October 2010 rads

Hi BetsyP nice to meet you, all I know is what I've been told that women with a bigger chest tend to have more severe reactions to being radiated. I don't know why. I am a 44DD and not looking forward to the next 2 to 3 weeks. But I was told by the technicians today that if it gets real bad they can stop the full rads treatment and move on to the final 5 boosts and that way it gives my skin a rest somewhat and a chance to heal, then they go back and finish the remaining regular radiation treatment, or they said they could give me a 2 day break but then get back on schedule till completed. I think they need to find a new way to treat us.

Lynda I am not noticing any changes yet.   

oops!  The SUN, that is!

I don't know why yet, chiefswife.  Originally I was scheduled for 33 too, and I was told last week that they'd changed it to 30.  That's one thing I plan to ask the rad dr. when I see him this week, so I'll let you know.  He had a substitute dr in for him last week so I didn't ask him since he knew nothing about me.

Kathy

Hi Rose6

I have had 11 treatments so far  and my breast is definitely firmer and denser. I am also very sore. I take my bra  off as soon as I am home. The good news  is my skin is doing well - just a little pink

Mama0f3Bugs - I have had 2 bouts of nausea  and I have noticed fatigue especially at the end of the week.

Hello Gals.....

Hope I can join this thread. 

Starting rads on October 26th 

Started Tamox a few days ago

And started Antibiotics last night for my THIRD wound infection in my back from my donor site reconstruction in May.

I am sooooooooooooooooooooo DONE with this cancer thing

Again thank you CT124, I found what you said was on this site about the radiation, I've read it all, I'm feeling a bit better about this whole thing now. Well maybe I should say now I understand the radiation and how it works on us. Thanks for letting me know it was there all along, I've only been visiting the area where we all chat.

Welcome momofcuig and DesignerMom, you two will do fine just like the rest of us. (let's pray this is true) we have to think positive!!!! Oh my momo I'm sorry to read about your infection, if it's on your back how are you able to lay down in a comfortable position to sleep? I'm going to stop complaining now about myself since I'm not having anything to gripe about really. I'm going to remember you tonight when I say my prayers. 

mama

had quite a bit of swelling and went to OT. after 2 sessions of lymphatic drainage, it is so much better. am doing lymp massage at home also. I don't know if this would help, but I was blown off sev times before I got the consult script and was amazed at how much larger it was-didn't look like that much fluid was there. also the stretching exercises have helped a lot too. I start rads tom. My thoughts are with you. I thought the nausea would be over w chemo done. Don't know if I'm ready for this-still exhausted after the last rnd of chemo-just seems to be taking so much longer to come back after the last round. My thoughts are with you all.

chiefswife and QCA-Glad it helped. I found it to be one of the better sites to help me understand. I spent so much time looking at the reserach elsewhere, but this really helped answer my questions. I start tomorrow and really am not sure if I am ready, but I remember one of the people in the chemo postings said something that really stuck with me during this whole cancer tx process. She said you don't have to be brave, you just have to show up. And that's what I plan to do tomorrow-show up.

I thank you all for sharing. You keep making me realize that this is managable.

momo-you said it. I am so done with this whole cancer thing, but everytime I complain, I am reminded that so many others are facing bigger challenges than me. I have a friend who is battling inflammatory BC. She has been in tx for almost 2 years to try to get tumor to shrink so they can do surgery, and was almost ready for surgery when it flared up again. Some new meds and hopefully they will work. She is also getting RT for bone and brain mets. This is such a lousy disease.

So much for thinking that radiation ould be 'easy'!

The nausea comes and goes, there is lots of fatigue, and now as I complete the 2nd week I can see the skin turning a shade darker, and the areola has become very tender..the rad. tech said to let her know if it becomes unbearable...

Am concerned because I still have a long way to go(33 rads), and am worried as am also big-breasted..BTW not wearing a bra helps, but the rad tech said maybe a sports bra would be nice....and thanks to all of you for sharing, I wouldn't have even paid attention to some of the SEs otherwise...even I have some pain in the right arm, and am concerned about lymphedema, will be discussing this at the next review.

