September 2010 Rads

Marmalade, I also asked about the Canadian protocol and I was told (by the doctor's assistant) that I can't get the shorter treatment because of my size.  The dosage is divided into 33 treatments (28 rads and 5 boosts), btw I didn't hear this from my rad onc. 

I am also taking my antibiotic to get rid of my infection and the still haven't started rads, I will however be getting my PET scan next Thrusday and am praying for a clean no cancer PET.  

Good luck to you all this coming week, HUGS !

I am still working on the infection in my mastectomy incision, although with the antibiotics I'm taking it is finally healing.  If all goes well, I start rads Monday - if not, they said they'd delay it a week.

DiamondGirl:  My daughter just returned from her first trip to Vegas yesterday - had a blast!!!  Now she understands why I love going there!

Reporting back on the Mayo Clinic hotliine:  They are only for use by a particular insurance company, I think she said Student insurance?  Anyway, she couldn't help me but said I was taking the right path by consulting with a radiation oncologist in a larger area.

Hi all,

Haven't been on in awhile because I have been enjoying having energy post-chemo and trying to take advantage before radiation starts.  I forgot what it feels like to even be motivated to go somewhere or even clean house AND have the energy to do it!  

Lorraine:  Not sure if you have a car with you as well, but if not, and you'd like a distraction and to get away from your "new home" for a bit, let me know and I would be happy to come and pick you up for lunch, or errands or both!  I can't imagine driving around houston in an rv on a routine basis, so let me know.  I live just south of houston and it is only about a 30 min. drive to the med center.  

I did have to find time for my ct/simulation this week.  I love my rad onc and the staff was very nice and techs/nurses all female which was nice.  I quizzed him a bit about the big range of se that seem to occur and is making me very nervous.  His answer was that a lot of it depends on the age of the equipment, newer equipment gets better and better and burns, etc is less.  Also depends of course on the number and extent of areas to be radiated, and just difference in patients.  He told me I shouldn't have anything worse that a mild sunburn like reaction and that while fatigue is present,it shouldn't be nearly as bad as chemo and most people are able to go to work.  It is best managed by staying busy, but if I go home and sit down and watch tv or read I'll probably fall asleep. So we'll see, I am trying to be cautiously optimistic.  I have 5 dot size tatoos.  The only one that hurt was right on the sternum between the two breasts...it was a breathtaker!  She put a little sharpie mark before she did the tats and those washed off easily.  The tats almost look like tiny moles or freckles so aren't very noticeable.  The rad onc was in the control room once the tech got it mostly lined up and he did the final tweaking. I'm only having rads to the lumpectomy site and not nodes. I believe I will see him once a week for a short consult before or after rads to see how all is going and if there are any new questions. I didn't see the actual room and didn't really think about asking (probably should have and it would have alleviated a little anxiety).  He is also referring me to a lymphatic massage (sounds good!) therapist due to the swelling in my right arm.  He told me if this is not gotten under control before too long, is permanent which I did not know.  He said the massage technique would help as well as they would get me one of those sleeves to wear to help as well.  I start Monday at 8:15 for 33 treatments.  They didn't seem to mind at all if I needed to change the time for any conflicts.  Anyway, that was my experience for the ct/stim for comparison.

I have tried to catch up on all the posts and should have made myself notes or something lol.  By the time I started writing this I have everything all mixed up!  So, welcome to all the new ladies, glad to see Janet back, and all of you are in my prayers always.  Good luck to everyone this week; hope it's a good one for us all and that rads go smoothly, other problems are solved or at least answers are found, and anxieties calmed.   Sorry for the verrrry long post!! 

Is anyone else bothered by itching in the radiated area??  The section of my chest that has seen lots of sun has developed red and brown spots, which itch like the devil.  The itching even weans its way into my dreams at night.  Lotion doesn't help.. It's making me crazy(er).

 bubbalu, will be thinking of you tomorrow and wishing you well.  Hope they can get to the bottom of your reaction!  Have a good trip.

Update:  They moved my apt. at Univ. of PA Abramson Cancer Center in Phila. up a week to 10/5.........UGH!  Their letter said I should BRING all my paperwork but they called and said it has to be sent BEFORE my apt.  Therefore, reschedule apt..  Work in progress.

Unexpectedly got to see the RO after my 5th rads tx this morning. He listened carefully to my description of the aching under my arm and the shooting pains in the lower part of my breast. After lots of poking and prodding, some of which was a bit uncomfortable, he said that it is related to the rads tx, not anything that could mean a recurrence of bc. He said it's early inflammation of the breast tissue and chest wall and suggests that I treat it with massage, no lifting or excess stretching with that arm (the right) and to take an OTC anti-inflammatory, and to wear only a sports bra. So there you go...even after only 4 tx the rads I have SEs. 28 to go. Hope it's all worth it. Although I like this RO a great deal and know this has been recommended by both my BS and MO, I'm having a more difficult time accepting rads tx as something I want or need. Anyone feel the same way?

everyone told me that after chemo that radiation was a breeze, well it was.  but now after almost 6 months later, my chest hurts. i am not sure if it is a lung thing or not since i have shortness of breath too.  does anyone know if exercising alot helps increase your lung capacity? and if shortness of breath is a result of lessened lung capacity.

