March 2011 Rads

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  • djfrro
    djfrro Member Posts: 71
    edited March 2011

    finished radiation today, and am heading to the beach with my daughter and her friends for spring break in a few hours.  one thing I wanted to share with everyone: I did not have any problems with skin side effects at all, about a month before I started, my Dr. told me to start slathering castor oil on my chest, I did that and continued using it throughout treatment, along with miaderm and aquafor.  My skin never turned pink.  I did have all the related fatigue and am happy to be done!

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  • msjag
    msjag Member Posts: 416
    edited March 2011

    Chemo does do a number on your digestive system, I do have diverticulosis and a hiatel hernia that I'm sure chemo/radiation has aggrevated, but everyone involved with chemo team says I shouldn't be having problems 6 weeks out of chemo, and the radiation team says it shouldn't be radiation.  So more tests, appts, etc....to figure out this pain when I eat...

    djfrro, congrats on finishing, enjoy spring break!

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  • GirlFriday
    GirlFriday Member Posts: 461
    edited March 2011

    20/33!  5 more regular and then 8 blasting boosts to the tumor bed! Woohoo!  My skin is doing well, but I do have an itchy heat rash.  My scar itches too, but I'm just going to believe that is the death of any remaining pesky C cells.  Is anyone else having appetite issues?  I don't seem to have an appetite at all, except for things like chocolate ice cream..and I'm not really a sweet eater!  I think it's probably some mental association going on with the "sun burn" my skin thinks it's getting....ice cream and sunshine, too/two great together!

    I can't remember who said it, but I'm I'm so sorry your son's bed time is upset by the car ride nap time!  That sucks!

    djfrro:  Should we look for you on the spring break news casts?  I'm fascinated by the castor oil!  My RO was clear about NO oil!  I think I'll try it when I'm done!

    grammabubba:  You are not a downer.  You are a wonderful Bubba!  I hope you're skin heals quickly so you can get the rest of the juice!

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  • sandymess
    sandymess Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2011

    8/33. I am SO glad to have the weekend to rest!

    Congrats to djfrro on completing your treatment. I am so jealous!! Tongue out 

    Forgot to tell you all: The patient liaison person at the hospital I go to for rads recommended getting one of those bra back extenders. She said it doesn't matter what kind of bra it is...underwire, or not...but it can't be too tight and the back extender helps correct that. I got mine in the craft department at Walmart where the shoulder pads are. It was under $2!!

    Have a great weekend, everyone!

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  • shooshoo23
    shooshoo23 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2011

    10/33 DONE!!

    GrandmaBubba- You are absolutely NOT a bummer!!! That's what we are here for. We support each other and lift each other up so we can all get through this crazy journey! I'm sending you healing thoughts and prayers! 

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  • heavenschild
    heavenschild Member Posts: 212
    edited March 2011

    13/30 Done.  Armpit is complaining and under my boob.  Eating Tylenol like candy. I took myself off of Armidex.  One assault on my body at a time, please.  Feel sooo much better.

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  • Adey
    Adey Member Posts: 3,610
    edited March 2011

    grammabubba- You are not alone.  I had last Thursday and Friday off and also today due to red boob disease!  I am not blistering or peeling but am red and itchy sandpapery.  Only two more to go and I can start to really heal.  Healing vibes to you!

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  • texasrose361
    texasrose361 Member Posts: 1,829
    edited March 2011

    SOrry i havent been on line... the rads schedule has been hectic!!!

    So far i am only experincing an ache type pain and it comes and goes- no skin issues... its still hard for me to tell though about pain cuz i still dont have most the feeling in my chest from the MX

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited March 2011

    thegood5 - RE: herceptin.  My legs are really achy but it seems more muscular, plus I have swelling/fluid in my ankles and calves (mostly the left).  It's frustrating because I keep getting told that herceptin has no SE's that would last past the first 48hrs after tx.  Did you have taxotere?  I know it can cause a lot of joint pain that often lasts quite some time after you finish.

    I have talked to other ladies that have commented on muscle aches and stiffness while on herceptin.

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  • thegood5
    thegood5 Member Posts: 478
    edited March 2011

    marjie, yes, did the dreaded TCH, finished the end of Jan.  will get Herceptin as long as it works for me considering I'm stage IV.  the aches were REALLY bad when I was getting all 3, now it's not too bad in my legs, but I just can't handle this foot pain on the bottoms of my feet.  I'm doing a Relay for Life in June and am really worried about how I'm going to do it with all of this soreness.  As far as what the Dr.'s say, I've always said, unless they have personally experienced this, how do they know what is the right and wrong way to be feeling?!?  Thanks for you info and hope you are doing well!

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  • sandymess
    sandymess Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2011

    Happy Saturday, everyone! Isn't it great to have the day off from rads? I know I'm enjoying it.

    I have no skin changes yet, but the whole area--breast, chest and shoulder--feels like I got beat up. Like there's some really deep bruising, and my breast and port scar both hurt to touch. Anyone else feel like that?