Betsy;  From what I understand that is a Canadian protocol.  I asked my onc about it and they just don't do it here.  I am a Canadian living in Pittsburgh for the past 25 years and my sisiter went through BC last year in Toronto.  Where are you being treated?

Heather

I am doing great energy-wise, boob is swollen, not really red.  I think I'm on 8, but I decided not to count, so I'm not sure.  I WANT HAIR. 

Physical therapy has already done wonders for my arm, I'm so very grateful.  I'm still a little tight, but feel great there, too.

Today's excitement:  I have shingles (or maybe contact dermatitis, something auto-immune, clearly).  Supposedly from chemo.  Kind of scary that crap is still cycling around.  Anyway, on an anti-viral, miserable and itchy.  Hope it doesn't progress.

chiefswife-YAYYYYY!!! about the hair. I am getting it back everywhere except head. Isn't it strange how it comes back so differently for wach of us.

mhp70-hope you are feeling better quickly. You are right-I wonder how long it will take to get rid of the chemo and the SEs.

when I was reading chiefswife and QCA, I wonder if the rads make the chemo fatigue worse. I am 6 weeks out and have never felt more tired. I start my first RT tomorrow hopefully, was ready for it today. I wish I could get my energy level and the hair on my head back.

Hi ladies,

I had my 6th today, 27 more to go.  I had to skip it yesterday to take my national licensing exam.  I thought it would be a quick and uneventful day today, wrong.  When I walked into the waiting room, my tech already asked me to wait a bit, no explanation given.  There was only 1 other person in the waiting room.  Then I thought that my tech was just chit chatting, so I waited and said nothing.  After 15 mins of wait time, she called me to go in.  I immediately see 3 men walking around and knew they were not the regulars and they are not dressed like the rad techs either.  They were actually the rad machine techs.  As I was waiting to go inside the chamber (dungeon), there's a man talking with one of my techs.  Then he walked away.  By the time I was on the table and I was being aligned, he was back by the controls, the only thing divided the walkway and the control counter was the hospital curtain.  He passed the curtain and was by the controls.  There are 2 surveilance camers pointing at the bed/table.  The monitor is very clear, you can even make out the features on the person's face.  I asked my 1st rad tech, is that guy a doctor, she said "No", he's a physicist, he's tweaking the machine, it wasn't working right.  She tried to tell me he's behind the curtain and the 2nd rad tech told her, no, he's right there.  By this time my gown has been pulled down and I'm half naked.  As the machine was zapping me, I was getting more and more furious, how can my rad tech think it's nothing?  The machine tech should not be watching me going thru treatment and I'm laying there half naked.  I am just so furious and when I told her after my tx session, that rad tech is stoic like nothing happened.  I told the 2nd rad tech, same.  No apologies, nothing.  I wonder how they will feel being so vulnerable and someone can just stroll right up to the monitor and other things when one is doing the treatment. 

My rad center is one of 6 branches.  I don't think that a doctor is always available.  And honestly, I don't think that they care how I think or feel.

If this happens to you, will you report it? To whom?

Thank you, Alca.  I thought that my rad techs would be my advocate because they are women.  I'm so wrong.  These are the 2 that really couldn't care less.  I told them that my armpit feels swollen, the 2nd tech had the nerve to say it's not infected.  I told her, I felt it.  Sigh, there are so many of them that are insensitive.  If there are no patients, they will not have a job.  And I hate to be treated like cattle. 

Thanks Kathy for being supportive.  My own sister didn't think it was that bad and it got me fuming.  Another lady on BCO thought that it is a violation of patient's privacy too.

And BTW, has any ladies here (who had SNB) get a sore underarm? I don't mean raw skin, I mean feeling a little swollen in the arm pit?  I'm wondering if this could be normal.  It's weird, I didn't complain much about the arm pit area after surgery, but now it is bothering me.  Will talk to the rad onc tomorrow.

Good nite.