called anticancer that is very hopeful and talks a lot about nutrition,   apparently tumeric and black pepper are really good for prevention.   It is written by a doctor who is a cancer survivor himself,  so seems quite reasonable. 

A friend who was a paramedic explained that radiation has a half life,  so now the extended effects make sense,  It lasted about another 10 days for me and peaked about a week later,  My onc nurse told me I could use .5% hydrocortisone cream under my Glaxal base cream for the itch,  That seemed to help,  and when things settled they settled very quickly.   So yeah,  I could wear a normal bra,

 The whole getting back to normal is a big issue,  because it is a new normal so we have to create it,  I don't want to live in fear of a recurrence but I realize that it exists and I guess I still have to come to terms with all that has happened even though I am one of the lucky ones.

My doctor felt that I didn't need tamoxifen because it would make less than 1% of a difference,  So I have been worried that I wasn't having it,  yet relieved too.  This is hard,  because you have to trust others,  and I am big into research and controlling my own future.   So I wish everyone well with their own journey and decisions. 

I am heading back to work next week and am hoping that I won't feel too tired as I too hit the wall every now and then.  It is a new position so I want to do well yet don't know if I would be better with a gradual start?   My doctor has said I could take more time if I need it, but I want to get back to the land of the "more normal".  

I read another good book written for men,   called Stand by Her,  that talked about life after Cancerland,  I guess we all have another major transition, 

This has sure been my year,  I became a grandmother,   my husband has surgery for melanoma in between my biopsies,  my son in law lost his job,  and I am starting a new job. 

Wow,  sorry for so much,  but I have missed checking in with you wonderful women,  who get it,  and it is appreciated that I can share my insights and my concerns with out worry,

Brenda  

Hi everyone.   For those who are done, thank you so much for posting what the week after might be like.  Anyone having pain under the arm?  Not the skin, but inside?

If you don't mind, I'd like to share my birthday surprise (birthday tomorrow).  My husband, son and DIL conspired and flew my daughter home for the weekend (she's 26).  They hid her at the restaurant Friday night.  I cried in front of everyone.  It's been so hard for me to go through this without her, we're very close.  But we've had a weekend of silliness and I am so thankful.  Back to the real world tomorrow.

Hang in there, we're almost done.  Healing wishes to all.

Hi All,

Thought I would chime in with some good news.  I had my last treatment a week ago Wednesday and wanted to report that my skin is healing really fast.  It is almost hard to tell where the burn line is!  I can't believe it.  I do still have a tan circle from the boosts and my aerola is peeling.  The swelling is gone.  The best thing of all is that yesterday and today I felt NORMAL!!!  No tiredness - the fatigue has lifted - I'm so excited.  I hope it doesn't come back.

I had the itchies and unhappy skin like I hear many of you still struggling with and even an open crack at one point.  Just thought you would want to hear that our bodies seem to recover pretty darn quickly once the rads stop.

Like many of you, I can't make up my mind about taking tamoxifen either.  Its such a small percentage that it lowers our risk - but it feels scary not try everything.  I am planning to give myself at least a month off.  I've been dealing with this since mid-February and mentally I just need a break.  My onc suggests giving it a 2-month try.  If I'm miserable, he says I can quit.  I like the person's suggestion of cutting the pill in half and taking it 2x a day.  I think I will try that.  I also hear some of you talking about an oncotype number.  I'm going to ask for that. 

I enjoy reading all of your posts.  Congratulations to those of you who have finished, for those still treating - hang in there!!! 

Spendy:  A big Happy Birthday, what a gift you got...Enjoy

Linda:  Congrats on being done and over with, with this part of the journey, take time off and enjoy life for a while...:)

Kickon:  I have to agree I will try this pill and see how I feel, but if I feel like what I have read, I will quit,but will give it a try b-4 saying "NO"...:)

Brenda:  Good luck back at work, I'm sure it will be hard but nice to be with "NORMAL" people again...:)  Gotta love that word "NORMAL"....

Ok, time fo the spa, have a great week ladies, chat soon

Julie