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  • starella
    starella Member Posts: 159
    edited March 2011

    yes my lump scar and port are sore, are they radiating on the port side? also, im swollen..ugh

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  • GirlFriday
    GirlFriday Member Posts: 461
    edited March 2011

    I didn't feel sore like that but I felt tender...I felt better wearing a cotton jog bra and keeping everything "strapped" down because braless even the softest t-shirt irritated my skin.  Now at 20/33 I'm not nearly that sensitive, but I've got quite an itchy rash over the top of the rads area.

    In general, I totally get the beat up feeling! I feel poked and prodded, and down right cranky!  I'm baking oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies, and denying myself the the pleasure of drinking wine while I do it.  Nothing tastes right, and alcohol does not settle well at all. I think that's a crime!  None of my vices work!   

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  • sandymess
    sandymess Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2011

    Ooh, what a great idea! I think I'll bake some cookies, too. We're out of raisins though, so I'll just have to bake some Tollhouse. They're my favorite, anyway.



    No fair on the wine not settling! That is a crime, for sure!! I'm going to have a glass tonight, and I'll dedicate it to you, GirlFriday! ;-)

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  • pumela115
    pumela115 Member Posts: 231
    edited March 2011

    Yes Happy Saturday!!!    I too am very sore and swollen. 18/33 and my port scar hurts more now that it's out then when it was in there. They are doing rads on the opposite side from my port. Is anyone having indegestion issues? I feel like i have to burp all the time. lol!! I just want to be done with all this sooooo bad!!! Have a good weekend everyone!!!

                                                               Pam

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  • Lee7
    Lee7 Member Posts: 657
    edited March 2011

    I just realized I'm allergic to Calendula gel.

    I was using it with the aloe and was starting to really worry because my skin was getting really pink already which I thought was the rads.  Today my skin was really bright pink on my neck and I freaked out thinking I'm getting radiation all the way up there!   Then I noticed it was sort of pink on my other side too, which didn't seem right. I can be hypersentive to stuff so I went ahead and slathered a lot of the gel on the other side of my neck as a test.  wow...it really turned bright pink. No more using calendula gel for me. 

    Anyone else have that reaction?  I guess it means I also can't use Miaderm.

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  • shooshoo23
    shooshoo23 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2011

    I'm pretty tender too. Especially under my arm, my nipple and under my breast. I'm small chested so I didn't figure for the underneath being bad. It's still so much better than chemo that I hate to complain at all!

    I've been afraid to drink at all through this 'cancer thing'. A glass of wine sounds fabulous! I'm not a huge drinker but the last time I had any was right after my diagnosis. I had a bottle of peach wine from a local winery and a friend and I sat on my porch and finished the whole bottle. We laughed and laughed!  

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  • libraylil
    libraylil Member Posts: 528
    edited March 2011

    Shoo shoo that is so funny. When I was diagnosed I had several Firefly Teas, a pizza and some carrot cake. For those of you that have not enjoyed Firefly Tea, it is tea flavored vodka. Add a little lemonade,splash of water. after a couple of those DH resembles George Clooney.libraylil

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited March 2011

    Libraylil - FIrefly tea sounds yummy Tongue out

    After reading thru the posts I can say that my port is achy too - even though it's not on the rads side. My port is actually closer to the centre of my chest than off to one side so who knows.  I kind of feel guilty that I feel happy when I see other people are having the same SE's as me.......guess it just shows me that I'm actually "ok" and not nuts!!

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  • GirlFriday
    GirlFriday Member Posts: 461
    edited March 2011

    marjie: I agree...I think it's misery loves company at work!  I've had no luck at locating Glaxal! :(

    lee7:  I don't use either of the Boiron or Miaderm products (couldn't buy them around here) but check the label to see if there is Tea Tree Oil.  My skin reacts to that oil the way you described.  The first time I ever used it was to treat my new belly ring...yow! that was not fun at all!

     Pam:  I just have a really funky appetite.  Nothing tastes fine, and I didn't go through chemo.  I really only want to eat ice cream. But I'm forcing myself to eat my re-structured diet....it's the Core Balance Diet...and it has lots of veggies...They tasted like straw no matter how fresh :(  But Chocolae Ice Cream is ambrosia!

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  • gingerstx
    gingerstx Member Posts: 91
    edited March 2011

    15/36 done!  yay!  Still no pink skin but I'm slathering my stuff on liberally.  I've had a rash that won't go away on the upper and lower parts of my radiated breast.  Since the rash also appeared on other parts of my torso, we didn't think it was due to the rads.  However, the cortisone lotion seemed to heal everything but the areas of the breast being zapped, so I wonder.  It doesn't really bother me and I've had no other SE's so I consider myself lucky.   

    Finally saw a doc for my 2 week post-cold cough that just wouldn't go away and voila!  the cough is gone and so is my stress that I'll start a coughing fit in the middle of a session.  I'm still looking for the secret of how to keep your extended arms from screaming during those sessions when they have to take xrays or the computer doesn't cooperate and your time-in-position is doubled.  

    Enjoy your Sunday everyone and gather in those positive vibes to get you through the week!

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  • msjag
    msjag Member Posts: 416
    edited March 2011

    Pam, I do have indigestion, bad enough to cause a hospital stay.  No docs can explain it, gotta be left over from chemo or rads, docs and nurses all say its from something different.

