May 2011 Radiation

Hello all!  Just popped in to cheer you on and send positive energy to you all!!

I finished rads last week, 28 whole breast, and 7 boosts.  My skin tolerated rads very well, I was faithful to lube my boob 4 or 5 times daily.  I used aquafor (yeah its greasy, so wore soft tank tops under my reg shirt, no bra)   100% aloe gel, and I used an aloe plant, that worked wonders for me.  Nothing four hours before, put aquafor on right after rads, and went to work for the day. No real fatigue until evening, helped me sleep great!!   Everyone is different with skin reactions, had some indigestion/digestive issues the second week, but that ended soon. Skin did great! Just take one day at a time, lube up, rest if you need to. I'm one week post rads, and so far no issue.

There is a list of suggestions, lotions, routines, that is posted on April and March thread, made by GirlFriday, excellent source of info. 

Good luck to you all, I know it seems like its never going to end, but it does,

Ducky, I think I will buy the scratch tickets, and count down the days post rads!!! Great idea for rads!! 

Hi all,

I went for my simulation yesterday. Don't have a definite start date but it is likely to be May 16th.  It's funny--it did not seem that hard yesterday afternoon at the simulation but afterwards I had total mental exhaustion.    

Pixelsupply,

I have radiation to my left clavicle area, I had all my lymph nodes removed and they are afraid some cells could have transfer to the lymph nodes by the collar bone,even if the margin was clear.

Yes, LE is a big worry for me as well, but since you didn't have any lymph nodes removed, your risk should be smaller.

pixelsupply - I don't start until May 16th, but I will be having my supraclavical radiated. I just picked up my compression sleeves yesterday on the advise of a physical therapist. She said I could wear them actually during the treatment and the RO is fine with that. She told me to use them, when appropriate, all throughout my 5 weeks of radiation and then for a month or two afterwards to help minimize the risk of LE, then we can re-evalute afterwards when I should use them. I only had a SNB, I refused the ALND, but the risk is still there.

KCMomx3  - thank you for those encouraging words. 

Howdy everyone...couldn't decide if I should post in the Oh' Canada thread...or this radiation one.... just started radiation on Wednesday the 4th. So far so good. I'm only having 16 treatments, which is good as I am not able to live at home during my treatment. Hopefully next week is as uneventful as this week was! I am using a cream called Glaxal Base...it's great stuff, recommended by my docs.

I have Invasive Tubular Carcinoma, 1.2cm, Grade 1 I think.

kcmomx3

Right there with you...........10 down and 23 to go.......so far so good.........hope it continues.

Hi everyone!

MX w/ TE in October, started chemo in Dec, finished it March 22nd, revision surgery (MX popped open and refused to heal during chemo)...and just had my first new fill (this round) last week have 5-6 more to go.

I go Tuesday to see the PS, and from there to sign the consent and do the simulation for rads..so should be starting Rads this week if they can get me in.  (Rads to axilla, full chest, super clavicle, and bolus to skin on upper breast.  Really hoping my TE survives...but not very optimistic)

I will be getting expanded the first few weeks of Rads (which is freakin me out a little, I won't lie).

Talked with some of the women on the triple positive thread who've gone through Rads...and this is some of the suggestions: 

Aloe Vera 100% Gel 6 oz Gel by Fruit of the Earth (applied directly after treatment)

Miaderm (applied 2-4 hours later) 

Faulding Essentials Vitamin E Cream 75g (from Australia)
(applied 4-6 hours later)

100% Pure Emu Oil (4oz) by Progressive Emu (applied 6-10pm)

Aquaphor Healing Ointment by Eucerin (Walgreens or CVS) (applied before bed)

(Rub the Aquaphor ointment vigorously between your palms to soften it up
before applying)

Basis Sensitive Skin Bar (Walgreens or CVS) (used for washing before treatment, rinse well, protecting breast from direct shower spray)

A very soft lightweight cotton tank top from Target each day under bra. If you have 'saggy' breasts wrap the tank top all the way over and under the breasts so there is no skin on skin contact where the breast ‘hangs down'.  The tank should also come all the way up to the base of the armpit area. Buying a bra that is looser and larger than normal helps. 

Use a VERY generous amount of lotion/oil/cream, smeared and gooped all over the breast, underneath and under the armpit all the way to the back.  Especially the nipple area. The cotton tank top absorbs the extra so it doesn't get on bra. 

A possible additional suggestion includes:  taking a picture of your fields when they draw on you
so you know where to goop and make sure you cover all the areas.

Whew!

hi all! I start rads today. at 2:15. not so nervous about the rad treatment themselves, but hoping and praying i don't get burned too bad!

wish me luck!

another senior moment, or typing too fast.

I have won $36.00 which is what I meant to say................bought 33 tickets the day I started Rads, and scratch off one every day................Its fun anyone starting Rads should do it.........It gives you something to look forward to after coming home, and its also fun to watch the pile go down, and when you win its even better. 

Looks like I'm in the May team, too! Had my simulation today and I start rads on May 16! 25 whole/5 tumor bed for a total of 30 sessions.

Interestingly, was given no instructions beyond "be there at 9:45a" although the RO did say at the initial consultation that I can use Miaderm, which I've already bought (after choking on the cost lol). Otherwise, no discussion of soaps, deoterants, or cream schedules. Hmmm....

I lurked the March Rad group and I know someone already mentioned GirlFriday's summary guidance there...I wanted to add that you can find it on page 15 of the thread! 

Loving the lottery ticket theory...I'm in! 

Wish we had lottery here. Can't think of anything else to replace it.

Let me say that more clearly..........Make sure what you ;purchase in the bottle or jar is the right %........of course the aloe plant would be........I'm out to find an Aloe plant somewhere too..I'm just a little leary about the plant being "sanitary" enough to use, with all the handling, trucking, and sprayiing that goes on in garden nurseries, but a lot of the ladies use the actual plant.

MaggieMc2 - My RO recommends 99% Aloe Vera Gel - I've been using Trader Joe's store brand which costs $3 for 12 oz. Whole Foods also sells 99% pure in a yellow tube (has the word Valley in the name). I think they're basically the same. As duckyb1 said, the Aloe Vera Gel sold at the drugstores for sunburn, etc. isn't the stuff you want.

I did #10 of 36 treatments yesterday. I'm going through the Aloe Vera at a rate of 12 oz / week.

They had me start with Aloe Vera (apply 4 times / day). They monitor me and will make adjustments if needed. Last week I got a little rash on my breastbone (4 tiny red marks). They told me to put a tiny bit of Aquaphor just on those spots for the itching and to continue with the Aloe Vera.