August 2010 Rads

good morning, everyone!   It is Saturday and I'm off to a new park here in Circle-tucky (I call it that, it is really circleville) to try to get in 6 or 7 miles of walk/jog.   

Ladym, I do get the nausea and find for me that hot herbal tea seems to help.   However, one day I also tried scotch and that worked!   

I'm very curious about this topless thing in Columbus.   I always associate topless with either lovely beaches.     Anyway, I'm less than 30 miles south of Columbus.   

Everyone, enjoy the wonderful weekend, healing time physically surely and hopefully take some time away from this crap disease.   hugs all around, bonnie

Good morning

 A no rads day - hallelujah!

Got a problem.  My markings won't stay on and I am not taking long showers (as a matter of fact I stopped showers completely and am sponge washing), am very careful where I put the cream, no powder etc.  The technicians are very frustrated with me and constantly asking me what I am doing!!!  Anyone else having a problem with marking?

Friday they sprayed the entire area with liquid skin.  That was a disaster.  As it shrinks it is pulling off the markings even more!

 This past week was cool - next is forecast in the 90's.  The erasing should get worse with perspiring in the heat.  Any advice?

Hi everyone.  Friday was 17/30 so over 1/2 through.   Some burning and pulling in incision which crosses the fold under my breast and rad onc says I will have a pretty bad burn there before it is all over.   Fatigue is main problem but is not 100+++ degrees here in OK now so that is helping and they sent me to Physical Threapy and am doing a little exercise everyday ?? dont know if that is making me feel better the last couple of days or what.  Maybe a combo of both.

No nausea for me which is unusual because I usually get nausea really easy.  Knock on Wood!!!!

arubajan05-  I ordered from Lane Bryant/Woman Within - 3 Comfort Choice seamless wirefree stretch bras.  I take a "G" and they do pretty well.   Not the best support I have ever had but good enough that I dont bounce around and they are very smooth and soft.  No seams and feel good against the skin.  In the catalog pics they are easy to spot - the name Comfortchoice is woven into the band all the way around.  If you try one, hope you like it.

Off to bed and enjoy sleeping late tomorrow morn.  up early every day for treatment and today for a funeral out of town.   Can sleep till noon tomorrow if I want to.   nite nite

Jet3648~ Thanks for the tip on the bras. I will check them out this week! 

Bubbalu~ I have had aLOT of skin issues (itches, rashes, hives) since chemo (and I never had them before). They have not delayed any of my rad treatments because of them.  Can't take benedryl now because I am on Tamoxifen, but have to take Zyrtec or Claritin quite often now.

(((Hugs))) to all!

arubajan05  This has been a bright red firey burn from chin to upper breast, shoulder to shoulder, rash in some areas.  I've had hives too but nothing like this until I started rads.  It's as though I fell asleep in the sun and badly burned my skin.  The puzzling thing is that it's not where I'm getting the rads but above there. 

Sharon - I know what you mean about the marks - mine are coming off all the time too. It's a shame your techs are annoyed with you - mine have just said it happens and they re-draw them on.  Most days they touch them up and they completely re-measure everything once a week to make sure things are ok. No use worrying about it I say - our bodies are the way they are and it's just the way it is

So am 9 down now - (will hit double digits tomorrow!!!!).  Some pink tones starting to come through now but nothing to stress about yet.  Someone mentioned about their breast swelling - I must say my breast is looking larger than usual (actually is a nice size compared to my tiny 'normal' size haha!) so am guessing it is a SE.  My major hassle is that I'm getting a sore back from the travelling - sitting in the car for nearly 2 hours total every day is just not good. Have got an appointment at physio tomorrow so hoping that'll help.

Hugs to all - hope you are well!

ECT:  Yes, I've been everywhere and am on every thread that deals with radiation, radiation recall, what to expect, etc. and all over the internet.  Can't find anything about burning in an area that isn't being radiated.  Burns and radiation dermatitis is to be expected as txs go on, but in the areas that are being radiated. 

That's a good tip, I'll ask to see the areas that ARE being radiated.  I doubt that my chin is one and that's where the burn starts from there down to where the top tattoo is.  The radiation oncologist said my collarbone is the top of where they are radiating.  Still a mystery.  And yes it is painful, like a very bad sunburn.  I only got 4 txs done!

Today I had my last "full" radiation treatment - only 8 boosts to go.  Yippeeeeee!!!!  My skin looks so much better than I expected it to at this point.  Have only been using Miaderm, a little Aquaphore, daily ibuprofen, and tiny bit of triamcinolone (prescription steroid) cream.

They drew lines for the boost area yesterday and I am surprised at how large it is (about the size of a ski mitten), but it doesn't include my underarm or the fold, so I'm quite happy about that (although my poor nipple will continue to get zapped).  So far the marks are staying on okay, but they said they would touch them up as needed.  They explained that the boosts will come from directly above (instead of from the sides), but it does not penetrate as deeply, only a couple inches.

