January 2011 Rads

lynda - I am in the November rads group but wanted to let you know that you are not alone with having 28 + 8 boosts.  That is the number of my treatments as well.  I have wondered the same thing, why do I have more? I started rads on Nov. 9th and will be done on Monday.  Yeah!  Good luck with your treatments.

mjbmiller - I had bolus treatments also and it is different than the boosts.  I had bolus every other day with my regular txs and everytime with my boosts.  I was told bolus txs are usually given to mastectomy patients to bring the radiation closer to the skin.  Your skin may react more when using a bolus.  The boosts are extra treatments directed to the tumor area and are usually given at the end of the regular treatments. Good Luck!

Penny--I noticed that you are in SK..I am in Ontario so perhaps being in Canada, we don't have access to all the same creams. My RO also recommended Glaxal Base--I bought one at Shoppers but bought a large one at Costco. They also told me to start using it now to be ready for radiation ==which starts on Monday.

During my simulations, they also told me not to move--that they would move me where they needed to. I am looking forward to starting and getting this done! I am on 25 + 5 boosters.I didn't ask my RO at the time about the amount compared to others--last time I spoke with him, I was hooked up to my chemo so couldn't think of many questions! The techs said that I will see the RO weekly incase of problems etc.

Thinking warm thoughts

julie_dee - That is why we are in Texas.

Congrats on being 2/3 done. The rest will sail by and you will be doing the happy dance. 

Penneythough, my onc never said anything about not wearing deodorant.  I shower at night so that I can lather on the aquafor.  I use deodorant because I have early morning RADS and then off to work.  Why did they say not to wear an underwire bra?

wow - you guys are busy here.  a lot of people must be starting in Jan - my rads center was packed today.  I waited an extra 25 minutes.

just wanted to add my 2 cents.

bjbmiller - I think some of the fatigue comes from the added stress.  Getting up early, finding shirts/bras/creams. I was tired from the beginning but it added time to already packed day. If I had a dollar for all the minutes spent searching for the right bra...

I never thought of just taking the underwire out of the bras I already have! Genius! I am trying that the second I get home (maybe after I have a little bourbon hehe)

suepen - I hate to tell you that our hospital has valet parking for cancer patients. They take pity on us I think.  I wish I could give you my pass.  hehe 

Have a great weekend everyone. 2 days off is a nice break.

Mariposa109-  I had #11 today. I use the calendula cream twice a day and so far I have no skin reaction! I like the cream because it is not greasy.

 Lynda - I think that the number of regular treatments and boosts that you get is determined by the total radiation dose that is targeted at your tumor area. Originally my RO told me I would get 28 regular and 5 boosts but this week she told me if my skin holds up that she may give me 25 regular and 7 boosts. So, while some of it may be just RO preference, I think that some of the differences are based on our path reports and the tumor grade, location and if LVI is present.

 Julie_Dee - Congrats on being 2/3 done! It must be universal that we each count it down. 33 daily treatments sure can take a lot out of us. 

Hope everyone has a good weekend! 

pennythough - I am glad to hear your techs said that about the underwire - until this morning, I was worried that I was doing something wrong. And yes, I was told small breasts are required for the Canadian protocol. 

Omaz - Could be just you.  Seems all the rad centers do the markings different.

mjbmiller - My tumor was on my right breast at 11:00 as well (at the top toward the armpit, correct?).  The lines just include the sentinel node (was was node negative) did your lines go higher into the arm pit?  I feel like it is a much larger area than my breast.  I called the office and left a message.  My doctor told me to only use Miaderm.

Update - my rad onc just called and said they irradiate the tail of breast tissue that entends up toward the armpit but they don't go deeply into the underlying tissues, just the top breast part.  That made me feel better.  I was glad she called back so quick!

mjbmiller - If the Miaderm feels good - go ahead even though your rad onc says no.  Mine would not let me use anything.  Said with the machine they had I would not need it.  I used Aquaphor in spite of what he said.  I did burn and when that happened, I told him I did use Aquaphor and he then  said it was okay.  My rad onc was a moron.

Well ladies I guess I will be moving to the Feb Rads thread if there is one. I still have open areas and PS wants expansion completed before rads and the RO said it's ok.Good luck to everyone and don't get burned

Hey ladies!

I was supposed to be in the Dec rads group but I got a reprieve to see family in Texas over the holidays.  I started the treatment on the 5th.  I found it very clinical.  No warm fuzzies. Not feeling like they care too much -just get her in and go on.  No warm blanket, no suggestions for skin care.  Just a pamphlet about no deodorant, under wire bras, shaving, use mild soap with no perfume, etc.  Like others I have not been advised to do any skin care and I am nervous.  

We have been having cold weather and I have dry skin.  I think it is worse because of the chemo.  I want to be proactive on the skin issue.  I asked the RO about it and he said sue aloe vera cream.  Isn't  aloe vera a gel?  does anyone have a recommendation about one with little added ingredients.

I think I am sensitive about the skin-I am about 6 weeks out from my last chemo and my body is showing signs of going back to normal.  BUT  2 days before the rads I ate dinner a friend's house.  I ate food I had eaten before and my lip started swelling.  I looked like collagen gone bad!  I think it was the dye in a Christmas napkin.  I  have never been allergic to anything!  Benedryl stopped it but I was a sight.  Bald and big lipped!!  Hot flashes and BO!!  LOL

Well I just wanted to get in this group-tried to read all the posts but I started to get mixed up on all the info!  I will keep trying.   Seems like the things to try are Aquaphor, Miaderm and aloe vera.

Do any of those natural deodorants help? I don't want o bother spending my money if they don't.  I perspire alot -winter or not and I get stinky!  Might as well wipe the underarms a few times a day.

Most of all I am glad to hear from fellow BC folks.  I have been trying to be "normal" so I did not take time to read posts.  I really don't have anyone to talk with and I feel like all my friends are tired of it.  Plus I have some other friends who are recently diagnosed with not so great prognoses so I don't want to whine.

Sorry to be so long.

Debbie

Oh yeah I wanted to tell you that I will have 38 treatments.  8 of those will be boosts.  I had one not so good margin.  I also had 4 tumors-3 DCIS and one invasive DCIS.  The invasive one was only discovered in the path from the lumpectomy. 

My point is that it seems I could get skin irritation after 38 treatments.

Debbie

I also will have that many. you might be lucky and not have much irritation.  I don't think there is such a thing as invasive DCIS, I think it is IDC (invasive ductal cancer).....