    Marje, I'm with you, don't wish anyone any side effects, but nice to know you're not losing your mind when they keep saying "we don't see anything"

    GirlFriday, I love reading your posts also.  They make me laugh, and are full of helpful info.  Hope you can have that glass of wine soon, I haven't been able to enjoy any either, maybe we can click our glasses and yell "cheers"  someday soon!! 

    I think someone forgot to tell MA that it is spring!! waiting for the warmer weather so the rest of the snow can melt!!!

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  • sandymess
    sandymess Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2011

    gingerstx: Hope your cough stays away for good. The woman who has radiation just before I do has pneumonia and also worries about coughing during treatment. They told her to suck on a cough drop just before her sessions.



    I have no color on my skin yet, but I am SO achy. All through my breast and up to my collar bone and shoulder. I'll have to talk to the nurse tomorrow and see if we can figure out what's going on.



    GirlFriday: They have the Glaxal cream at amazon.com and at drugstore.com. It actually says it's recommended for dry skin caused by radiation. MY appetite is just about back to normal these days. I wish it wasn't because I really need to lose some weight!



    Enjoy the last of the weekend, everyone. Tomorrow it begins again!!

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  • cmbear
    cmbear Member Posts: 1,086
    edited March 2011

    Finished 24/33 today and as I got there, two people were ringing the bell! It was such a great way to start a Monday!! Can't wait ten more days!! Woo-hoo!! I got the big fat blisters under my arm this weekend, and have the dark red angry spots on my chest that I think are blisters--just very small. Finding clothes that don't rub has been a challenge.

    Stomach problems seem to go hand in hand with BC. I had all kinds of upper gastro issues during chemo, and now I seem to have lower g.i. issues with rads. Almost think I have irritable bowel, seems I spend every Thursday--all day-- in the bathroom, and then don't go for the rest of the week. And don't talk to me about appetite.What's that??  And why is it that chocolate is the only thing that tastes good? Well, not that I am complaining about that!!!

    Firefly tea, glass of wine, chocolate chip cookies, yummmmmmm!!! It all sounds to good right now!! 

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  • GirlFriday
    GirlFriday Member Posts: 461
    edited March 2011

    21/33:  The rash is called folliculitis...or basically my hair follicles are angry (very, very angry).  When creepy eyed RO told me what it was, I immediately started singing that opera song "Foniculi, Fonicula"  but changed the words as I went.  I think it was on a Bugs Bunny episode, because Bugs is my most intense exposure to opera.  I also wonder if there is something in a BC diagnosis that encourages a duplicitous nature...First off I'm a Gemini, so I have the twins battling all of the time.  But I notice now, that when I deal with something I don't like my head is absolutely screaming an argument, but I force my face and my demeanor to be pleasant.  Like dealing with creepy eyed RO, my mind is screaming "Stop looking at me with your creepy eyes"  But I have a smile on my face and I simply ask "Are we good to go"  because he just keeps staring and he never ends the Monday check in quickly enough.  I have to prompt him to end it.  Is it just my cancer crazy, or is this "inside screaming outside calm" a BC SE? 

    msjag:  We'll be able to toast when it's warm!  It's in the twenties and windy in Maine today!

    sandymess:  I was being lazy and haven't ordered off the internet yet.  At this point it's probably too late to change my routine, and my skin has held up well according to the RO.

    Ginger:  did you ask the techs if they can prop your arms with rolled towels or other supports?

    Libraylil:  mmmm firefly tea...I'm a huge vodka fan myself!  And sweet tea is a dirty little pleasure of mine...I'll have to hit the liquor store and search it out!

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  • GirlFriday
    GirlFriday Member Posts: 461
    edited March 2011
    cmblastic:  I shouldn't diagnose you, but you should limit wheat and refined carbs, and increase fiber via veggies...it's done wonders for me.  I was constipated or two years working this terrible job.  I think I was in the bathroom for a month after I got laid off!  I also take Ducolax, if I have even an inkling that I might be plugged up!  Maybe you can minimize some of the symptoms with diet, and get your Thursdays back!
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  • sandymess
    sandymess Member Posts: 299
    edited March 2011

    "because Bugs is my most intense exposure to opera" AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! GirlFriday, you crack me up! And I have to admit that Bugs is my most intense exposure to opera, too. hehe

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited March 2011

    HOLY Achy Tired!!!! is the rest of rads going to be like this Surprised??

    When I was on chemo, I had problems because my WBC's would actually zero out - that's kind of how I feel right now and it makes me a little nervous!  Ah well - I will just keep pluggin away. 19/33 today.

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  • kal_1865
    kal_1865 Member Posts: 176
    edited March 2011

    how frustrating, just received a call from one of my rads techs that my machine is being repaired and I won't begin my treatments today...i'm already getting pushed back and I haven't even started.

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  • marjie
    marjie Member Posts: 1,134
    edited March 2011

    kal_1865 - Frustrating, yes...but once you get started it will fly by.  Just remember that you want that machine in tip-top shape before they are aiming it at you!

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