This feels like the home stretch.  Hang in there everyone.  If you're not here yet, you will be soon!!

(I am also saying prayers for all you pink sisters when I'm on the table.)

Hi everyone!! I had treatment 14 of 33 today. So far so good. Tomorrow is doctor day. I had a day off from work today and pretty much stayed home and took it easy. I did get to the gym this morning for a workout. I'm enjoying that a lot - tired after but it's a good tired. I said a prayer for all of you today while in treatment too. Separated by miles but we are united in spirit during radiation. Neat to think of it that way.

Jana - congratulations on completing this part of your rads!!

Bubbalu - hope the burn & rash are better!

Everyone hang in there! We are getting it done!!

                                                       Carole

Good morning all.

Today I get over the hump.  Day 18 of 35, including 7 boosts.  So far she is pretty pink with some thickened skin.  I keep using vitamin E oil and lots of aloe vera gel.  Techs, nurse and Doc all say she looks good and she is only moderately tender  --  so far.

However, I swear I'm sleeping 12 to 16 hours a day though.

Hello all,

I've been away for a couple of days but I am back.  I had 10/33 today.  My skin is doing well.  I am a little darker under my arm and a small amount of fatigue rears up around 3:00 right at the time I'm picking up my daughter.  No rest there.  We are prepared for "Earl" hoping he will just keep on out to sea. I don't want to miss a treatment  for ANY reason.  I have a surgery date for my TE removal and exchange Nov 30.  I am so ready.  That date is exactly 1 year from my 1st doctors appointment about my "mysterious" lump.  I know the Lord is working this all out for me nothing happens by chance.

Bubbalu- Sorry to hear about your rash.  Praying all will clear so you can receive treatment.

Keeping us all lifted up in prayer.

See ya'll after the storm

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes with this burn/rash.  The rad onc today said it was/is a skin infection and had nothing to do with the radiation.  I had a chest rash before rads started and we got that cleared up with prednisone and cortisone creme then we started the rads.  After 4 days I developed this horrible burn on my neck/chest.  It's going away and he's giving me another 5 days for a break to start again Tues.  If it flares up again I may not be able to do the radiation and I really need it as I'm triple negative and it will reduce my reoccurence rate to 10% instead of 30% in the breast area.  He said he has 2 other patient with this kind of skin infection, both worse than me.  He claims it is not related to radiation and calibration and mapping are spot on.  I asked for antibiotics and he said I didn't need them it's clearing up.  Don't know where to turn next.  Any ideas?

IsThisForReal (love that name) and Lady Madonna -

I woke up this morning (#26 of 33) with the worst nausea yet and had to take a leftover compazine.  Between the compazine and the increasing fatigue, I was a zombie today.  It seems like my rad onc blames every side effect on the chemo - it is SO nice to have you all to bounce things off of and compare notes.  I'm not as crazy as I feel! 

Againmine - sounds like you've got a lot to deal with all at once.  I understand your thinking but am glad you got good news.  My husband would say to focus on the positive news and try not to think about the things you can't control (easier said than done).

Had my first boost today and couldn't believe how close they get the "zapper."  They also put things over my eyes, which was a little unnerving, but at least it was only one long zap instead of 4 separate ones. 

I'm really looking forward to the 3-day weekend!  I feel so much better by Sunday evening (can even sleep on my stomach that night) so it will be good to have that extra "feel good" day.  Isn't it nice that we bounce back from rads faster than the chemo!

babbalu: that makes sense to me...old burned skin just not as able to cope. 

Nausea...comes and goes, but I blame it on Tamoxifin. I seem to lose my appetite as the week progresses...just so blamed thirsty all the time!   And I agree with checking here for same symptoms...the rad techs and doc say its not the rads when I ask about swelling, itching, etc. so I don't say much anymore. If the rad breast is doing it and the non one is not...duh its the rads.

And thats my opinion. 

bubbalu- Yesterday I asked the onc nurse if she knew of anything that would cause a reaction like you've been describeing. She did say that if you had previous sunburns to that area it would make a more severe reaction. I was going to tell you that last night when I read that your burn was outside the radiation field. So, today I amended the question and told her it was outside the area they are radiating. She then said she did not know why that would turn red so quickly and seemed unsure that the radiation would have anything to do with it. Interesting to say the least. You might be onto it though. I sure hope you can continue the rads. I understand you wanting to get the best possible relapse percentage. You know we're supposed to be on the same timetable. I had #9 today. Nothing harmful as yet but I know a lot is going on underneath.

againmne - Glad to hear your path report was clear and that your healing up well. YAY

   Hope everyone has a nice evening and sleeps well.

                                        Carolyn