I haven't found even one itty-bitty part of this bc dx and tx that's been a cakewalk. Not one iota of this process has been easy. I know everything is relative and needs to be kept in perspective. But the encouraging words sometimes make things worse when the reality isn't as easy as we're told it will be. I try to be encouraging to people undergoing chemo, but I usually end up saying it's not for sissies. I did think rads would be a whole lot easier. But it's so sci-fi to me that I'm 'fighting' it way more than I expected I would. I will just be so glad when all the tx is over. Even my port is giving me fits and I need to keep that for Herceptin IV's through the end of June 2011. No, nothing about bc is a cakewalk.

BocaCiegaBabe : I to am fighting the itches as well, found myself doing it in my sleep, it was driving me nuts! I have found some relief with the Aloe thank goodness. I just noticed these after treatment #11 looked like a red rash with little red bumps and itched like crazy! I hope that it does not get any worse. As far as a sunburn I am fair skinned as well and it is just a little pink but not bad.

I have completed 12 of 30 rads today, looking forward to that half way point this week, I am exhausted from all the driving & the fatigue is setting in as I work full time as well so my days are starting early.

Bubbalu - I went to a breast cancer conference this weekend and one of the speakers talked a little about PARP - he seemed very positive about it - so I am glad you are pursuing this option.  I believe that it is for BRACA positive?  Not sure about this part.

Anyway - I started radiation last wednesday - they combined my simulation with my first treatment.  They are a very efficient and professional office which I really appreciate.  They give you a card with a bar-code that you swipe when you walk in the door.  Then you just go directly to the changing room and wait for them to call you for treatment.  The only disappointment was that they are not using the Varian Rapid Arc - that equipment appears to be used for non-breast cancer patients.  No side effects yet - but have 31 (!) more treatments to go.  28 full breast and 6 boosts to the tumor site. 

Thanks to everyone for the good information.  Best wishes for minimal side effects and quick healing.

1Marmalade1: I would start using whatever cream they gave you right away so your skin is in best condition possible. My rad onc told me to reach way over my shoulder and also behind my arm pit on the side they are treating when applying aloe gel. Someone else mentioned that burns show up beyond the area you think they are treating....for me that is behind the top of my shoulder (although it is mild) and some on my collarbone on the treatment side.

As for ports.....I got mine out in late July. I was very glad to have it during chemo and glad to see it go, of course. The incision site really itches. I put aloe gel on it too.

Yep, treatment for b.c. is no walk in the park. I'm looking forward to when it's done....5 years from  now when I'm done with Tamoxifen :-) That will be 6 years total, but who's counting. And I'd take 6 years of treatment in a heartbeat to be rid of this horrible disease. Wish there was a CURE for all of us.

Khilde wrote:  The only one that hurt was right on the sternum between the two breasts...it was a breathtaker!

You ain't kidding!  I've got a pretty decent pain tolerance and about jumped up off the table when she poked me there.  

Susanthur - sounds like you might have radiation pneumonitis. I just read an article in the New England Journal of Medicine about it. It happened to a lady 6 months after finishing rads.  A short course of antibiotics cleared it up. It was visible on an x-ray and results from radiation hitting the tiny portion of lung tissue they can't really steer the beam around. You might want to mention your symptoms to your onc or rad onc if it is bothering you. Hope this helps.

Hot Flash caught in the act! Had an interesting experience at rads today. Had my rad visit, saw the Rad Onc, whose nurse took my vitals before I saw him. Temp was 98.4. After that I had to go around to the infusion center to have my blood drawn for a CBC. They took my vitals there, too, and my temp was suddenly 99.1! The nurse asked me if I was feeling ill, and right then I started breaking out into a sweat. We watched my temp go up to 99.5! "Pretty impressive," she said! Oy, what we go through.

19 rads down, and my skin started to sting a bit. I checked myself out in the mirror, and saw a sort of red rash-looking reaction all around the radiated breast...but not the breast itself. I see a spot that's definitely darker around the spot they radiate for the nodes, but there is a lighter red burn underneath that, that extends beyond that spot. Is this normal? 

CT - Waltham and Brighton are more toward Boston, I live in Worcester. It's not far though, maybe 45 mins without traffic? I have to get to Boston to see my med oncologist, so I'm out there relatively frequently.